Valence instability in the bulk and at the surface of the antiferromagnet SmRh2Si2

DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.95.155127

Authors: A. Chikina (Technische Universität Dresden) , A. Generalov (Lund University) , K. Kummer (European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF)) , M. Guttler (Technische Universität Dresden) , V. N. Antonov (National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine) , Yu. Kucherenko (National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine) , K. Kliemt (Goethe-Universität Frankfurt) , C. Krellner (Goethe-Universität Frankfurt) , S. Danzenbächer (Technische Universität Dresden) , T. Kim (Diamond Light Source) , P. Dudin (Diamond Light Source) , C. Geibel (Max-Planck-Institut für Chemische Physik fester Stoffe) , C. Laubschat (Technische Universität Dresden) , D. V. Vyalikh (Saint Petersburg State University; Donostia International Physics Center; IKERBASQUE)
Co-authored by industrial partner: No

Type: Journal Paper
Journal: Physical Review B , VOL 95

State: Published (Approved)
Published: April 2017
Diamond Proposal Number(s): 14811

Abstract: Using resonant angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and electron band-structure calculations, we explore the electronic structure and properties of Sm atoms at the surface and in the bulk of the antiferromagnet SmRh2Si2. We show that the Sm atoms reveal weak mixed-valent behavior both in the bulk and at the surface. Although trivalent 4f emission strongly dominates, a small divalent 4f signal near the Fermi energy can be clearly resolved for surface and bulk Sm atoms. This behavior is quite different to most other Sm-based materials which typically experience a surface valence transition to a divalent state of Sm atoms at the surface. This phenomenon is explained in analogy to the isostructural Ce compound, where strong 4f hybridization stabilizes mixed-valent ground state both in the bulk and at the surface, and which were described in the light of the single-impurity Anderson model. Implications for other RERh2Si2 (RE = rare-earth elements) compounds are discussed.

Diamond Keywords: Antiferromagnetism

Subject Areas: Materials, Physics


Instruments: I05-ARPES

Added On: 19/05/2017 09:02

Discipline Tags:

Physics Hard condensed matter - structures Magnetism Materials Science

Technical Tags:

Spectroscopy Angle Resolved Photoemission Spectroscopy (ARPES)