Crystal-electric-field excitations and spin dynamics in Ce3Co4Sn13 semimetallic chiral-lattice phase

Kazuaki Iwasa, Yuka Otomo, Kazuya Suyama, Keisuke Tomiyasu, Seiko Ohira-Kawamura, Kenji Nakajima, and Jean-Michel Mignot

[ PRB ]

Inelastic neutron scattering experiments have been conducted to investigate the spin dynamics and crystal-electric-field level scheme of the Ce 4f electrons in Ce3Co4Sn13 . This compound exhibits a large specific heat at low temperatures and anomalous semimetallic transport in the chiral crystallographic phase below 160 K. Distinctly observed magnetic excitations at approximately 6 and 29 meV are asymmetric in spectral shape and are reproduced by two inequivalent crystal-electric-field splitting schemes, which are deduced from the chiral structure. We have also observed the spin dynamics reflecting antiferromagnetic correlations below 1 meV, which is enhanced with an upturn in the electrical resistivity below 15 K and which yields a low-energy density of state relevant to the large specific heat. We discuss the possibility of a three-dimensional Weyl semimetal state, considering the chiral-lattice symmetry, electronic hybridization, and magnetic correlation.

Crystal-electric-field excitations and spin dynamics in Ce3Co4Sn13 semimetallic chiral-lattice phase
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