Crystal Growth by the Floating Zone Method of Ce-Substituted Crystals of the Topological Kondo Insulator SmB<sub>6</sub>
SmB<inline-formula><math display="inline"><semantics><msub><mrow/><mn>6</mn></msub></semantics></math></inline-formula> is a mixed valence topological Kondo insulator. To investigate the effect of substituting Sm with magnet...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2020-09-01
|
| Series: | Crystals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/10/9/827 |
| _version_ | 1827706017194967040 |
|---|---|
| author | Monica Ciomaga Hatnean Talha Ahmad Marc Walker Martin R. Lees Geetha Balakrishnan |
| author_facet | Monica Ciomaga Hatnean Talha Ahmad Marc Walker Martin R. Lees Geetha Balakrishnan |
| author_sort | Monica Ciomaga Hatnean |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | SmB<inline-formula><math display="inline"><semantics><msub><mrow/><mn>6</mn></msub></semantics></math></inline-formula> is a mixed valence topological Kondo insulator. To investigate the effect of substituting Sm with magnetic Ce ions on the physical properties of samarium hexaboride, Ce-substituted SmB<inline-formula><math display="inline"><semantics><msub><mrow/><mn>6</mn></msub></semantics></math></inline-formula> crystals were grown by the floating zone method for the first time as large, good quality single crystal boules. The crystal growth conditions are reported. Structural, magnetic and transport properties of single crystals of Sm<inline-formula><math display="inline"><semantics><msub><mrow/><mrow><mn>1</mn><mo>−</mo><mi>x</mi></mrow></msub></semantics></math></inline-formula>Ce<inline-formula><math display="inline"><semantics><msub><mrow/><mi>x</mi></msub></semantics></math></inline-formula>B<inline-formula><math display="inline"><semantics><msub><mrow/><mn>6</mn></msub></semantics></math></inline-formula> (<inline-formula><math display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>x</mi><mo>=</mo><mn>0.05</mn></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>, 0.10 and 0.20) were investigated using X-ray diffraction techniques, electrical resistivity and magnetisation measurements. Phase composition analysis of the powder X-ray diffraction data collected on the as-grown boules revealed that the main phase was that of the parent compound, SmB<inline-formula><math display="inline"><semantics><msub><mrow/><mn>6</mn></msub></semantics></math></inline-formula>. Substitution of Sm ions with magnetic Ce ions does not lead to long-range magnetic ordering in the <inline-formula><math display="inline"><semantics><mrow><msub><mi>Sm</mi><mrow><mn>1</mn><mo>−</mo><mi mathvariant="italic">x</mi></mrow></msub><msub><mi>Ce</mi><mi mathvariant="italic">x</mi></msub><msub><mi mathvariant="normal">B</mi><mn>6</mn></msub></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> crystals. The substitution with 5% Ce and above suppresses the cross-over from bulk conductivity at high temperatures to surface-only conductivity at low temperatures. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T16:16:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8378d9fa9c6248f9ac44b98d42d74549 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4352 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T16:16:25Z |
| publishDate | 2020-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Crystals |
| spelling | doaj.art-8378d9fa9c6248f9ac44b98d42d745492023-11-20T14:02:43ZengMDPI AGCrystals2073-43522020-09-0110982710.3390/cryst10090827Crystal Growth by the Floating Zone Method of Ce-Substituted Crystals of the Topological Kondo Insulator SmB<sub>6</sub>Monica Ciomaga Hatnean0Talha Ahmad1Marc Walker2Martin R. Lees3Geetha Balakrishnan4Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UKDepartment of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UKDepartment of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UKDepartment of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UKDepartment of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UKSmB<inline-formula><math display="inline"><semantics><msub><mrow/><mn>6</mn></msub></semantics></math></inline-formula> is a mixed valence topological Kondo insulator. To investigate the effect of substituting Sm with magnetic Ce ions on the physical properties of samarium hexaboride, Ce-substituted SmB<inline-formula><math display="inline"><semantics><msub><mrow/><mn>6</mn></msub></semantics></math></inline-formula> crystals were grown by the floating zone method for the first time as large, good quality single crystal boules. The crystal growth conditions are reported. Structural, magnetic and transport properties of single crystals of Sm<inline-formula><math display="inline"><semantics><msub><mrow/><mrow><mn>1</mn><mo>−</mo><mi>x</mi></mrow></msub></semantics></math></inline-formula>Ce<inline-formula><math display="inline"><semantics><msub><mrow/><mi>x</mi></msub></semantics></math></inline-formula>B<inline-formula><math display="inline"><semantics><msub><mrow/><mn>6</mn></msub></semantics></math></inline-formula> (<inline-formula><math display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>x</mi><mo>=</mo><mn>0.05</mn></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>, 0.10 and 0.20) were investigated using X-ray diffraction techniques, electrical resistivity and magnetisation measurements. Phase composition analysis of the powder X-ray diffraction data collected on the as-grown boules revealed that the main phase was that of the parent compound, SmB<inline-formula><math display="inline"><semantics><msub><mrow/><mn>6</mn></msub></semantics></math></inline-formula>. Substitution of Sm ions with magnetic Ce ions does not lead to long-range magnetic ordering in the <inline-formula><math display="inline"><semantics><mrow><msub><mi>Sm</mi><mrow><mn>1</mn><mo>−</mo><mi mathvariant="italic">x</mi></mrow></msub><msub><mi>Ce</mi><mi mathvariant="italic">x</mi></msub><msub><mi mathvariant="normal">B</mi><mn>6</mn></msub></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> crystals. The substitution with 5% Ce and above suppresses the cross-over from bulk conductivity at high temperatures to surface-only conductivity at low temperatures.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/10/9/827crystal growthoptical floating zone methodSmB6Sm1-xCexB6topological insulatorkondo insulator |
| spellingShingle | Monica Ciomaga Hatnean Talha Ahmad Marc Walker Martin R. Lees Geetha Balakrishnan Crystal Growth by the Floating Zone Method of Ce-Substituted Crystals of the Topological Kondo Insulator SmB<sub>6</sub> Crystals crystal growth optical floating zone method SmB6 Sm1-xCexB6 topological insulator kondo insulator |
| title | Crystal Growth by the Floating Zone Method of Ce-Substituted Crystals of the Topological Kondo Insulator SmB<sub>6</sub> |
| title_full | Crystal Growth by the Floating Zone Method of Ce-Substituted Crystals of the Topological Kondo Insulator SmB<sub>6</sub> |
| title_fullStr | Crystal Growth by the Floating Zone Method of Ce-Substituted Crystals of the Topological Kondo Insulator SmB<sub>6</sub> |
| title_full_unstemmed | Crystal Growth by the Floating Zone Method of Ce-Substituted Crystals of the Topological Kondo Insulator SmB<sub>6</sub> |
| title_short | Crystal Growth by the Floating Zone Method of Ce-Substituted Crystals of the Topological Kondo Insulator SmB<sub>6</sub> |
| title_sort | crystal growth by the floating zone method of ce substituted crystals of the topological kondo insulator smb sub 6 sub |
| topic | crystal growth optical floating zone method SmB6 Sm1-xCexB6 topological insulator kondo insulator |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/10/9/827 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT monicaciomagahatnean crystalgrowthbythefloatingzonemethodofcesubstitutedcrystalsofthetopologicalkondoinsulatorsmbsub6sub AT talhaahmad crystalgrowthbythefloatingzonemethodofcesubstitutedcrystalsofthetopologicalkondoinsulatorsmbsub6sub AT marcwalker crystalgrowthbythefloatingzonemethodofcesubstitutedcrystalsofthetopologicalkondoinsulatorsmbsub6sub AT martinrlees crystalgrowthbythefloatingzonemethodofcesubstitutedcrystalsofthetopologicalkondoinsulatorsmbsub6sub AT geethabalakrishnan crystalgrowthbythefloatingzonemethodofcesubstitutedcrystalsofthetopologicalkondoinsulatorsmbsub6sub |