Quasi-One-Dimensional Antiferromagnetic Correlation in the Kondo Semiconductor CeNiSn

Abstract

Spin excitation of the Kondo semiconductor CeNiSn has been studied by neutron scattering in a wide Q space. Below the coherence temperature of 20 K, the excitation spectra show pronounced peaks at \(\hbar\omega = 4\) and 2 meV, at \(Q=(Q_{a}, \frac{1}{2}, Q_{c})\) and (0 0 1), respectively. The observed Q dependence of the 4 meV excitation implies that the corresponding dynamical antiferromagnetic-correlation is quasi-one-dimensional along the b -axis, and is polarized mainly along the a -axis.