Low-temperature study of the strongly correlated compound Ce₃Rh₄Sn₁₃

Abstract

Low-temperature results of the thermodynamic and transport properties of polycrystalline Ce3Rh4Sn13 are presented. The study of the ground-state properties reveals that Kondo interactions become important below 2 K, as evidenced by a large Sommerfeld coefficient and high magnetic resistivity. At 1 K the specific heat exhibits a broad peak that is attributed to short-range magnetic order. Support is given by ac susceptibility measurements. The resistivity and the susceptibility around 80 K are dominated by effects due to the crystal electric field splitting of the Ce3+ multiplet. Additionally, clear indications for local vibrations of Sn(2) atoms within the cage-like structure are deduced from an Einstein term in the specific heat. The crystal structure is known to form two atomic cages: one in which the Ce atoms are located; the other containing the Sn(2) atoms. Although strong correlations at low T are present in this system, the thermopower is found to be surprisingly small.