Study of the Electronic Properties of CeRhSn by µ⁺ Knight Shift and Relaxation Measurements in Single Crystals

Abstract

We report on measurements of the Knight shift and relaxation behavior of spin polarized positive muons (<em>μ</em>⁺) implanted in monocrystalline CeRhSn. A two-component signal is seen below 100 K which appears to indicate the presence of two different types of domains or phases in which Ce is either in an intermediate, valence fluctuating state, occupying a volume fraction of ∼ 80% above 1.3 K, or in the 3+ ionic state, respectively. The latter domains become dominant below 0.5 K and can be partially suppressed by an external field <em>H</em>_ext. The two associated Knight shifts and <em>μ</em>SR line width's as well as the bulk susceptibility χ bulk reveal subtle changes at 30 K in the magnetic response. Strong anomalies, not present in <em>χ</em>_bulk, are seen in the two Knight shifts for <em>H</em>_ext ⊥ <em>c</em> axis at ∼ 7 K. Some of the observed subtleties may originate from the conduction electron system. The small observed <em>μ</em>SR line width's are inconsistent with atomic disorder involved to explain certain non-Fermi liquid features. The absence of any kind of magnetic order is proven down to 50 mK.