Crystal growth, low-temperature specific heat, and electronic structure of the filled skutterudite compound ThOs4As12. Issue 10 (18th May 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Juraszek, J.; Rola, K.; Daszkiewicz, M.; Samsel-Czekała, M.; Cichorek, T.; Henkie, Z.
• Is Part Of: Philosophical magazine. Volume 100:Issue 10(2020)
• Page Start: 1355
• Page End: 1366
• Publication Date: 2020-05-18
• Subjects: ThOs4As12 -- filled skutterudite -- crystal growth -- specific heat -- electronic structure; Condensed matter -- Periodicals; Physics -- Periodicals; Matière condensée -- Périodiques; Physique -- Périodiques; 530.41
• DOI: 10.1080/14786435.2020.1727037
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1478-6435

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Single crystals of the filled skutterudite compound ThOs 4 As 12 were grown by a Cd:As flux method. Low-temperature specific-heat measurement reveals a very small Sommerfeld coefficient of the electronic term γ = 3.4 ( 3 ) mJ/molK 2, indicative of a semiconducting or semimetallic character of ThOs 4 As 12 . A low electronic density of states at the Fermi level is consistent with anticipations based on the Zintl concept for the filled skutterudites as well as with our results of band structure calculations. Investigations of a nonmagnetic material ThOs 4 As 12 can be relevant to unmask puzzling strong electron correlations in the putative topological Kondo insulator CeOs 4 As 12 .