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Introducing of topological insulator concept for fluctuating valence compound – samarium hexaboride – has recently initiated a new round of studies aimed to clarify the nature of the ground state in this extraordinary system with strong electron correlations. Here we discuss the data of magnetic resonance in the pristine single crystals of SmB6 measured in 60 GHz cavity experiments at temperatures 1.8–300 K. The microwave study as well as the DC resistivity and Hall effect measurements performed for the different states of SmB6 [110] surface prove definitely the existence of the layer with metallic conductivity increasing under lowering temperature below 5 K. Four lines with the g-factors g ≈ 2 are found to contribute to the ESR-like absorption spectrum that may be attributed to intrinsic paramagnetic centers on the sample’s surface, which are robust with respect to the surface treatment. The temperature dependence of integrated intensity I(T) for main paramagnetic signal is found to demonstrate anomalous critical behavior I(T) ~ (T* − T)ν with characteristic temperature T * = 5.34 ± 0.05 K and exponent ν = 0.38 ± 0.03 indicating possible magnetic transition at the SmB6 [110] surface. Additional resonant magnetoabsorption line, which may be associated with either donor-like defects or cyclotron resonance mode corresponding to the mass m c ~ 1.2m0, is reported.

SmB6 is predicted to be the first member of the intersection of topological insulators and Kondo insulators, strongly correlated materials in which the Fermi level lies in the gap of a many-body resonance that forms by hybridization between localized and itinerant states. While robust, surface-only conductivity at low temperature and the observation of surface states at the expected high symmetry points appear to confirm this prediction, we find both surface states at the (100) surface to be topologically trivial. We find the \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$${\bar{\varGamma }}$$\end{document}Γ¯ state to appear Rashba split and explain the prominent \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\bar X$$\end{document}X¯ state by a surface shift of the many-body resonance. We propose that the latter mechanism, which applies to several crystal terminations, can explain the unusual surface conductivity. While additional, as yet unobserved topological surface states cannot be excluded, our results show that a firm connection between the two material classes is still outstanding., Samarium hexahoride is argued to be a topological Kondo insulator, but this claim remains under debate. Here, Hlawenka et al. provide a topologically trivial explanation for the conducting states at the (100) surface of samarium hexaboride; an explanation based on Rashba splitting and a surface shift of the Kondo resonance.

In zero magnetic field, the famous neutron spin resonance in the f-electron superconductor CeCoIn5 is similar to the recently discovered exciton peak in the non-superconducting CeB6. Magnetic field splits the resonance in CeCoIn5 into two components, indicating that it is a doublet. Here we employ inelastic neutron scattering (INS) to scrutinize the field dependence of spin fluctuations in CeB6. The exciton shows a markedly different behavior without any field splitting. Instead, we observe a second field-induced magnon whose energy increases with field. At the ferromagnetic zone center, however, we find only a single mode with a non-monotonic field dependence. At low fields, it is initially suppressed to zero together with the antiferromagnetic order parameter, but then reappears at higher fields inside the hidden-order phase, following the energy of an electron spin resonance (ESR). This is a unique example of a ferromagnetic resonance in a heavy-fermion metal seen by both ESR and INS consistently over a broad range of magnetic fields., 7 pages, 6 figures including one animation, accepted to Phys. Rev. B

n-type β-rhombohedral boron is e.g. obtained by interstitial doping with Fe atoms exceeding 2.45 at.%. The spectra of Raman- and IR-active phonons have been measured up to the solubility limit of ∼4 at.%. Numerous significant discontinuities in the spectra indicate structural changes at the p/n-transition. These might be restricted to specific elements of the structure, as the lattice parameters vary continuously, thus indicating that the overall structure remains largely unchanged.

The effects of Tm substitution on the dynamical magnetic response of Yb${}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}$Tm${}_{x}$B${}_{12}$ $(x=0$, 0.08, 0.15, and 0.75) and Lu${}_{0.92}$Tm${}_{0.08}$B${}_{12}$ compounds have been studied using time-of-flight inelastic neutron scattering. Major changes were observed in the spectral structure and temperature evolution of the Yb contribution to the inelastic response for a rather low content of magnetic Tm ions. A sizable influence of the $R$B${}_{12}$ host (YbB${}_{12}$, as compared to LuB${}_{12}$ or pure TmB${}_{12}$) on the crystal-field splitting of the Tm${}^{3+}$ ion is also reported. The results point to a specific effect of impurities carrying a magnetic moment (Tm, as compared to Lu or Zr) in a Kondo insulator, which is thought to reflect the ``undercompensation'' of Yb magnetic moments, originally Kondo screened in pure YbB${}_{12}$. A parallel is made with the strong effect of Tm substitution on the temperature dependence of the Seebeck coefficient in Yb${}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}$Tm${}_{x}$B${}_{12}$, which was reported previously.

Some heavy fermion materials show so-called hidden-order phases which are invisible to many characterization techniques and whose microscopic origin remained controversial for decades. Among such hidden-order compounds, CeB6 is of model character due to its simple electronic configuration and crystal structure. Apart from more conventional antiferromagnetism, it shows an elusive phase at low temperatures, which is commonly associated with multipolar order. Here we show that this phase roots in a Fermi surface instability. This conclusion is based on a full 3D tomographic sampling of the electronic structure by angle-resolved photoemission and comparison with inelastic neutron scattering data. The hidden order is mediated by itinerant electrons. Our measurements will serve as a paradigm for the investigation of hidden-order phases in f-electron systems, but also generally for situations where the itinerant electrons drive orbital or spin order., In compounds containing 4f and 5f elements, hidden-order phases exist which are undetectable by many methods, the origins of which are debated. Here, the authors use photoemission and neutron scattering methods to show how such a multipolar-ordered phase emerges due to Fermi surface instability in CeB6.

Excitation-dependent Raman spectra of hexaborides are systematically analyzed. Excitation energies below the plasma edge yield the spectra of surface phonons. The most prominent features in the accordingly obtained surface spectrum of LaB 6 are due to the metal atoms in the uppermost atomic layer of the [001] face and to the layer of distorted octahedra immediately below.

The Raman spectra of numerous dodecaborides have been measured on high-quality single crystals at ambient conditions with high spectral resolution and signal-to-noise ratio. Besides the strong Raman-active modes, numerous Raman-inactive modes occur in the spectra, indicating distortions of the structures. Ab initio calculation of the phonon spectra on ZrB(12) excellently agrees with the experimental results. Force constants are theoretically calculated and force parameters are estimated from the Raman frequencies. The influence of the surface range on the Raman spectra is evident. The different isotopic effects (virtual crystal approximation, the polarization effect and the effect of isotopic disorder) on the phonon frequencies are determined, separated and discussed.