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High-field superconductivity at an electronic topological transition in URhGe

Nature Physics volume 7, pages 890–894 (2011)Cite this article

Abstract

The emergence of superconductivity at high magnetic fields in URhGe is regarded as a paradigm for new state formation approaching a quantum critical point. Until now, a divergence of the quasiparticle mass at the metamagnetic transition was considered essential for superconductivity to survive at magnetic fields above 30 T. Here we report the observation of quantum oscillations in URhGe revealing a tiny pocket of heavy quasiparticles that shrinks continuously with increasing magnetic field, and finally disappears at a topological Fermi surface transition close to or at the metamagnetic field. The quasiparticle mass decreases and remains finite, implying that the Fermi velocity vanishes due to the collapse of the Fermi wavevector. This offers a novel explanation for the re-emergence of superconductivity at extreme magnetic fields and makes URhGe the first proven example of a material where magnetic field-tuning of the Fermi surface, rather than quantum criticality alone, governs quantum phase formation.

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Figure 1: Schematic phase diagram of URhGe for magnetic fields applied in the crystallographic b c-plane.
Figure 2: Field-angle dependence of R(B) at T≈100 mK.
Figure 3: Temperature dependence of the quantum oscillations.
Figure 4: Magnetic field dependence of the quantum oscillations.
Figure 5: Magnetic field dependence of the Fermi velocity vF and orbital-limiting field Bc2orb for the Fermi pocket detected in this study.

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Acknowledgements

The sample studied was derived from material kindly supplied by the CEA-Grenoble. Research support was provided by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the Royal Society.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Scottish Universities Physics Alliance (SUPA), School of Physics and Astronomy and Centre for Science at Extreme Conditions, University of Edinburgh, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JZ, UK

    E. A. Yelland & A. D. Huxley

  2. SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews KY16 9SS, UK

    E. A. Yelland, J. M. Barraclough & A. D. Huxley

  3. School of Engineering and Centre for Science at Extreme Conditions, University of Edinburgh, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JZ, UK

    W. Wang & K. V. Kamenev

Authors
  1. E. A. Yelland
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  2. J. M. Barraclough
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  3. W. Wang
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  4. K. V. Kamenev
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  5. A. D. Huxley
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Contributions

E.A.Y. set up and made the measurements, analysed the data and wrote the manuscript with input from A.D.H. J.M.B. contributed to the data acquisition and analysis. W.W. and K.V.K. designed the 2-axis rotator stage.

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Correspondence to E. A. Yelland.

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Yelland, E., Barraclough, J., Wang, W. et al. High-field superconductivity at an electronic topological transition in URhGe. Nature Phys 7, 890–894 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/nphys2073

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