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The alpha--> gamma transition in Ce: a theoretical view from optical spectroscopy
Kristjan Haule1, Viktor Oudovenko, Sergej Y Savrasov
1Jozef Stefan Institute, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia and Department of Physics and Center for Material Theory, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
Physical Review Letters
|February 9, 2005
Summary
This study reveals the Kondo collapse model, not Mott transitions, explains the alpha to gamma phase transition in Cerium (Ce) by analyzing optical properties. A hybridization pseudogap is predicted near the transition.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Materials Science
- Quantum Mechanics
Background:
- The alpha to gamma phase transition in Cerium (Ce) is a long-standing puzzle in condensed matter physics.
- Understanding this transition is crucial for comprehending strongly correlated electron systems.
- Previous models, such as Mott transitions, have been proposed but lacked complete explanation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the physical origin of the alpha to gamma phase transition in Cerium.
- To compare the validity of the Kondo collapse model versus a Mott transition picture using optical properties.
- To predict the temperature-dependent optical spectra and identify key features near the transition.
Main Methods:
- Development and application of a novel computational approach to calculate optical properties.
- Analysis of optical data within the framework of strongly correlated systems.
- Comparison of theoretical predictions with existing experimental data on Cerium thin films.
Main Results:
- The Kondo collapse model, incorporating both f and spd electrons, provides a superior explanation for the optical data compared to models considering only f electrons (Mott transition).
- Theoretical results show good agreement with experimental findings on Cerium thin films.
- A hybridization pseudogap is predicted to develop as the system approaches the alpha to gamma phase transition.
Conclusions:
- The Kondo collapse model is favored over the Mott transition picture for explaining the Cerium alpha to gamma transition based on optical properties.
- The study validates the novel computational method for analyzing optical properties of strongly correlated systems.
- The predicted hybridization pseudogap offers a new experimental signature to investigate near the phase transition.
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