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Updated: Apr 29, 2026
05:20
Characterization of Thermal Transport in One-dimensional Solid Materials
Published on: January 26, 2014
22.0K
Electrical and thermal transport properties of intermetallic RCoGe2 (R = Ce and La) compounds
B Ramachandran1, P C Chang, Y K Kuo
1Department of Physics, National Dong Hwa University, Hualien 97401, Taiwan.
Summary
This study reveals Kondo scattering in the intermetallic compound CeCoGe2 through electrical resistivity and Seebeck coefficient measurements. Comparison with LaCoGe2 highlights unique electronic properties influenced by cerium
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Materials Science
- Solid-State Chemistry
Background:
- Understanding the electronic structure of intermetallic compounds is crucial for developing novel materials with specific properties.
- Cerium-based intermetallics are known for their complex electronic behaviors, including valence fluctuations and Kondo effects.
- CeCoGe2 and its non-magnetic analog LaCoGe2 serve as model systems to probe the influence of cerium's electronic configuration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the electronic structure and transport properties of the intermetallic compound CeCoGe2.
- To elucidate the role of Kondo scattering in the observed physical properties of CeCoGe2.
- To compare the behavior of CeCoGe2 with its non-magnetic counterpart, LaCoGe2, to isolate the magnetic contribution.
Main Methods:
- Electrical resistivity (ρ), Seebeck coefficient (S), and thermal conductivity (κ) measurements were conducted over a temperature range of 10–300 K.
- Experimental data for CeCoGe2 were analyzed using a two-band model.
- Comparative studies were performed on the non-magnetic LaCoGe2.
Main Results:
- CeCoGe2 exhibited a broad maximum in the Seebeck coefficient near 75 K, coinciding with a sudden drop in electrical resistivity.
- The temperature-dependent electrical resistivity and Seebeck coefficient of CeCoGe2 were well-described by a two-band model, indicating Kondo scattering.
- LaCoGe2 displayed typical metallic behavior, and thermal conductivity analysis revealed dominant electronic contributions above 100 K in both compounds, with differences in low-temperature lattice thermal conductivity attributed to phonon-point-defect scattering in CeCoGe2.
Conclusions:
- The electronic structure of CeCoGe2 is significantly influenced by Kondo scattering, as evidenced by transport measurements.
- The two-band model effectively captures the characteristic features of Kondo systems like CeCoGe2.
- Phonon-point-defect scattering plays a role in the thermal transport differences between CeCoGe2 and LaCoGe2 at low temperatures.
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