Acta Physica Polonica B

Vol. 34, No. 22, February 2003, page 1079

Evidence of Non-Kramers Doublet Ground State in PrFe4P12

Y. Nakanishi, M. Yoshizawa, T. Yamaguchi, H. Hazama, Y. Nemoto, T. Goto, T.D. Matsuda, H. Sugawara, H. Sato

The elastic constant (C11-C12)/2 of skutterudite compound PrFe4P12 has been studied in a magnetic field. A remarkable softening towards low temperatures appeared only in applied magnetic field. Its magnitude reaches a value of about 10 % in magnetic field of 8 T. The results confirm that the non-Kramers doublet ground state of the Pr ion is realized in PrFe4P12 and indicate that the magnetic field helps to stabilize the non-Kramers doublet state.

PACS numbers: 71.27.+a, 71.70.Ch, 75.30.Mb

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