Seminar：Exploring actinide-based intermetallic compounds

Andreas Leithe-Jasper

MPI-CPfS, Dresden, Germany

Time: 2:00pm, June 12, 2018

Location: Room 201, Teaching Building 12, Yuquan Campus, Zhejiang University

Abstract

After a short introduction of our laboratory at the MPI-CPfS as well aslight actinides in general I shall focus on the chemical physics of recently investigated intermetallic phases. New compounds ThPt2 [1] and ThPt3Be [2] are discussed. The phase stability of ThPt2 compared with competing structural arrangements as well as chemical bonding scenarios are highlighted. Against expectations, ThPt3Be adopts no Cu3Au-derived crystal structure Analysis of the chemical bonding situation reveals this compound to be stabilized by strong Pt-Th bonding with an additional supporting Be-Pt bonding framework.

In hexagonal UBeGe [3] we observe uniaxial ferromagnetism of local uranium moments. X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES, 17-300 K), as well as theoretical DFT calculations indicate localized U 5f2 states in UBeGe. ThBeGe is a diamagnetic metallic system with low DOS at the Fermi level.

Finally, I shall give a materials scientist’s view on UBe13, an archetype of U-based heavy Fermion material. I want to share with You surprising new results on flux-grown single crystals. They comprise unprecedented insights into the local atomic structure and their implications for HF physics in general [4].

[1] R. Gumeniuk, W. Schnelle, U. Burkhardt, H. Borrmann, M. Nicklas, M. Kohout, A. Leithe-Jasper and Yu. Grin, Inorganic Chemistry 54., 6338 (2015).

[2] R. Gumeniuk, M. Kohout, W. Schnelle, U. Burkhardt, M. Zschornak and A. Leithe-Jasper, Eur. J. Inorg. Chem, 179 (2017).

[3] R. Gumeniuk, A. Yaresko, W. Schnelle, M. Nicklas, K. O. Kvashnina, C. Henning, Yu. Grin , and A. Leithe-Jasper, PRB 2018, (accepted for publication).

[4] A. Amon, M. Naumann, I. Zelenina, M. Bobnar, E. Svanidze, H. Borrmann, P. Simon, R. Ramlau, W. Schnelle, U. Burkhardt, A. Leithe-Jasper, E. Hassinger, Yu. Grin, (2018, under review)