MINATEC

It is believed that the 5f electrons of uranium compounds possess the intermediate natures between the localized 4f electrons and the itinerant 3d electrons. Thus the uranium compounds exhibit the variety of interesting physical phenomena, such as non-Fermi liquid behavior, multipole order, unconventional superconductivity and the coexistence of ferromagnetism and superconductivity. These striking phenomena have been discovered by the search for new materials or the development of materials.

It is believed that the 5f electrons of uranium compounds possess the intermediate natures between the localized 4f electrons and the itinerant 3d electrons. Thus the uranium compounds exhibit the variety of interesting physical phenomena, such as non-Fermi liquid behavior, multipole order, unconventional superconductivity and the coexistence of ferromagnetism and superconductivity. These striking phenomena have been discovered by the search for new materials or the development of materials. Therefore the high quality single crystal growth is essentially important. The PhD subject includes 1) crystal growth of new uranium compounds, 2) search for new heavy fermion superconductivity. The target materials are i) uranium compounds with relatively large U-U distance, ii) weak ferro/antiferromagnet with large specific heat coefficient, iii) uranium compounds with similar structure of recent discovered heavy fermion superconductor NpPd5Al2, iv) uranium compounds with non-inversion symmetry of crystal structure. The student will carry out the transport measurements (electrical resistivity, specific heat, ac calorimetry) at low temperatures below 80mK. The quantum oscillation experiments will be also performed. From these experiments, the magnetic and electrical states of 5f electron on the uranium compound will be clarified.