Hydrostatic Pressure Studies of Intermetallic Phosphide, Antimonide, and Germanide Compounds

技术：在研究具有复杂电磁行为的材料时，静水压力的应用是一个非常重要的实验工具，因为压力可以“干净”地改变固体中电子相互作用的强度，即不会引入外部现象。使用助熔剂生长技术将生长磷化物、锑和锗三元金属间化合物的单晶，并将在0.4-400K的温度范围内、高达18T的磁场和高达25kbar的压力下对这些材料的电、热和磁性能进行研究。这些实验探索到的丰富而复杂的行为包括超导电性、长程磁序、近藤相互作用、电荷-密度-波以及有时观察到的非常大的热电动势。静水压力实验可以为阐明这些不同基态的物理基础提供非常有用的信息，并且可能会出现新的行为。这个项目将为本科院校的学生创造许多实践研究、教育和指导的机会，以及到当地高中进行外展访问的机会。非技术性：在研究显示复杂电磁行为的材料时，静压的应用是一个非常重要的实验工具，因为压力可以使固体中的原子稍微靠近，从而影响它们相互作用的强度，以及周围的电子电荷。将合成高质量的含镧系元素或榄系元素以及磷、锑、锗等材料的晶体，并进行实验研究，以确定它们的磁性、导电能力以及保热和导热能力。这些实验将在温度(约-459华氏度到260华氏度)、磁场(高达地球磁场的50万倍)和压力(高达25000倍大气压)的极端条件下进行。这些实验探索到的丰富而复杂的行为包括超导、磁序、电子的周期性聚集，以及有时观察到的非常大的温差电势。静水压力实验提供了一些非常重要的线索，它们有助于阐明这些新的和令人兴奋的材料的潜在物理原理，也可以揭示新的行为。这个项目将为本科院校的学生创造许多实践研究、教育和指导的机会，以及到当地高中进行外展访问的机会。

Technical:The application of hydrostatic pressure is a very important experimental tool in the study of materials displaying complex electronic and magnetic behavior, because pressure can alter the strength of the electronic interactions in solids "cleanly", i.e., without the introduction of extrinsic phenomena. Single-crystals of phosphide, antimonide, and germanide ternary intermetallic compounds, also containing rare-earth or actinide elements, will be grown using a flux-growth technique, and studies of electrical, thermal, and magnetic properties in these materials will be carried out in the temperature range from 0.4 to 400 K, in magnetic fields up to 18 T, and pressures up to 25 kbar. The rich and complex behaviors probed by these experiments include superconductivity, long-range magnetic order, Kondo interactions, charge-density-wave, and the very large thermoelectric power observed sometimes. Hydrostatic pressure experiments can provide very useful information for elucidating the underlying physics of these various ground states, and new behaviors may emerge. This project will create many hands-on research, educational, and mentoring opportunities for the students of an undergraduate institution, as well opportunities for outreach visits to local high schools. Non-technical:The application of hydrostatic pressure is a very important experimental tool in the study of materials displaying complex electronic and magnetic behavior, because pressure can bring the atoms in a solid slightly closer together, therefore affecting the strength of their interaction with each other, and the surrounding electronic charge. High-quality crystals of materials containing lanthanide or actinide elements, as well as phosphorus, antimony, or germanium will be synthesized, and experimental studies will be carried out to determine their magnetic behavior, their ability to conduct electricity, as well as their ability to retain and conduct heat. These experiments will be carried out in extreme conditions of temperature (from about -459 to 260 F), magnetic field (up to 500 thousand times higher than the earth magnetic field), and pressure (up to 25 thousand times atmospheric pressure). The rich and complex behaviors probed by these experiments include superconductivity, magnetic order, periodic clustering of electrons, and the very large thermoelectric power observed sometimes. Hydrostatic pressure experiments provide some very important clues, and they are very helpful for elucidating the underlying physical principles at play in these novel and exciting materials, and they can also reveal new behaviors. This project will create many hands-on research, educational, and mentoring opportunities for the students of an undergraduate institution, as well opportunities for outreach visits to local high schools.