Anomalous low-temperature properties of dilute Ce alloys CexLa1−xCu2.2Si2 (x≤0.2)

Abstract

Specific heat, magnetic susceptibility, and electrical resistivity have been investigated for moderately dilute ${\mathrm{Ce}}_{\mathit{x}}$ ${\mathrm{La}}_{1\mathrm{-}\mathit{x}}$ ${\mathrm{Cu}}_{2.2}$ ${\mathrm{Si}}_2$ alloys (x≤0.2) between 1 and 20 K. ${\mathrm{Ce}}_{0.1}$ ${\mathrm{La}}_{0.9}$ ${\mathrm{Cu}}_{2.2}$ ${\mathrm{Si}}_2$ has been found to possess a logarithmic temperature variation in C/T and χ, implying a possibility of the two-channel Kondo effect. However, magnetic-field dependence of C is not consistent with such an interpretation. Anomalous spin-glass-like behavior observed for related ${\mathrm{Ce}}_{0.15}$ ${\mathrm{La}}_{0.85}$ ${\mathrm{Cu}}_{2.2}$ ${\mathrm{Si}}_2$ at low temperatures indicates a magnetic nature of the phenomenon.