- Letter
Molecular beam epitaxy synthesis and electrical transport properties of the correlated kagome metal
Phys. Rev. B 109, L121112 – Published 18 March, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.109.L121112
Abstract
is a paramagnetic intermetallic consisting of -stacked Ni-kagome networks. Correlated electron behaviors deviating from the Fermi-liquid form have recently been observed in bulk single crystals, attributed to stabilization of a partially flat electronic band near the Fermi level. Synthesis of this system in thin-film form offers unique opportunities for tuning of materials that could aid in identifying the microscopic origin of the non-Fermi-liquid response and exploring the suspected quantum criticality therein. Here, we report the realization of (001)-oriented epitaxial thin films of on single-crystal (111) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy. Via control of growth conditions, we fabricate high-quality films with quantum fluctuations strongly influencing the physical properties of the system. Analysis of the electrical transport response reveals that intrinsic spin fluctuations in may account for the observed non-Fermi-liquid behavior. Such structures may facilitate driving across a potential quantum critical phase transition and uncover the role of unusual flat bands in triggering correlated phenomena.