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  • Letter
  • Open Access

Strange-metal behavior without fine tuning in PrV2Al20

Marvin Lenk1,*, Fei Gao2, Johann Kroha1,3,†, and Andriy H. Nevidomskyy2,‡

  • *Contact author: mlenk@th.physik.uni-bonn.de
  • †Contact author: kroha@th.physik.uni-bonn.de
  • ‡Contact author: nevidomskyy@rice.edu
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Phys. Rev. Research 6, L042008 – Published 8 October, 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.6.L042008

Abstract

Strange-metal behavior observed in the praseodymium-based heavy-fermion material PrV2Al20 has been tentatively interpreted in the framework of proximity to a quantum critical point (QCP) associated with quadrupolar ordering. Here, we demonstrate that an alternative, natural explanation exists without invoking a QCP, in terms of the unconventional nature of the quadrupolar Kondo effect taking place in non-Kramers ions. Using a combination of ab initio density-functional theory calculations and analytical arguments, we construct a periodic Anderson model with realistic parameters to describe PrV2Al20. We solve the model using dynamical mean-field theory preserving the model symmetries and demonstrate the non-Fermi liquid strange-metal behavior stemming from the two-channel nature of the quadrupolar Kondo effect. Our calculations provide an explanation for the puzzling temperature dependence in the magnetic susceptibility and provide a basis for analyzing future photoemission experiments.

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Phys. Rev. Research 6, L042008– Published 8 October, 2024
  • Received 26 December 2023
  • Revised 29 April 2024
  • Accepted 12 August 2024
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