Charge density stabilization in LaSb2 by Ce ion substitution

R. F. LUCCAS; J. HANKO; A. FENTE; A. CORREA-ORELLANA; E. CLIMENT-PASCUAL; J. AZPEITIA; T. PEREZ-CASTAÑEDA; M. R. OSORIO; N. M. NEMES; F. J. MOMPEAN; E. SALAS; M. GARCÍA- HERNANDEZ; J. G. RODRIGO; M. A. RAMOS; S. VIEIRA; H. SUDEROW

Barcelona

Congreso; 20th International Conference on Magnetism ICM2015; 2015

CeSb2 is a well-knownlayered compound having several magnetic transitions at low temperatures. Onthe other hand, LaSb2 is known as a two dimensional metal that sharesthe same layered structure. However, a linear magnetoresistance is observed onthis last system, which has been associated to some sort of charge ordering.In this work the observation of aCharge Density Wave (CDW) order in the La1-xCexSb2 family compound is reported. Crystals of several compositions x (0 < x < 1) have been grown using flux method. Variation of the lattice parameters withx has been found. A previously unnoticed kink in the resistivity of LaSb2at temperatures higher than room temperature has been also found. A chargemodulations superposed to the atomic lattice has been observed by ScanningTunneling Microscopy experiments. Our results show that a CDW is present in thesuperconductor LaSb2, which is stabilized in presence of substitutionaldisorder at a finite x. The CDW onset temperature is observed decreasing withincreasing x and competing with magnetism from Ce. The magnetic phase diagramis made from the specific heat anomalies and shows magnetic transitions for x> 0.4.