Ferromagnetic Quantum Critical Point in FeGa3 Tuned by Mixed-Valence Fe Dimers

Abstract

The magnetic, transport, and thermal properties of single crystals of the series Fe(Ga1-xGex)3 are reported. Pure FeGa3 is a nonmagnetic semiconductor, that when doped with small concentrations of Ge (extrinsic electrons), passes through an insulator-to-metal transition and displays non-Fermi liquid (NFL) behavior. Moreover, we observer clear signatures of a ferromagnetic quantum critical point (FM-QCP) in this system at x = 0.052. The mechanism of the local moment formation is consistent with a one-electron reduction of Fe dimer singlets, a unique structural feature in FeGa3, where the density of these mixed valence (Fe(III)-Fe(II)) dimers provides a unique tuning parameter of quantum criticality.