Symmetry-enforced heavy-fermion physics in the quadruple-perovskite CaCu3Ir4O12

Abstract

Heavy-fermion materials are mostly rare-earth or actinide intermetallics with very few exceptions in d-electron systems. The physical mechanism for these d-electron heavy fermion systems remains unclear. Here by studying the quadruple-perovskite CaCu3Ir4O12, we propose a symmetry-based mechanism that may enforce heavy-fermion physics in d-electron systems. We show that electron hoppings between neighboring Cu 3d-orbitals are strictly prohibited by the crystal symmetry, so that Cu 3d-electrons can only become delocalized through hybridization with other more itinerant bands, resembling that in typical heavy-fermion rare-earth intermetallics. This provides a useful way to enforce heavy-fermion physics in d-electron systems and may help future design of new heavy-fermion materials.