Anisotropic magnetotransport and magnetic phase diagrams of the antiferromagnetic heavy-fermion superconductor Ce$_3$PdIn$_{11}$

Abstract

We report the results of our detailed magnetotransport studies on single crystals of the antiferromagnetic heavy-fermion superconductor Ce$_3$PdIn$_{11}$. Electrical resistivity measurements, carried out in different magnetic field orientations with respect to the crystallographic axes, were mainly aimed to amass further insight about the magnetically ordered state. The results manifest a clear metamagnetic transitions in the ordered phase when the applied field is parallel to the tetragonal $c$ axis, while no similar features are seen for the transverse direction, i.e., with the field confined within the $ab$ plane. This finding elucidates the fact that the $c$ axis is the easy magnetic direction in this system. Based on the electrical transport and heat capacity data obtained for Ce$_3$PdIn$_{11}$, magnetic field -- temperature phase diagrams were constructed, which elucidate fairly enigmatic behaviors in this material featuring the existence of both second- and first-order magnetic phase transitions.