Concurrence of directional Kondo transport and incommensurate magnetic order in the layered material AgCrSe$_2$

Abstract

In this work, we report on the concurrent emergence of the directional Kondo behavior and incommensurate magnetic ordering in a layered material. We employ temperature- and magnetic field-dependent resistivity measurements, susceptibility measurements, and high resolution wavelength X-ray diffraction spectroscopy to study the electronic properties of AgCrSe$_2$. Impurity Kondo behavior with a characteristic temperature of $T_\text K$ = 32 K is identified through quantitative analysis of the in-plane resistivity, substantiated by magneto-transport measurements. The agreement between our experimental data and the Schlottmann's scaling theory allows us to determine the impurity spin as $S$ = 3/2. Furthermore, we discuss the origin of the Kondo behavior and its relation to the material's antiferromagnetic transition. Our study uncovers an unusual phenomenon -- the equivalence of the N\'eel temperature and the Kondo temperature -- paving the way for further investigations into the intricate interplay between impurity physics and magnetic phenomena in quantum materials, with potential applications in advanced electronic and magnetic devices.