Quantum phase transitions in the itinerant ferromagnet ZrZn2.
We report a study of the ferromagnetism of ZrZn2, the most promising material to exhibit ferromagnetic quantum criticality, at low temperatures T as a function of pressure p. We find that the ordered ferromagnetic moment disappears discontinuously at p(c)=16.5 kbar. Thus a tricritical point separates a line of first order ferromagnetic transitions from second order (continuous) transitions at higher temperature. We also identify two lines of transitions of the magnetization isotherms up to 12 T in the p-T plane where the derivative of the magnetization changes rapidly. These quantum phase transitions (QPT) establish a high sensitivity to local minima in the free energy in ZrZn2, thus strongly suggesting that QPT in itinerant ferromagnets are always first order.
Uhlarz
M
M
Physikalisches Institut, Universität Karlsruhe, Wolfgang-Gaede-Strasse 1, D-76128 Karlsruhe, Germany.
Pfleiderer
C
C
Hayden
S M
SM