Low-temperature microwave response of heavy-fermion compounds

Abstract

The electrodynamic properties of heavy fermions are distinct from those of normal metals due to the reduced transport relaxation rate that goes hand in hand with the enhanced mass. Using broadband microwave spectroscopy on thin-film samples of the heavy-fermion materials UPd2Al3 and UNi2Al3, we find that the frequency-dependent conductivity of these compounds at low temperatures follows a simple Drude prediction. The observed relaxation rates in the GHz frequency range are extremely low for a metal. © 2009 IOP Publishing Ltd.