Temperature and magnetic field dependent Yb valence in YbRhSi observed by X-ray absorption spectroscopy

Nakai, Hirohito*; Ebihara, Takao*; Tsutsui, Satoshi*; Mizumaki, Masaichiro*; Kawamura, Naomi*; Michimura, Shinji*; Inami, Toshiya; Nakamura, Toshiyuki*; Kondo, Akihiro*; Kindo, Koichi*; Matsuda, Yasuhiro*

The temperature and magnetic field dependences of Yb valence were observed in the heavy fermion compoundYbRhSi by X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The measurements revealed that the Yb valence decreases with decreasing temperature in the range from 200 to 2 K and increases with increasing magnetic field in the range from 0 to 33 T without showing an abrupt change in the Yb valence. The Yb valence is in the range from 2.92 to 2.96 depending on temperature and magnetic field. With respect to the valence being 2.92 at 0 T and 2.93 at 33 T in 2 K, YbRhSi is a valence fluctuation compound and does not reach the integer trivalent state at high magnetic field. These results endorse the conventional knowledge that the valence of Yb is very close to the integer value of 3+, decreases with decreasing temperature, and becomes closer to 3+ with increasing magnetic field.