Single-channel vs multi-channel Kondo effects; SmTe and TmTe studied via resonant inelastic X-ray scattering under high pressure

Jarrige, I.; Rueff, J.-P.*; Shieh, S.*; 田口 宗孝*; 大石 泰生*; 松村 武*; 石井 啓文*; 平岡 望*; Cai, Y. Q.*

no journal, , 

Using resonant inelastic X-ray scattering and the Anderson impurity model, we estimated the pressure dependence of the Sm and Tm valence and 4 f -5d hybridization in the respectively single and multi-channel Kondo compounds SmTe and TmTe. We observed a usual, continuous Kondo-like f delocalization for SmTe as a function of pressure. On the contrary, our results reveal that the f delocalization in TmTe is discontinuous, characterized by a previously unobserved plateau-like behavior between 4.3 and 6.5 GPa. This is interpreted as an experimental observation of the effect of culminating multi-channel Kondo scattering of d electrons from local moments on the electronic structure. Our study raises the interesting possibility that an NCK effect realized in a compressed mixed-valent f system could impede the concomitant electron delocalization.