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Mixed-valence insulators with neutral Fermi surfaces

Cornell Affiliated Author(s)

Author

Debanjan Chowdhury
I. Sodemann
T. Senthil

Abstract

Samarium hexaboride is a classic three-dimensional mixed valence system with a high-Temperature metallic phase that evolves into a paramagnetic charge insulator below 40 K. A number of recent experiments have suggested the possibility that the low-Temperature insulating bulk hosts electrically neutral gapless fermionic excitations. Here we show that a possible ground state of strongly correlated mixed valence insulators-a composite exciton Fermi liquid-hosts a three dimensional Fermi surface of a neutral fermion, that we name the "composite exciton." We describe the mechanism responsible for the formation of such excitons, discuss the phenomenology of the composite exciton Fermi liquids and make comparison to experiments in SmB6. © 2018 The Author(s).

Date Published

Journal

Nature Communications

Volume

9

Issue

1

URL

https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85046446859&doi=10.1038%2fs41467-018-04163-2&partnerID=40&md5=d2702ea9151f46e4aeacca43a8ff7696

DOI

10.1038/s41467-018-04163-2

Group (Lab)

Debanjan Chowdhury Group

Funding Source

DE-SC0008739
GBMF-4303

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