Magnetic excitations in cerium compounds

Title: Magnetic excitations in cerium compounds Author: Kristina Vlášková Department: Department of Condensed Matter Physic Supervisor: doc. Mgr Pavel Javorský, Dr., Department of Condensed Matter Physics Abstract: Thanks to presence of only one electron in 4f shell of cerium ion, Ce based compounds reveal wide range of exceptional magnetic properties like valence fluctuations, magnetic ordering or spin glass behavior. In present thesis we mainly focus on tetragonal CeCuxAl4-x system and its magnetic behavior. Former results of inelastic neutron experiments opened discussion about energy levels of cerium ions in CeCuAl3. Except two crystal field excitations also one additional energy level was present, phenomenon of vibron quasi-bound state was proposed to explain observed energy structure. Measurement and analysis of specific heat and neutron inelastic scattering on compounds with various Cu content should help to understand phenomenon of vibron state and also its development with Cu/Al concentration. Another two types of cerium compounds will be investigated in means of specific heat and resistivity measurement, polycrystalline sample of CePt4Al and single crystal of Ce3Ru4Al12. Preparation, characterization and measurement of low temperature properties are subjects of this work. Results will be discussed..