Quest for quantum criticality in some of the Ce based compounds

Heavy Fermions are prototype systems for observing quantum critical behavior. In quest for existence of possible quantum critical point in a particular compound it is important to grow single crystals of ultimate quality to avoid that the pure quantum critical behavior at ultra low temperatures is covered by extrinsic effects due to off-stoichiometry, impurities or crystal imperfections. A section of my talk will be dedicated to cage compounds like Ce4Pt12Sn25 or Ce3Ru4Sn13. The single crystals obtained via flux growth were probed down to low temperatures for possible existence of quantum critical point. I will be discussing the route for synthesis for these two compounds and various magneto-transport measurements performed there after.

Other than cage compounds interests also lie in Kondo insulators, like CeNiSn and CeRu4Sn6. The single crystals for these two compounds were grown via Czochralski and Float zone melting respectively. My talk will also include the procedure adopted for growing single crystals of CeNiSn and the possibility of existence of quantum critical point in this system with Cu substitution at Ni site. 

Apart from heavy fermions I will also discuss calculation of the complicated Fermi surface of PtSn4. A simple binary system, obtained as a by-product during single crystal growth of Ce4Pt12Sn25.