Abstract
We have been able to induce a linear dichroic signal in the Yb x-ray absorption white line of cubic by the application of a magnetic field. The nonzero integrated intensity of the magnetic field induced dichroic spectrum indicates a net noncubic orbital polarization. A quantitative analysis of the temperature and field strength dependence establishes that the crystal-field ground state is a quartet. The results demonstrate the potential of magnetic field induced linear dichroism as a new powerful approach for the investigation of the degeneracy and orbital degrees of freedom of cubic heavy-fermion and Kondo systems.
- Received 8 March 2011
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.107.236402
© 2011 American Physical Society