Below the critical temperature Tc≃600K, an iso-structural transition, named γ-α transition,can be induced in Cerium by applying pressure. This transition is first-order, and is accompanied by a sizable volume collapse. A conclusive theoretical explanation of this intriguing phenomenon has still not been achieved, and the physical pictures proposed so far are still under debate. In this work, we illustrate zero-temperature first-principle calculations which clearly demonstrate that the γ-α transition is induced by the interplay between the electron-electron Coulomb interaction and the spin-orbit coupling. We address the still unresolved problem on the existence of a second low-T critical point, i.e., whether the energetic effects alone are sufficient or not to induce the γ-α transition at zero temperature.
@article{arxiv.1305.3950,
title = {The $\gamma$-$\alpha$ iso-structural Transition in Cerium, a Critical Element},
author = {Nicola Lanatà and Yong-Xin Yao and Cai-Zhuang Wang and Kai-Ming Ho and Jörg Schmalian and Kristjan Haule and Gabriel Kotliar},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1305.3950},
year = {2017}
}