Bulk electronic structure of high-order quaternary approximants

The bulk electronic structures of two high-order quaternary approximants F-type icosahedral (i)-Al-Pd-TM quasicrystal: Al-Pd-Cr-Fe and Al-Pd-Mo-Fe, having similar electron to atom (e/a) ratio as i-Al-Pd-Mn quasicrystal, have been investigated by hard x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. We establish the presence a well-formed pseudogap at Fermi level in both approximants. turns out be deeper compared i−Al−Pd−Mn, this is supported specific heat data. Modifications line shape Al 2s core-level main peak well plasmon loss peaks indicate enhanced hybridization sp transition metal d states approximants, which could one possible reasons for their pseudogap. absence magnetic exchange splitting Fe 2p spectra establishes nonmagnetic nature approximants.Received 30 June 2020Accepted 21 January 2021DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.3.013151Published American Physical Society under terms Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution work must maintain attribution author(s) published article's title, journal citation, DOI.Published SocietyPhysics Subject Headings (PhySH)Research AreasElectronic structurePhysical SystemsAlloysQuasicrystalsTechniquesPhotoemission spectroscopyCondensed Matter, Materials & Applied Physics