Kondo-like behavior in a mixed valent oxypnictide La₃Cu₄P₄O₂

We have synthesized and characterized the physical properties of a layered, mixed valent oxypnictide \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$${\textrm{La}_\textrm{3}\textrm{Cu}_{4}\textrm{P}_{4}\textrm{O}_{2}}$$\end{document} via magnetization, electrical resistivity, and specific heat measurements. Although \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$${\textrm{La}_\textrm{3}\textrm{Cu}_{4}\textrm{P}_{4}\textrm{O}_{2}}$$\end{document} does not exhibit superconductivity down to T = 0.5 K, it demonstrates an intriguing resistivity minimum observed at \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\mathrm {T_{min}}$$\end{document} = 13.7 K. Disappearance of the resistivity minimum under an applied magnetic field of \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\mu _0$$\end{document}H = 9 T together with the negative magnetoresistance at low and positive at high temperatures are observed, which are typical for both Kondo-like spin-dependent scattering and 3D weak localization. We argue that the Kondo scattering is a more plausible explanation due to the low-temperature deviation from the Curie-Weiss law observed in the magnetic susceptibility, consistent with the presence of magnetic interactions between paramagnetic \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$${\textrm{Cu}<^>{2+}}$$\end{document} ions and Kondo screening of these \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$${\textrm{Cu}<^>{2+}}$$\end{document} moments.

We supplemented the experimental characterization with a detailed description of chemical bonding, employing density functional theory (DFT) calculations and crystal orbital Hamilton population (COHP) analysis for \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$${\textrm{La}_\textrm{3}\textrm{Cu}_{4}\textrm{P}_{4}\textrm{O}_{2}}$$\end{document} and isostructural \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$${\textrm{La}_{3}\textrm{Ni}_{4}\textrm{P}_{4}\textrm{O}_{2}}$$\end{document}, which is a superconductor with \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\mathrm {T_c} = 2.2$$\end{document} K. Based on the calculations performed, we present the difference between \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$${\textrm{La}_\textrm{3}\textrm{Cu}_{4}\textrm{P}_{4}\textrm{O}_{2}}$$\end{document} and \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$${\textrm{La}_{3}\textrm{Ni}_{4}\textrm{P}_{4}\textrm{O}_{2}}$$\end{document} in the character of electronic states at the Fermi level. This discrepancy impacts structural stability and may cause a lack of superconductivity in \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$${\textrm{La}_\textrm{3}\textrm{Cu}_{4}\textrm{P}_{4}\textrm{O}_{2}}$$\end{document} down to T = 0.5 K.