Heavy-electron actinide materials

In this chapter it is shown that there appears to be a common physical basis underlying the variety of phenomena observed in various known so-called heavy-electron or heavy-Fermion materials which possess as defining feature a very large and temperature-dependent electronic specific-heat coefficient near T=0 K. Attention is focussed on actinide materials, particularly those containing uranium. A detailed presentation of the experimental facts concerning the heavy-electron ground state is given followed by an assessment of the current (1985) situation. In section 4 the various instabilities of the groundstate are discussed. Section 5 deals with systematics as to where these compounds can be found and what are the preconditions for the formation of the heavy-electron groundstate. 322 refs.; 128 figs.; 5 tabs