Pronounced first-order metamagnetic transition in the paramagnetic heavy-fermion system CeTiGe

We report on the observation of large, steplike anomalies in the magnetization (ΔM = 0.74 _μB/Ce), in the magnetostriction (Δl/l₀ = 2.0 × 10⁻³), and in the magnetoresistance in polycrystals of the paramagnetic heavyfermion system CeTiGe at a critical magnetic field μ₀H_c ≈ 12 T at low temperatures. The size of these anomalies is much larger than those reported for the prototypical heavy-fermion metamagnet CeRu₂Si₂. Furthermore, hysteresis between increasing and decreasing field data indicate a real thermodynamic, first-order type of phase transition, in contrast to the crossover reported for CeRu₂Si₂. Analysis of the resistivity data shows a pronounced decrease of the electronic quasiparticle mass across H_c. These results establish CeTiGe as a rare metamagnetic Kondo-lattice system, with an exceptionally large, metamagnetic transition of first-order type at a moderate field.