Non-Fermi Liquid behavior in CeIrI₅ near a metamagnetic transition

We present a specific heat and resistivity study of CeIrIn₅ in magnetic fields up to 17 T and temperature down to 50 mK. Both quantities were measured with the magnetic field parallel to the c axis (H║[001]) and within the a-b plane (H┴[001]). Non-Fermi-liquid (NFL) behavior develops above 12 T for H║[001]. The Fermi-liquid state is much more robust for H║[001] and is suppressed only moderately at the highest applied field. Based on the observed trends and the proximity to a metamagnetic phase transition, which exists at fields above 25 T for H║[001], we suggest that the observed NFL behavior in CeIrIn₅ is a consequence of a metamagnetic quantum critical point.