The d-electron low temperature magnet NbFe2 is poised near the threshold of magnetism at ambient pressure, and can be tuned across the associated quantum critical point by adjusting the precise stoichiometry within the Nb1-yFe2+y homogeneity range. In a nearly critical single crystal (y= -0.01), we observe a T3/2 power-law dependence of the resistivity rho on temperature T and a logarithmic temperature dependence of the Sommerfeld coefficient gamma=C/T of the specific heat capacity C over nearly 2 orders of magnitude in temperature, extending down to 0.1 K.

We present a systematic study of transport and thermodynamic properties of the Laves phase system Nb 1−y Fe 2+y . Our measurements confirm that Fe-rich samples, as well as those rich in Nb ͑for ͉y͉ Ն 0.02͒, show bulk ferromagnetism at low temperature. For stoichiometric NbFe 2 , on the other hand, magnetization, magnetic susceptibility, and magnetoresistance results point toward spin-density wave ͑SDW͒ order, possibly helical, with a small ordering wave vector Q ϳ 0.05 Å −1 . Our results suggest that on approaching the stoichiometric composition from the iron-rich side, ferromagnetism changes into long-wavelength SDW order. In this scenario, Q changes continuously from 0 to small, finite values at a Lifshitz point in the phase diagram, which is located near y = +0.02. Further reducing the Fe content suppresses the SDW transition temperature, which extrapolates to zero at y Ϸ −0.015. Around this Fe content magnetic fluctuations dominate the temperature dependence of the resistivity and of the heat capacity which deviate from their conventional Fermi-liquid forms, inferring the presence of a quantum critical point. Because the critical point is located between the SDW phase associated with stoichiometric NbFe 2 and the ferromagnetic order which reemerges for very Nb-rich NbFe 2 , the observed temperature dependences could be attributed both to proximity to SDW order or to ferromagnetism.

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We examine the low temperature states of two transition metal compounds: (i) NbFe 2 is poised on the threshold of ferromagnetism and can be pushed into a spin-aligned state at low temperature by modifying the composition slightly. Stoichiometric NbFe 2 has been reported as a rare example of lowtemperature spin density wave order in a d-metal system. We have used pressure, field and composition tuning to examine the phase diagram of NbFe 2 . Near the quantum critical point, we find distinct non-Fermi liquid forms of the resistivity and heat capacity, whereas we observe strong, hysteretic magnetoresistance effects deep in the ordered phase. (ii) Ca 3 Ru 2 O 7 undergoes first a magnetic transition (T N ¼ 56 K) and then a structural transition (T S ¼ 48 K) on cooling. Most of the Fermi surface is gapped out at low temperature, leading to a very low carrier density and small Fermi surface pockets. Pressure suppresses both T N and T S and, for p > 3.5 GPa, induces a third low temperature state, which is robust up to at least 7.5 GPa.