Suppression of the gamma-alpha structural phase transition in Ce0.8La0.1Th0.1 by large magnetic fields

The $\gamma -\alpha $ transition in Ce$_{0.8}$La$_{0.1}$Th$_{0.1 }$is measured as a function of applied magnetic field using both resistivity and magnetization. The $\gamma -\alpha $ transition temperature decreases with increasing magnetic field, reaching zero temperature at approximately 56 T. The magnetic-field dependence of the transition of the transition temperature may be fitted using a model that invokes the field and temperature dependence of the entropy of the 4f-electron moments of the $\gamma $-phase, suggesting that the volume collapse in cerium and its alloys is primarily driven by entropic considerations. We thank DOE-LDRD-DR20030084, NSF-DMR-0433560, DOE-DE-FG03-03NA00066 and the State of Florida for support of this research.