Interface between heavy fermions and normal electrons investigated by spatially resolved nuclear magnetic resonance

We have studied the superlattices with alternating block layers (BLs) of heavy-fermion superconductor CeCoIn5 and conventional-metal YbCoIn5 by site-selective nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, which uniquely offers spatially resolved dynamical magnetic information. We find that the presence of antiferromagnetic fluctuations is confined to the Ce BLs, indicating that magnetic degrees of freedom of f electrons are quenched inside the Yb BLs. Contrary to simple expectations that the two dimensionalization enhances fluctuations, we observe that antiferromagnetic fluctuations are rapidly suppressed with decreasing Ce BL thickness. Moreover, the suppression is more prominent near the interfaces between the BLs. These results imply significant effects of local inversion symmetry breaking at the interfaces.