Magnetic and transport properties of low-carrier-density Kondo semimetal CeSbTe

Single crystals of CeSbTe with a ZrSiS-type structure were synthesized using vapor transport method. The stoichiometry is deviated from the nominal composition, which may cause some disorder in this compound. The physical properties were characterized by measuring the magnetic susceptibility, electrical resistivity, Hall resistivity and specific heat. One antiferromagnetic (AFM) transition related to Ce3+ ions was found at T-N = 2.62 K, and a field-induced metamagnetic transition was observed below T-N. The moderately enhanced Sommerfeld coefficient gamma = 41 mJ mol(-1).K-2 and the estimated Kondo temperature T-K similar to 1.3 K, indicate that CeSbTe is a moderately correlated AFM Kondo lattice compound with crystalline electric field effect. The carrier concentration of CeSbTe derived from the Ilan coefficient is in the order of 10(21) cm(-3), lower than most Kondo metals, which indicates that CeSbTe is a low-carrier-density Kondo semimetal.