On the nature of inhomogeneous weak localization of charge carriers in the heavy fermion compound CeB₆

Fine details of the electron density distribution in the heavy fermion metal CeB₆ have been studied for the first time by precision x-ray diffraction experiments in the temperature range of 30–500 K. At temperatures between 30 K and 80 K, the formation of dynamic charge stripes along the 〈100〉 axes is observed in B₆ clusters, corresponding to gapless (weak) localization of charge carriers. Based on the achieved results, we assume that the spin-polarized 5d–2p electronic states in the conduction band are partially localized within these charge stripes and between vibrationally coupled Ce–Ce pairs. Moreover, results of thermal conductivity, heat capacity, Seebeck coefficient and resistivity measurements indicate a significant role of polaron–phonon scattering, which causes inhomogeneous weak localization of charge carriers in CeB₆.