Preparation and transport properties of high-quality thin films of the heavy-fermion system CeCu6

Thin films of the heavy-fermion compound CeCu6 were prepared by co-sputtering from two high-purity targets of Ce and Cu. We used electron probe microanalysis and Rutherford backscattering to determine composition and thickness, Auger electron spectroscopy for depth profile analysis and X-ray diffraction to check crystallinity. The films were found to be of high quality. Resistivity and magnetoresistance measurements as a function of temperature (0.03-300 K) on films of thicknesses ca. 200 nm mimic the properties of bulk CeCu6. Based upon these transport measurements we have evidence for the formation of a strongly correlated electron state in our films. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.