Heat Capacity-A Powerful Tool for Studying Exotic States of Matter

Fuente: arXiv
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Autores principales: Kumar, K. Ramesh, Huai, Xudong, Winiarski, Michał J., Scheie, Allen O., Tran, Thao T.
Formato: Preprint
Publicado: 2026
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author Kumar, K. Ramesh
Huai, Xudong
Winiarski, Michał J.
Scheie, Allen O.
Tran, Thao T.
author_facet Kumar, K. Ramesh
Huai, Xudong
Winiarski, Michał J.
Scheie, Allen O.
Tran, Thao T.
contents Heat capacity measurements are a powerful tool that researchers rely on when studying the relationship between microscopic degrees of freedom and macroscopic behavior in condensed matter. This uniqueness stems from heat capacity capturing contributions from lattice, electronic, and magnetic components, as well as energy-level populations, enabling an effective approach to studying phase transitions and excitations across different classes of materials. However, analyzing heat capacity data presents a common, appreciable challenge for new researchers. Although comprehensive theoretical aspects of heat capacity are presented in several elegant textbooks, practical application remains a daunting task. To overcome this challenge, this tutorial guides researchers in collecting, analyzing, and interpreting heat capacity data in contemporary quantum materials. We outline the connections between thermodynamics, heat capacity, and entropy, as well as measurement methodology and data analysis for representative examples, including phonon dynamics, spin waves, superconductors, magnetic skyrmions, proximate quantum spin liquids, and heavy-fermion materials. Our goal is to provide a concise, accessible guide that enables new researchers to utilize heat capacity as a quantitative lens for understanding exotic states of matter.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2603_12910
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Heat Capacity-A Powerful Tool for Studying Exotic States of Matter
Kumar, K. Ramesh
Huai, Xudong
Winiarski, Michał J.
Scheie, Allen O.
Tran, Thao T.
Strongly Correlated Electrons
Materials Science
Heat capacity measurements are a powerful tool that researchers rely on when studying the relationship between microscopic degrees of freedom and macroscopic behavior in condensed matter. This uniqueness stems from heat capacity capturing contributions from lattice, electronic, and magnetic components, as well as energy-level populations, enabling an effective approach to studying phase transitions and excitations across different classes of materials. However, analyzing heat capacity data presents a common, appreciable challenge for new researchers. Although comprehensive theoretical aspects of heat capacity are presented in several elegant textbooks, practical application remains a daunting task. To overcome this challenge, this tutorial guides researchers in collecting, analyzing, and interpreting heat capacity data in contemporary quantum materials. We outline the connections between thermodynamics, heat capacity, and entropy, as well as measurement methodology and data analysis for representative examples, including phonon dynamics, spin waves, superconductors, magnetic skyrmions, proximate quantum spin liquids, and heavy-fermion materials. Our goal is to provide a concise, accessible guide that enables new researchers to utilize heat capacity as a quantitative lens for understanding exotic states of matter.
title Heat Capacity-A Powerful Tool for Studying Exotic States of Matter
topic Strongly Correlated Electrons
Materials Science
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.12910