Measurement of two low-temperature energy gaps in the electronic structure of antiferromagnetic USb₂ using ultrafast optical spectroscopy

Ultrafast optical spectroscopy is used to study the antiferromagnetic f-electron system USb₂. We observe the opening of two charge gaps at low temperatures (â‰2;45 K), arising from renormalization of the electronic structure. Analysis of our data indicates that one gap is due to hybridization between localized f-electron and conduction electron bands, while band renormalization involving magnons leads to the emergence of the second gap. These experiments thus enable us to shed light on the complex electronic structure emerging at the Fermi surface in f-electron systems.