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Abstract

The third law of thermodynamics states that the entropy of any system in equilibrium has to vanish at absolute zero temperature. At nonzero temperatures, on the other hand, matter is expected to accumulate entropy near a quantum critical point, where it undergoes a continuous transition from one ground state to another(1,2). Here, we determine, based on general thermodynamic principles, the spatial-dimensional profile of the entropy S near a quantum critical point and its steepest descent in the corresponding multidimensional stress space. We demonstrate this approach for the canonical quantum critical compound CeCu6-xAux near its onset of antiferromagnetic order(2). We are able to link the directional stress dependence of S to the previously determined geometry of quantum critical fluctuations(3). Our demonstration of the multidimensional entropy landscape provides the foundation to understand how quantum criticality nucleates novel phases such as high-temperature superconductivity.