Ordering process of Cu3Pt from short-range order state studied by in-situ TEM observation

The state of short-range order (SRO) and the ordering process in Cu3Pt have been studied by the in-situ transmission electron microscope observation method. In order to detect weak diffraction-patterns and weak image-contrasts, an imaging plate system and/or digital-process of video-recorded signals were applied. It is confirmed that above the critical temperature for ordering, Tc, the alloy shows diffuse scattering in its electron diffraction pattern. The appearance of the diffuse scattering indicates that the "disordered" Cu3Pt (designated as A1) has an SRO-state in thermoequilibrium. Dark field images taken by using the diffuse scattering shows a fine dot-contrast, which indicates the presence of "microdomains". The dot-contrast is flickering at higher temperatures, but the rate of flickering decreases with falling temperature and finally stops before reaching Tc. On further decreasing temperature, some of the microdomains grow up to large domains of the long period superstructure (L12-s) phase. This indicates that the transformation to L12-s via SRO proceeds without a process of nucleation even though the transformation is of a first-order.     

Structure and ionic conductivity of Bi2O3 substituted with lanthanide oxides

A neutron diffraction study was performed on (Bi₂O₃)_O.80(Er₂O₃)_0.20 in the temperature region of 300–1100 K. There is no long-range ordering of vacancies. It is concluded from diffuse scattering that at low temperatures short-range ordering appears, leading to the occurrence of relatively short Ln-O distances. At temperatures above 870 K the oxygen lattice disorders.In the low temperature region of Bi₂O₃-Ln₂O₃ solid solutions with the δ-Bi₂O₃ structure the activation energy of the conductivity is determined by the strength of the Ln-O band. In the high temperature region the energy necessary for oxygen ions to migrate through the tetrahedron planes plays a role.     

The short-range order and ordering energies in gold-copper polycrystalline alloys that are rich in gold

The concentration dependence of the short-range order parameters in gold-rich polycrystalline disordered solid gold-copper solutions was investigated using the X-ray diffuse-scattering method. On the X-ray diffuse-scattering patterns of disordered alloys with 75, 83, and 90% gold, diffuse maximums that are typical of short-range order were absent in the region of the possible superstructure reflex (100), but in the region of the possible reflex (110), an intensity rise on the scattering patterns was revealed that noticeably depended on the gold concentration. The application of the method, taking the effects of static displacements on the considered coordination spheres into account, allowed the determination of short-range order parameters for nine coordination spheres. The spectra of short-range order parameters, which was calculated using the least-squares method, had the long-range sign-alternating representation that is inherent in the Cu₃Au superstructure. The absolute values of short-range order parameters were detected to decrease with an increase of the gold content in the alloys. The concentration dependence and small values of ordering energy of investigated polycrystalline alloys were revealed on the first coordination sphere using the Clapp-Moss method.     

Calculations of neutron diffraction patterns obtained with a nematic liquid crystal

Recently, neutron diffraction data obtained with a fully deuterated sample of the nematic liquid crystal para-azoxyanisole (PAA) were reported. In the present paper a number of simple ideas which contribute to an understanding of these data are presented. It is shown that part of the structure of the observed diffraction patterns can be attributed to the wavelength dependence of a molecular form-factor. Further, it is found that diffuse scattering observed in PAA just below its melting point may be explained in terms of oscillations of molecules about their long axes. The temperature dependence of this diffuse scattering suggests that the melting of PAA may be driven by a soft torsional mode or modes. The explanation of the diffuse scattering from the solid and the similarities between the diffraction patterns of solid and nematic phases suggest that scattering from the nematic phase might be explicable in terms of hindered rotations of molecules about their long axes. A simple model based on this hypothesis and on the neglect of short-range orientational correlations of the molecular long axes is proposed. A comparison of results obtained from this model with the experimental data demonstrates that there is considerable short-range ordering of the long molecular axes in both the nematic and isotropic-liquid phases of PAA.     

ATOMIC SHORT-RANGE ORDER OF AMORPHOUS Ta-Cu ALLOYS PREPARED BY MECHANICAL ALLOYING

In the present work, the atomic short-range ordering structure of the amorphous Ta-Cu alloys formed by mechanical alloying was investigated through radial distribution function (RDF) analysis. The results suggest that the elemental powders of Ta and Cu were well mixed by mechanical alloying at atomic level. The regions of short-range order (r_s) increase with Cu concentration in Ta-Cu alloys, This means that the short-range ordering becomes stronger in those alloys with higher Cu content. The coordination number was estimated to be 12-13 from the area under the first maximum of the RDF (r) curves for all the Ta-Cu amorphous alloys. This result indicates that the amorphous alloys formed by mechanical alloying are also of topologically dense-packing structure.     

Metal atom-induced diffuse scattering from short-range order among deuterium atoms in single crystal α-phase V2D

X-ray scattering has been studied above the critical ordering temperature, T_c (133°C), in b.c.c. α-phase V₂D. At 140 and 200°C quite weak diffuse intensity was observed centered on the reciprocal lattice points of the ordered superlattice. This intensity is due to short-range order among deuterium atoms which induces a local or short-range modulation of the parent vanadium lattice and suggests the possibility of local octahedral D—D fluctuations building up well above T_c.     

Diffuse scattering of electrons in the process of ordering of the solid solution of boron in palladium PdB<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">y</Emphasis></Subscript> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">y</Emphasis> ≈ 1/6)

The cluster model for the transition state is applied to explain the features of diffuse scattering of electrons, which is observed in the process of ordering of boron atoms and structure vacancies in the cubic (with the B1 structure) solid solution PdB _y of boron in palladium. To simulate the diffuse intensity surface in the case of the short-range substitution order, clusters in the form of tetrahedron, octahedron, cube, and fcc unit cell including 4, 6, 9, and 14 sites of nonmetallic sublattice, respectively, are used. It has been shown that the experimental shape of the diffuse scattering contours in PdB_0.163 is best described by the model in the form of a cluster combining an octahedron and a cube.     

Observation of a liquid phase with an orthorhombic orientational order

Using surface x-ray diffraction, we have determined the structure of liquid Bi monolayers on Cu(111) for a range of coverages. By combining diffuse scattering data from the liquid with information from the substrate scattering, the ordering properties of Bi have been fully determined. Even though the substrate is hexagonal, we find that the liquid does not show hexatic order but has an orthorhombic orientational order that occurs in three domains. Simultaneously, Bi has partial solidlike properties, even well above its melting point.     

Concentration dependence of short-range order parameters in annealed copper-aluminum alloys

The method of diffuse X-ray scattering was used to investigate -CuAl alloys containing between 11.9 and 17.6 at.% aluminum after prolonged stepwise annealing. Analysis of the short-range order coefficients indicated uniform ordering at concentrations up to 15 at.% aluminum and possible departure from uniform ordering in alloys with higher concentrations. It was shown that the structure of the ordered alloy is consistent with the model proposed by Gehlen and Cohen [13].     

Charge and spin structure in of YBa(2)Cu(3)O(6.35)

Neutron scattering has been used to measure the charge and spin structure in the highly underdoped superconductor YBa(2)Cu(3)O(6.35). Incommensurate static charge ordering is found that remains at high temperatures. The magnetic pattern is complex with a resonance and incommensurate structure observed at low temperatures. The results clarify the role of striped phases in YBa(2)Cu(3)O(6+x) superconductors.     

Elastic diffuse neutron scattering study of the defect structure of TiC0.76 and NbC0.73

The elastic diffuse neutron scattering of the non-stoichiometric carbides TiC_0.76 and NbC_0.73 has been measured at room temperature, in the (110) reciprocal lattice plane, for $\text{0.2?q = 4π sin O/λ?4}\text{A}\text{?}{}^{-1}$. The Cowley-Waren short-range order parameters were obtained for the eight first shells of neighbours of the metalloid f.c.c. sublattice. The degree of short-range ordering was found much larger in NbC_0.76. Strong displacements of the metal atoms towards their first neighbour carbons occur in both cases.     

Survival of the d-wave superconducting state near the edge of antiferromagnetism in the cuprate phase diagram

In the cuprate superconductor YBa2Cu3O6+x, hole doping in the CuO2 layers is controlled by both oxygen content and the degree of oxygen ordering. At the composition YBa2Cu3O6.35, the ordering can occur at room temperature, thereby tuning the hole doping so that the superconducting critical temperature gradually rises from 0 to 20 K. Here we exploit this to study the c-axis penetration depth as a function of temperature and doping. The temperature dependence shows the d-wave superconductor surviving to very low doping, with no sign of another ordered phase interfering with the nodal quasiparticles. The only apparent doping dependence is a smooth decline of superfluid density as T(c) decreases.     

Antiferromagnetic ordering in superconducting YBa2Cu3O6.5

Commensurate antiferromagnetic ordering has been observed in the superconducting high- Tc cuprate YBa2Cu3O6.5 ( Tc = 55 K) by polarized and unpolarized elastic neutron scattering. The magnetic peak intensity exhibits a marked enhancement at Tc. Zero-field muon-spin-resonance experiments demonstrate that the staggered magnetization is not truly static but fluctuates on a nanosecond time scale. These results point towards an unusual spin density wave state coexisting with superconductivity.     

Two dimensional ordering and fluctuations in alpha(')-NaV2O5

X-ray diffraction measurements of Bragg and diffuse scattering associated with charge ordering in the inorganic compound alpha(')- NaV2O5 show a continuous phase transition at a temperature of about 33.1 K. Many of this material's properties suggest a spin-Peierls transition, as established in CuGeO3 and MEM(TCNQ)(2). We compare the order parameter as well as fluctuations in the order parameter in these materials, and conclude that alpha(')- NaV2O5 is dissimilar, and that the transition is two dimensional in nature, due to charge ordering associated with the fractional average valence at the vanadium site within the orthorhombic a- b plane.     

Room-temperature ferromagnetism of Cu-doped ZnO films probed by soft X-ray magnetic circular dichroism

We report direct evidence of room-temperature ferromagnetic ordering in O-deficient ZnO:Cu films by using soft x-ray magnetic circular dichroism and x-ray absorption. Our measurements have revealed unambiguously two distinct features of Cu atoms associated with (i) magnetically ordered Cu ions present only in the oxygen-deficient samples and (ii) magnetically disordered regular Cu2+ ions present in all the samples. We find that a sufficient amount of both oxygen vacancies (V(O)) and Cu impurities is essential to the observed ferromagnetism, and a non-negligible portion of Cu impurities is uninvolved in the magnetic order. Based on first-principles calculations, we propose a microscopic "indirect double-exchange" model, in which alignments of localized large moments of Cu in the vicinity of the V(O) are mediated by the large-sized vacancy orbitals.     

Zener double exchange from local valence fluctuations in magnetite

Magnetite (Fe3O4) is a mixed valent system where electronic conductivity occurs on the B site (octahedral) iron sublattice of the spinel structure. Below T(V)=123 K, a metal-insulator transition occurs which is argued to arise from the charge ordering of 2+ and 3+ iron valences on the B sites (Verwey transition). Inelastic neutron scattering measurements show that optical spin waves propagating on the B site sublattice (approximately 80 meV) are shifted upwards in energy above T_{V} due to the occurrence of B-B ferromagnetic double exchange in the mixed valent phase. The double exchange interaction affects only spin waves of Delta(5) symmetry, not all modes, indicating that valence fluctuations are slow and the double exchange is constrained by short-range electron correlations above T(V).     

Spin liquid state in the S = 1/2 triangular lattice Ba3CuSb2O9

The synthesis and characterization of Ba3CuSb2O9, which has a layered array of Cu2+ spins in a triangular lattice, are reported. The magnetic susceptibility and neutron scattering experiments of this material show no magnetic ordering down to 0.2 K with a θ(CW) = -55 K. The magnetic specific heat reveals a T-linear dependence with a γ = 43.4 mJ K(-2) mol(-1) below 1.4 K. These observations suggest that Ba3CuSb2O9 is a new quantum spin liquid candidate with a S = 1/2 triangular lattice.     

Short range order and the development of long range order in Ni4Mo

The short-range ordered structure present in quenched Ni₄Mo and the initial development of the long-range-ordered structure have been studied using single crystal X-ray diffuse scattering techniques. Measurements of the diffuse X-ray intensities were made in a volume in reciprocal space for the f.c.c. alloy resulting in a quantitative determination of the three dimensional local-order parameters. The local-order parameters were used for a computer simulation of the atomic configuration.The local atomic arrangements for the quenched alloy consist of a strong preference for no molybdenum atom pairs as first neighbors. The atoms tend to satisfy the long-range-ordered structure of Ni₄Mo in which there are no Mo-Mo pairs as first neighbors, only one Mo atom as second neighbors and six or more as third neighbors. A rodlike morphology consisting of a strong preference for 200 and 400 Mo-Mo pairs exists on ordering for 5 min at 650°C. This result is similar to the rodlike morphology present in dilute Ni-W alloys and explains the [100] streaking of the short-range order peaks observed in the diffraction studies.     

Anisotropy of the local atomic structure in Fe-(5–6 at. %) Si single crystals as the cause of formation and stability of induced magnetic anisotropy

Fe_{1 ? x} Si_x (x = 0.05–0.06) single crystals were prepared and subjected to various heat treatments for structural studies. X-ray diffuse scattering measurements detected an anisotropy of regions with local B2-type atomic ordering in samples with induced magnetic anisotropy. It was shown that the average size of ordered clusters as measured along an applied dc magnetic field during heat treatment is slightly larger than that in a transverse direction and reaches 10 Å. Such anisotropy of B2-type regions is not observed in magnetically isotropic samples obtained by rapid quenching or by annealing and cooling in a rotating field (or in the absence of an external field). A comparative analysis of the atomic structure, domain structure, and hysteresis loop shape in samples subjected to various treatments demonstrated a correlation between the short-range order and magnetic properties.     

Dielectric loss measurements on silver halide sheet crystals

Abstract

A series of studies on the partial X-ray diffuse scattering intensities from ternary alloys analysed through synchrotron radiation experiments has been reviewed. An intensity expression for the short-range order diffuse scattering has been developed, which is necessary in understanding the separation method of an observed X-ray diffuse intensity into partial intensities contributed from different origins. Techniques have been described in detail mainly concerning the Cu₂NiZn alloy, which have shown the benefits of the anomalous scattering effect of synchrotron radiation. The negative partial intensity maximum for the Cu-Ni pair found in the Cu-Ni-Zn alloy has been discussed from the viewpoints of crystallography and thermodynamics. In addition, at the end of the paper, local atomic arrangements causing the diffuse scatterings have been discussed.