Temperature variation of the structural and thermal characteristics of YBa2Cu3O7−x in the range from 90 to 400 K

The X-ray studies of the tetragonal YBa₂Cu₃O_7−x compound are performed at different temperatures from 400 to 90 K and the temperature variation of the thermal expansion coefficients and the Debye characteristic temperature is determined. The anisotropy of thermal expansion is investigated. It is found that the two dynamical characteristics monotonously decrease with temperature lowering whereas for the superconducting orthorhombic modification their temperature dependences are anomalous. The mean thermal expansion coefficient as well as the overall Debye temperature for the tetragonal phase are smaller than those for the orthorhombic one.     

Preparation,structure and thermal properties of CuGa5Se8

The structural parameters, the axial thermal expansion coefficients and the characteristic Debye temperatures for the order vacancy compound CuGa₅Se₈ with the chalcopyrite‐related structure, prepared by the Bridgman technique, were determined at different temperatures between 90 and 650 K by the X‐ray diffraction method. The melting point of this compound was defined from the differential thermal analysis data. The anisotropy of thermal expansion in CuGa₅Se₈ is shown to exist with the coefficients along a ‐axis being larger than those along the c ‐axis throughout the temperature range studied.     

Crystal Structures and Phase Transformations of the Fluorinated Fullerenes

Abstract

In situ x-ray diffraction experiments of the fluorinated fullerenes, C₆₀F _x (x = 0, 36 and 48) at high temperatures have been undertaken. The structural phase transformation of C₆₀F₄₈ was observed at about 358 K. It was also found that the lattice parameters of the low temperature phase of C₆₀F₄₈ show anomalous change at about 310 K. The thermal expansion coefficients of the fluorinated fullerenes were determined by using the change of the lattice parameters with temperature.     

Thermal expansion in the AgGa(S1−xSex)2 solid solutions from X-ray diffraction data

The lattice parameters a and c as well as the axial thermal expansion coefficients in the AgGa(S_1-xSe_x)₂ solid solutions with chalcopyrite-type structure were determined as a function of temperature in the range from 80 to 700 K and composition x using an X-ray powder diffractometry technique. It is found that the thermal expansion coefficients were anisotropic and for all the solid solutions the thermal expansion coefficients along the tetragonal c-axis were negative whereas those along the a-axis and the volume coefficients were positive. The directions in which the crystal thickness does not change as temperature varies, were found. The composition dependences of these coefficients were non-linear.     

Thermal Expansion and Oxygen Nonstoichiometry in High-Tc YBa2Cu3Ox Superconductor

The lattice parameters as well as the axial thermal expansion coefficients for YBa₂Cu₃O_x superconducting oxide ceramics with different oxygen content ranging from × = 6.14 to × = 6.95 are determined as a function of temperature between 80 and 400 K using X-ray powder diffractometry technique. The effect of oxygen concentration on the thermal expansion behaviour is regarded. The values of α are found to decrease with the oxygen content reducing and depend on the condition of heat treatment. The essential anisotropy of thermal expansion is shown to exist, with α_c being larger than α_a and α_b. The relationship between α_a and α_b depends both on the sample preparation conditions and temperature.     

Controllable thermal expansion properties of In2 − xCrxMo3O12

Solid solutions In_{2 − x}Cr_xMo₃O₁₂ have been prepared via the solid state reaction method. The structural and thermal expansion properties have been characterized using X‐ray diffraction. All compounds exhibit monoclinic structure with space group P2₁/a at room temperature, and transform to orthorhombic structure at higher temperature. Compounds In_{2 − x}Cr_xMo₃O₁₂ (x = 0.7, 1.0 and 1.3) possess strong positive thermal expansion in the monoclinic structure, while their thermal expansion coefficients of orthorhombic structure vary from negative to positive with increasing Cr content. It is worthwhile to note that In_1.3Cr_0.7Mo₃O₁₂ and InCrMo₃O₁₂ have near zero thermal expansion properties.     

X-ray diffraction study of (TlInSe<Subscript>2</Subscript>)<Subscript>1−<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>(TlGaTe<Subscript>2</Subscript>)<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript> crystal system

The crystallographic and dynamic characteristics of TlInSe₂ and TlGaTe₂ crystals have been studied by X-ray diffraction in the temperature range of 85–320 K. The temperature dependences of the unit-cell parameters a of TlInSe₂ and TlGaTe₂ crystals, as well as their coefficients of thermal expansion along the [100] direction, are determined. The concentration dependences of the unit-cell parameters a and c for (TlInSe₂)_{1 − x} (TlGaTe₂) _x crystals are measured. Anomalies are found in the temperature dependences of the unit-cell parameters a and, correspondingly, the coefficient of thermal expansion, indicating the existence of phase transitions in TlInSe₂ and TlGaTe₂ crystals.     

X-ray investigation on GaAlAs/GaAs epilayers bending at temperatures 77–750 K

The Bond method of precise lattice constants measurements and double crystal (+, −) (004) reflections were applied to measure lattice constants, lattice mismatch, thickness of the layers and samples bending in temperature 77–750 K. The results enabled to calculate the ratio of GaAs and Ga_1−xAl_xAs elastic constants as well as thermal expansion coefficients.     

Thermal Expansion and Superconductivity in Alkali Metal- and Silver-doped Bi?Sr?Ca?Cu?O System

Samples with the nominal composition Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O_y with na doped at the Ca site and K doped at the Sr site are prepared by solid state reaction method. From the X-ray diffraction data it is found that all the the samples have exhibited a single phase 2212. The D.C. electrical resistivity data show that for Na-doped samples the T_c (zero) varies from 80 K to 85 K and for K-doped samples it is from 79 K to 82 K. The loss of oxygen from these samples around 400°C was confirmed by high temperature dilatometry. The variation of the thermal expansion coefficient (“α”) with temperature for different alkali dopings are discussed. Also the samples with the nominal composition Bi₄Sr₃Ca₃Cu_4−xAg_xO_y (with x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3) were studied.     

High temperature x‐ray diffraction studies of zirconia thin films prepared by reactive pulsed laser deposition

Zirconium oxide thin films have been deposited on Si (100) substrates at room temperature at an optimized oxygen partial pressure of 3x10^‐2 mbar by reactive pulsed laser deposition. High temperature x‐ray diffraction (HTXRD) studies of the film in the temperature range room temperature‐1473 K revealed that the film contained only monoclinic phase at temperatures ≤ 673 K and both monoclinic and tetragonal phases were present at temperatures ≥ 773 K. The tetragonal phase content was significantly dominating over monoclinic phase with the increase of temperature. The phase evolution was accompanied with the increase in the crystallite size from 20 to 40 nm for the tetragonal phase. The mean thermal expansion coefficients for the tetragonal phase have been found to be 10.58x10^‐6 K^‐1 and 20.92x10^‐6K^‐1 along a and c‐axes, respectively. The mean volume thermal expansion coefficient is 42.34x10^‐6 K^‐1 in the temperature range 773‐1473 K. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

X-ray determination of thermal lattice expansion of CuSi2 + xP3 (x = 1, 2) at elevated temperatures

CuSi₂P₃ is a semiconductor having sphalerite structure with the space group F3 3m with random distribution of the copper and silicon atoms on the cation sites. Silicon is soluble in CuSi₂P₃ upto 3 moles to form CuSi_{2 + x}P₃ (x = 1, 2, 3) compounds in single phase. In continuation of our work on thermal expansion of ternary semiconductors, CuSi₃P₃ crystals have been grown by a modified Bridgman method. Using a Unicam high temperature camera, the precision lattice parameter and the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of CuSi₃P₃ at various high temperatures have been evaluated from X-ray diffraction data. It has been found that the lattice parameter increases non-linearly while the coefficient of thermal expansion increases linearly with temperature. The results on thermal expansion of various semiconductors have been discussed in terms of their ionicities.     

Thermal expansion and structural properties of (CuAlTe2)1–x(CuAlSe2)x solid solutions

Investigations of the thermal expansion of (CuAlTe₂)_1–x(CuAlSe₂)_x solid solutions in the temperature range from 100 to 800 K have been carried out for the first time. It has been demonstrated that the thermal expansion coefficient α_L grows considerably in the temperature range from 100 to 300 K, whereas the temperature dependence above 300 K is rather weak. The isotherms of composition dependence of the thermal expansion coefficient α_L for 100, 293, 500 and 800 K were constructed, and it was found that linear relations could express them. The Debye temperatures θ_D , the average mean‐square dynamic displacements , the average root‐mean‐square amplitudes of thermal vibration RMS , the anion position parameter u using S. C. Abrahams & J. L. Bernstein (u_AB ) and J. E. Jaffe & A. Zunger (u_JZ ) models were calculated. The composition dependence of microhardness H using the phenomenological theory was also calculated, and it was discovered that this dependence has a non‐linear character with a maximum of 383 kg/mm² at x=0.67. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Crystal Growth and Properties of the Compounds CuGa3Se5 and CuIn3Se5

CuIn₃Se₅ and CuGa₃Se₅ uniform single crystals 12 mm in diameter and 40 mm in length with the chalcopyrite‐related structure were prepared by directed crystallization of the melt. The melting points of these compounds were defined by means of the differential thermal analysis (DTA). The lattice parameters a and c as well as the axial thermal expansion coefficients α_a and α_c were determined as a function of temperature in the range from 90 to 650 K by the X‐ray diffraction method (XRD). It is found that for both the compounds the coefficients of expansion along the a ‐axis are larger than those along the c ‐axis over the entire temperature range studied.     

Separate determination of the amplitude of thermal vibrations and static atomic displacements in titanium carbide by neutron diffraction

The amplitude of thermal (dynamic) atomic vibrations and meansquare static atomic displacements in titanium carbide TiC _x (x = 0.97, 0.88, 0.70) have been separately determined by measuring neutron diffraction patterns at two temperatures (T ₁ = 300 K and T ₂ = 80 K). The static lattice distortions in stoichiometric titanium carbide are experimentally found to be negligible. In the TiC _x homogeneity range, the amplitude \(\sqrt {\overline {u_{dyn}^2 } } \) of thermal atomic vibrations significantly increases with a decrease in the carbon concentration. The Debye temperature has been determined for the first time in the TiC _x homogeneity range at both room and liquid-nitrogen temperatures.     

Lattice thermal expansion of potassium lithium sulphate

Unit-cell parameters and coefficients of thermal expansion of potassium lithium sulphate have been determined accurately, as a function of temperature, by the X-ray powder diffraction method. Both the parameters ‘a’ and ‘c’ increase non-linearly with increasing temperature, the change in the ‘a’ parameter being more than that in the ‘c’ parameter. As a result, the average expansion coefficient along the c-axis is found to be very small when compared to that along the a-axis. The lattice thermal behaviour of this compound is explained in terms of the strength of the bonds along the respective directions. The diffraction pattern obtained at 435 °C was completely different from those taken at other lower temperatures, suggesting a structural change contrary to the earlier reports.     

Thermal expansion in CuAlTe2 compound

The lattice parameters a and c as well as the axial thermal expansion coefficients α ⟂ and α ∥ in the CuAlTe₂ chalcopyrite-type compound are determined as a function of temperature in the range from 80 to 650 K by a X-ray diffractometry technique. The data obtained are used to evaluate the axial ratio c/a, the tetragonal distortion δ = 2 — c/a, the interatomic distances for Cu Te and Al Te bonds and their temperature coefficients. It is found that the thermal expansion behaviour of CuAlTe₂ is similar to that of other CuB^IIIC^VI₂ compounds in having a relatively small expansivity along the c-axis and a large one in the perpendicular direction. When comparing the results for a series of the CuB^IIIC^VI₂ compounds (B Al, Ga, In; C S, Se, Te) it is shown that the correlations between the thermal expansion coefficients α ⟂, α ∥, α_m, dδ/dT and the tetragonal distortion δ, as well as the molar mass of the compound take place.     

Low-temperature X-ray studies of crystal-lattice parameters and thermal expansion of KTiOPO4 crystals

The unit-cell parameters a, b, and c of KTiOPO₄ crystals have been measured by the X-ray diffraction method in the temperature range 80–320 K. The parameters obtained were used to determine the thermal expansion coefficients α_[100], α_[010], and α_[001] along the principal crystallographic axes. It was established that thermal expansion in the crystals is essentially anisotropic and that α_[010] > α _[100], whereas α_[001] is close to zero.     

Thermal Expansion of SrF2 at Elevated Temperatures

The X-ray method was used to determine the linear thermal expansion coefficient of SrF₂ in the temperature range from 301 to 1173 K. A comparison of the thermal expansion coefficients of CaF₂, SrF₂ and BaF₂ at T > 300 K shows that the degree of lattice an–harmonicity in the alkaline earth fluorides decreases with increasing mass of the alkaline earth atom. The results for the thermal expansion of SrF₂ are used to discuss the temperature dependence of the lattice mismatch in the SrF₂/InP film–substrate system.     

Effect of liquid state on the crystallization of Zr65Al7.5Ni10Cu17.5 metallic glass

The correlation between the quenching temperature and the crystallization of the Zr₆₅Al_7.5Ni₁₀Cu_17.5 metallic glass was examined. The electrical resistivity and the thermal property were measured to monitor the structural change of the samples quenched at the temperature of 1473 K, 1573 K, 1673 K and 1773 K, respectively. The consistent results of DSC and d(ρ_(T)/ρ₀)/dT‐T curves indicated different crystallization behaviors of the samples. For the samples quenched from 1773 K, the increase in ΔT_x, T_rg and γ imply higher glass forming ability. Moreover, according to the XRD patterns of samples annealed at different temperatures, the melt temperature influences the formation of crystallized phases of amorphous Zr₆₅Al_7.5Ni₁₀Cu_17.5 alloy.     

Crystal structure and thermal behaviour of (Rb,Cs)BSi2O6 solid solutions

The crystal chemistry of Rb‐Cs boroleucites has been studied by means of X‐ray powder diffraction at room and elevated temperatures. The cubic I‐43d → cubic Ia3d phase transition was investigated using a series of samples prepared by solid‐state reaction along the pseudobinary system RbBSi₂O₆ ‐ CsBSi₂O₆. The Rietveld refinement of the structures of Rb_1‐xCs_xBSi₂O₆ solid solutions (x = 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8) demonstrates that the solutions with a high Rb content crystallise in the cubic I‐43d space group, and the boroleucites with a considerable Cs content have Ia3d symmetry. Rb can substitute Cs in a wide range of compositions. Within a narrow range of x = 0.5 ‐ 0.6 immiscibility was revealed. Under Rb‐Cs substitution the cubic lattice parameter, the (Rb,Cs)‐O distances, and the angles between tetrahedra of the I‐43d phase change clearly, while those of the Ia3d phase change slightly. The HTXRD data shows that the I‐43d phase transforms into a Ia3d phase on heating analogously to a change of the composition. As the Cs content increases the transition temperature decreases. The low temperature I‐43d phase shows a higher thermal expansion than the high temperature Ia3d phase. © 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim