Phase transition of solid bismuth under high pressure

As a widely used pressure calibrator, the structural phase transitions of bismuth from phase I, to phase II, to phase III,and then to phase V with increasing pressure at 300 K have been widely confirmed. However, there are different structural versions for phase III, most of which are determined by x-ray diffraction(XRD) technology. Using x-ray absorption fine structure(XAFS) measurements combined with ab initio calculations, we show that the proposed incommensurate composite structure of bismuth of the three configurations is the best option. An abnormal continuous increase of the nearest-neighbor distance of phase III with elevated pressure is also observed. The electronic structure transformation from semimetal to metal is responsible for the complex behavior of structure transformation.     

Determining the structure of phosphorus in phase IV

We explore the unknown structure of phosphorus in phase IV (P-IV phase) based on first-principles calculations using the metadynamics simulation method. Starting from the simple cubic structure, we find a new modulated structure of the monoclinic lattice. The modulation is crucial to the stability of the structure. Through refining the structure further by changing the modulation period, we find the structure whose x-ray powder diffraction pattern is in best agreement with the experimental pattern. We expect that the modulation period of the structure in the P-IV phase is very close to that found in this study and probably incommensurate.     

Surface Structure and Electronic Property of InP（001）-（2×1）S Surface： A First-Principles Study

The surface structure and electronic property of InP（001）-（2 ×1）S surface under S-rich condition are investigated based on first-principles simulations. The analyses of phase transition show that the 3B model is the most stable structure and the S-S dimer is difficult to form. The geometry of the 3B structure agrees well with the experiments. It is also found that the 3B structure has a good passivation with a band gap of about 1.24eV. The results indicate that the 3B structure is the best candidate for the sulfur-rich InP（001）（2 × 1）A phase.     

Local structure of disordered PbSc<Subscript>1/2</Subscript>Nb<Subscript>1/2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> in the region of the diffuse tetragonal phase-rhombohedral phase transition

The local structure of the ferroelectric-relaxor PbSc_1/2Nb_1/2O₃ in the temperature range from 550 to 220 K has been investigated using ⁴⁵Sc nuclear magnetic resonance. It has been found that, in the paraelectric phase at temperatures below 550 K, the crystal consists of regions of an ordered elpasolite structure and inclusions of the disordered tetragonal perovskite phase with displacements along directions of the [001] type. The relative weight of the tetragonal structure in the region of the paraelectric phase is approximately equal to 0.28. Below the temperature of the phase transition from the disordered modification to the polar phase, the relative weight of the tetragonal phase decreases with decreasing temperature. The tetragonal structure is replaced by the trigonal polar structure. In a wide temperature range (∼50 K), there exists a heterophase structure that is characteristic of relaxors. Note that the correlation length of displacements in the tetragonal phase should be very small to explain the absence of indications of the existence of this phase in the diffraction data.     

Shock waves in polycrystalline iron

The propagation of shock waves through polycrystalline iron is explored by large-scale atomistic simulations. For large enough shock strengths the passage of the wave causes the body-centered-cubic phase to transform into a close-packed phase with most structure being isotropic hexagonal-close-packed (hcp) and, depending on shock strength and grain orientation, some fraction of face-centered-cubic (fcc) structure. The simulated shock Hugoniot is compared to experiments. By calculating the extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) directly from the atomic configurations, a comparison to experimental EXAFS measurements of nanosecond-laser shocks shows that the experimental data is consistent with such a phase transformation. However, the atomistically simulated EXAFS spectra also show that an experimental distinction between the hcp or fcc phase is not possible based on the spectra alone.     

Phase Transition and Physical Properties of InS

Using the crystal structure prediction method based on particle swarm optimization algorithm, three phases(P nnm, C2/m and Pm-3 m) for InS are predicted. The new phase Pm-3m of InS under high pressure is firstly reported in the work. The structural features and electronic structure under high pressure of InS are fully investigated. We predicted the stable ground-state structure of InS was the P nnm phase and phase transformation of InS from P nnm phase to P m-3 m phase is firstly found at the pressure of about 29.5 GPa. According to the calculated enthalpies of InS with four structures in the pressure range from 20 GPa to 45 GPa, we find the C2/m phase is a metastable phase. The calculated band gap value of about 2.08 eV for InS with P nnm structure at 0 GPa agrees well with the experimental value. Moreover, the electronic structure suggests that the C2/m and P m-3m phase are metallic phases.     

BeO高压相变和声子谱的第一性原理计算

采用第一性原理方法计算了BeO在零温时的高压相变和三种结构在零温零压时的声子谱.相变的计算表明,在122GPa左右的压力下BeO会发生从纤锌矿(B4)结构到氯化钠(B1)结构的相变,而闪锌矿(B3)结构在零温零压下是一种可能的亚稳态结构.采用冷声子方法计算了这三种结构的BeO在零温零压下的声子谱.计算结果表明:B1结构在零温零压下是一种不稳定的结构;尽管B4结构和B3结构具有明显的相似性,仍然可以通过声子谱来很好的区分.最后根据准简谐近似理论计算得到了BeO的高温高压相图.     

Electronic structure and physical properties of ScN in pressure: density-functional theory calculations

Local density functional is investigated by using the full-potential linearized augmented plane wave （FP-LAPW） method for ScN in the hexagonal structure and the rocksalt structure and for hexagonal structures linking a layered hexagonal phase with wurtzite structure along a homogeneous strain transition path. It is found that the wurtzite ScN is unstable and the layered hexagonal phase, labelled as ho, in which atoms are approximately fivefold coordinated, is metastable, and the rocksalt ScN is stable. The electronic structure, the physical properties of the intermediate structures and the energy band structure along the transition are presented. It is found that the band gaps change from 4.0 to 1.0 eV continuously when c/a value varies from 1.68 to 1.26. It is noticeable that the study of ScN provides an opportunity to apply this kind of material （in wurtzite[h]-derived phase）.     

Monte Carlo study of a lattice gauge theory with a radially varied Higgs field

The phase structure of a gauge-scalar (Higgs) field system is studied by Monte Carlo simulations without freezing the radial mode of the scalar field. We consider Z₂ lattice gauge theory coupled to a Higgs field which is approximated by a discrete real one. Most of our analysis is done on a 4⁴ lattice. We find that the phase diagram of our model consists of three distinct phases, Higgs and confined regions being divided by a phase boundary. This phase structure forms a contrast with that presented in the model with a fixed-length Higgs field.     

Distinctive thermal behavior and nanoscale phase separation in the heterogeneous liquid-crystal B4 matrix of bent-core molecules

By means of high-resolution calorimetry, we studied thermodynamic properties of the liquid-crystal B(4) phase where bent-core molecules form a helical nanofilament structure. Distinctive thermal behavior characterizing the growth process of the B(4) phase was obtained in undergoing the phase transition with many sharp peaks, indicating a highly heterogeneous structure. It has been demonstrated that such unusual behavior is commonly seen for two types of rodlike molecules as well as for various mixture compositions. We speculate that mixture systems involve a nanoscale phase-separated structure due to the remarkable aggregation effect in the bent-core molecules and that the helical nanofilament structure independently grows in the isotropic state of rodlike molecules. We also propose that the asymmetry in viscoelastic property plays a role in yielding unusual behavior.     

Structure and orientation of an intermetallic phase in a W-Ni-Co alloy

The aim of this investigation is crystal structure determination of an intermetallic phase formed in a W-Ni-Co alloy during a heat-treatment carried out at a temperature of 800°C. This intermetallic phase is expected to play a critical role on the final microstructure (fine tungsten particles in an FCC matrix that is present in between large tungsten grains) and thereby, on the properties of the alloy. 92W-5.3Ni-2.7Co alloy was prepared through powder metallurgy route (liquid phase sintering) followed by heat-treatment at 800°C for 5?h. The intermetallic phase formed at this temperature was characterised using transmission and scanning electron microscopes. The intermetallic phase was found to have orthorhombic crystal structure with Pnam (62) space group as determined using automated diffraction tomography along with precession electron diffraction. Chemical analysis in TEM suggested that the intermetallic phase is based on stoichiometry (Co,Ni)₂W. Orientation imaging of the phase was also carried out in TEM and EBSD to understand its evolution. Equiaxed or lath morphology of the intermetallic phase was found to depend on the crystallographic orientation relationship of the phase with the tungsten grains and the matrix phase.     

IrTi合金晶格动力学的第一性原理研究

利用密度泛函理论的平面波赝势方法研究了IrTi合金的晶格动力学行为. 声子谱计算表明四方(L1₀)结构动力学不稳定,通过冷冻不稳定声子模式, 发现IrTi会发生从四方(L1₀)到正交的结构相变.进一步分析软模对应的原子振动, 得到了具有正交对称性,空间群为Cmmm,相对于四方(L1₀)相能量更低、更稳定的结构. 这种正交新相(Cmmm)弹性稳定和动力学稳定,而且其结构参数与实验上观察到的低温结构有限的晶格参数相符合,表明IrTi合金的低温相是正交结构(Cmmm). 从理论上肯定了IrTi合金立方到四方再到正交的相变机制, 解决了实验上关于相变机制和低温相结构形式的争议.     

基于显微光谱的组织切片细胞纳米结构研究

细胞纳米结构的探测对癌症的早期诊断以及筛查具有非常重要的意义。空域低相干相位显微镜可以探测细胞的纳米结构获取系统参数,但是显微镜的系统参数和细胞纳米结构参数之间存在着复杂的非线性相关关系,需要研究方法加以定量分析。因此,基于一维高斯场模型加一维多层介质模型模拟空域低相干相位显微镜的背散射光谱,实验结果表明模型预测结果与实际测量结果基本一致。对已知纳米结构的组织切片光谱建模, 通过统计方法分析了系统参数与细胞纳米结构参数的相关关系,验证了系统参数确实能反映细胞纳米结构参数的变化,并量化了系统参数的反映水平。研究成果为基于空域低相干相位显微镜的癌症早期诊断提供了新的理论基础和方法依据。     

Two-step disordering of perpendicularly magnetized ultrathin films

We have imaged the stripe domain structure of perpendicularly magnetized fcc ultrathin Fe films grown on Cu(100). The stripe phase has a strong local orientational order and sustains the two kinds of fluctuations predicted by Abanov et al. [Phys. Rev. B 51, 1023 (1995)]: meandering and dislocations. Before reaching the Curie temperature, the stripes transform into a new and so far unobserved domain structure, characterized by domains with predominantly square corners. We argue that this phase is the tetragonal liquid phase proposed by Abanov et al. to separate the stripe phase from the paramagnetic phase. This two-step disordering is reminiscent of a two-dimensional melting process.     

压力下氮化铝相转变及结构性质的第一性原理研究

利用密度泛函理论(DFT)研究了AlN的六角纤锌矿结构(B4),岩盐矿结构(B1),过渡态中间相六方结构(Hexa)和过渡态中间相四方结构(Tetra),计算了AlN在不同压力下B4和B1结构和过渡态中间相六方结构和四方结构的焓值,计算发现B4和B1相的转变压力是17.27 GPa,低压区中间相六方结构稳定,高压区中间相四方结构更稳定,AlN的常见的B4结构是直接带隙结构,带隙宽度是4.095 eV,带隙宽度与外压力之间关系符合二次函数方程,与其它理论研究结果一致.     

零电阻为106.5K的单相超导化合物Bi1.65Pb0.35Sr2Ca2Cu3Oy的制备与超导电性

采用固相反应法合成了名义组份为Bi_2-xPb_xSr₂Ca₂Cu₃O_y (x=0.30;0.35;0.40;0.45)的样品。对样品进行了物相和结构分析,同时测量了电阻-温度关系和直流磁化率。结果表明:x=0.35的样品为单相材料,X射线相分析和电子衍射表明其相结构类似2223相,为四方结构,其晶格常数为a=b=5.414?,c=37.106?,且沿a,b两个方向都观察到调制结构。电阻和直流磁化率测量结果显示:在温度高于50K以上,仅存在一个107K超导相。此外,单相材料的制备条件(组分、烧结温度、室温下淬火及淬火速率)非常苛刻。如同1-2-3相材料一样,氧含量不仅影响样品的成相规律、零电阻温度,而且还严重影响其正常态的输运性质。 关键词：     

Structural phase transition on Si(001) and Ge(001) surfaces

Among a variety of solid surfaces, Si(001) and Ge(001) have been most extensively studied. Although they seem to be rather simple systems, there have been many conflicting arguments about the atomic structure on these surfaces. We first present experimental evidence indicating that the buckled dimer is the basic building block and that the structural phase transition between the low-temperature c(4x2) structure and the high-temperature (2x1) structure is of the order-disorder type. We then review recent theoretical work on this phase transition. The real system is mapped onto a model Ising-spin system and the interaction parameters are derived from total-energy calculations for different arrangements of buckled dimers. The calculated critical temperature agrees reasonably well with the experimental one. It is pointed out that the nature of the phase transition is crucially affected by a small amount of defects on the real surfaces.     

Superconductivity of topological matters induced via pressure

By applying pressure on the topological insulator Bi₂Te₃ single crystal, superconducting phase was found without a crystal structure phase transition. The new superconducting phase is under the pressure range of 3 GPa to 6 GPa. The high pressure Hall effect measurements indicated that the superconductivity caused by bulk hole pockets. The high pressure structure investigations with synchrotron X-ray diffraction indicated that the superconducting phase is of similar structure to that of ambient phase structure with only slight change with lattice parameter and internal atomic position. The topological band structures indicate the superconducting phase under high pressure remained topologically nontrivial. The results suggested that topological superconductivity can be realized in Bi₂Te₃ due to the proximity effect between superconducting bulk states and Diractype surface states. We also discussed the possibility that the bulk state could be a topological superconductor.     

First-principles study of structural stability, electronic and elastic properties of ZrC compounds

We theoretically study the possible pressure-induced structural phase transition, electronic and elastic properties of ZrC by using first-principles calculations based on density functional theory (DFT), in the presence and absence of spin-orbit coupling (SOC). The calculations indicate that there exists a phase transition from the NaCl-type (B1) structure to CsCl-type (B2) structure at the transition pressure of 313.2 GPa (without SOC) and 303.5 GPa (with SOC). The detailed structural changes during the phase transition were analyzed. The band structure shows that B1-ZrC is metallic. A pseudogap appears around the Fermi level of the total density of states (DOS) of the B1 phase of ZrC, which may contribute to its structural stability.     

高温高压下过渡金属Ru的结构相变

采用基于密度泛函理论的第一性原理和准简谐晶格动力学方法对Ru的六角密排 (hcp)、面心立方 (fcc)、体心四方 (bct) 和体心立方 (bcc) 结构的磁性、晶格结构稳定性和高温高压下的相变进行了系统的研究. 计算获得了各相结构的磁性基态及其稳定性范围, 结果表明: 零温下在计算的压力范围内, NM-hcp 结构是Ru最稳定的结构, 压力的单独作用下并没有相变的发生; NM-fcc结构是Ru的亚稳定结构, 而NM-bcc和FM-bct结构在动力学上并不稳定. 高温高压下Ru将发生从NM-hcp到NM-fcc结构的相变, 并给出了Ru的温度压力相图. 关键词： 相变 晶格稳定性 磁性 第一性原理