487 research outputs found
Investigations on Tetragonally Distorted Sodium Thallide NaTl‐tI8
In-depth investigations of the long-time known Zintl phase NaTl revealed a phase transition of tetragonal NaTl-tI8 [I4(1)/amd; a = 5.2268(9) angstrom, c = 7.539(1) angstrom, V = 205.97(9) angstrom(3)] to Zintl's cubic NaTl-cF16 [Fd3m; a = 7.4697(6) angstrom, V = 416.79(5) angstrom(3)] between 351 and 355 K. This phase transformation was observed for NaTl prepared by two different synthetic routes including Zintl's original procedure. An excess of sodium applied during the synthesis in liquid ammonia also resulted in the formation of NaTl-tI8. DSC measurements suggest a first order phase transition. In addition to in-situ temperature dependent powder X-ray diffraction experiments, DSC measurements and solid-state NMR investigations, we also performed theoretical DOS and band structure calculations for the cubic and tetragonal phase, respectively. The results suggest Na-Tl interactions in the second coordination sphere being responsible for the observed tetragonal distortion of Zintl's cubic NaTl
Towards a quantum-chemical description of crystalline insulators: A Wannier-function-based Hartree-Fock study of Li2O and Na2O
A recently proposed approach for performing electronic-structure calculations
on crystalline insulators in terms of localized orthogonal orbitals is applied
to the oxides of lithium and sodium, Li2O and Na2O. Cohesive energies, lattice
constants and bulk moduli of the aforementioned systems are determined at the
Hartree-Fock level, and the corresponding values are shown to be in excellent
agreement with the values obtained by a traditional Bloch-orbital-based
Hartree-Fock approach. The present Wannier-function-based approach is expected
to be advantageous in the treatment of electron-correlation effects in an
infinite solid by conventional quantum-chemical methods.Comment: 15 Pages, RevTex, 3 postscript figures (included), to appear in the
Journal of Chemical Physics, May 15, 199
Ab initio simulations of liquid NaSn alloys: Zintl anions and network formation
Using the Car-Parrinello technique, ab initio molecular dynamics simulations
are performed for liquid NaSn alloys in five different compositions (20, 40,
50, 57 and 80 % sodium). The obtained structure factors agree well with the
data from neutron scattering experiments. The measured prepeak in the structure
factor is reproduced qualitatively for most compositions. The calculated and
measured positions of all peaks show the same trend as function of the
composition.\\ The dynamic simulations also yield information about the
formation and stability of Sn clusters (Zintl anions) in the liquid. In our
simulations of compositions with 50 and 57 % sodium we observe the formation of
networks of tin atoms. Thus, isolated tin clusters are not stable in such
liquids. For the composition with 20 % tin only isolated atoms or dimers of tin
appear, ``octet compounds'' of one Sn atom surrounded by 4 Na atoms are not
observed.Comment: 12 pages, Latex, 3 Figures on reques
Covalent bonding and the nature of band gaps in some half-Heusler compounds
Half-Heusler compounds \textit{XYZ}, also called semi-Heusler compounds,
crystallize in the MgAgAs structure, in the space group . We report a
systematic examination of band gaps and the nature (covalent or ionic) of
bonding in semiconducting 8- and 18- electron half-Heusler compounds through
first-principles density functional calculations. We find the most appropriate
description of these compounds from the viewpoint of electronic structures is
one of a \textit{YZ} zinc blende lattice stuffed by the \textit{X} ion. Simple
valence rules are obeyed for bonding in the 8-electron compound. For example,
LiMgN can be written Li + (MgN), and (MgN), which is isoelectronic
with (SiSi), forms a zinc blende lattice. The 18-electron compounds can
similarly be considered as obeying valence rules. A semiconductor such as
TiCoSb can be written Ti + (CoSb); the latter unit is
isoelectronic and isostructural with zinc-blende GaSb. For both the 8- and
18-electron compounds, when \textit{X} is fixed as some electropositive cation,
the computed band gap varies approximately as the difference in Pauling
electronegativities of \textit{Y} and \textit{Z}. What is particularly exciting
is that this simple idea of a covalently bonded \textit{YZ} lattice can also be
extended to the very important \textit{magnetic} half-Heusler phases; we
describe these as valence compounds \textit{ie.} possessing a band gap at the
Fermi energy albeit only in one spin direction. The \textit{local} moment in
these magnetic compounds resides on the \textit{X} site.Comment: 18 pages and 14 figures (many in color
Resonant-to-nonresonant transition in electrostatic ion-cyclotron wave phase velocity
Because of the implications for plasmas in the laboratory and in space, attention has been drawn to inhomogeneous energy-density driven (IEDD) waves that are sustained by velocity-shear-induced inhomogeneity in cross-field plasma flow. These waves have a frequency vr in the lab frame within an order of magnitude of the ion gyrofrequency vci, propagate nearly perpendicular to the magnetic field (kz/k^ \u3c\u3c 1), and can be Landau resonant (0 \u3c v1/kz \u3c nd) with a parallel drifting electron population (drift speed nd), where subscripts 1 and r indicate frequency in the frame of flowing ions and in the lab frame, respectively, and kz is the parallel component of the wavevector. A transition in phase velocity from 0 \u3c v1/kz \u3c nd to 0 \u3e v1/kz \u3e nd for a pair of IEDD eigenmodes is observed as the degree of in-homogeneity in the transverse E × B flow is increased in a magnetized plasma column. For weaker velocity shear, both eigenmodes are dissipative, i.e. in Landau resonance, with kz nd \u3e 0. For stronger shear, both eigenmodes become reactive, with one\u27s wavevector component kz remaining parallel, but with v1/kz \u3e nd , and the other\u27s wavevector component kz becoming anti-parallel, so that 0 \u3e v1/kz . For both eigenmodes, the transition (1) involves a small frequency shift and (2) does not involve a sign change in the wave energy density, which is proportional to vr v1, both of which are previously unrecognized aspects of inhomogeneous energy-density driven waves
Resonant-to-nonresonant transition in electrostatic ion-cyclotron wave phase velocity
Because of the implications for plasmas in the laboratory and in space, attention has been drawn to inhomogeneous energy-density driven (IEDD) waves that are sustained by velocity-shear-induced inhomogeneity in cross-field plasma flow. These waves have a frequency vr in the lab frame within an order of magnitude of the ion gyrofrequency vci, propagate nearly perpendicular to the magnetic field (kz /k^ v1/kz nd) with a parallel drifting electron population (drift speed nd), where subscripts 1 and r indicate frequency in the frame of flowing ions and in the lab frame, respectively, and kz is the parallel component of the wavevector. A transition in phase velocity from 0 v1/kz nd to 0 > v1/kz > nd for a pair of IEDD eigenmodes is observed as the degree of in-homogeneity in the transverse E × B flow is increased in a magnetized plasma column. For weaker velocity shear, both eigenmodes are dissipative, i.e. in Landau resonance, with kz nd > 0. For stronger shear, both eigenmodes become reactive, with one's wavevector component kz remaining parallel, but with v1/kz > nd , and the other's wavevector component kz becoming anti-parallel, so that 0 > v1/kz . For both eigenmodes, the transition (1) involves a small frequency shift and (2) does not involve a sign change in the wave energy density, which is proportional to vr v1, both of which are previously unrecognized aspects of inhomogeneous energy-density driven waves
An Experimental and Theoretical Study of the Variation of 4f Hybridization Across the La1-xCexIn3 Series
Crystal structures of a series of La1-xCexIn3 (x = 0.02, 0.2, 0.5, or 0.8)
intermetallic compounds have been investigated by both neutron and X-ray
diffraction, and their physical properties have been characterized by magnetic
susceptibility and specific heat measurements. Our results emphasize atypical
atomic displacement parameters (ADP) for the In and the rare-earth sites.
Depending on the x value, the In ADP presents either an "ellipsoidal"
elongation (La-rich compounds) or a "butterfly-like" distortion (Ce-rich
compounds). These deformations have been understood by theoretical techniques
based on the band theory and are the result of hybridization between conduction
electrons and 4f-electrons.Comment: 7 pages, 8 figure
Electronic Structure of the Complex Hydride NaAlH4
Density functional calculations of the electronic structure of the complex
hydride NaAlH4 and the reference systems NaH and AlH3 are reported. We find a
substantially ionic electronic structure for NaAlH4, which emphasizes the
importance of solid state effects in this material. The relaxed hydrogen
positions in NaAlH4 are in good agreement with recent experiment. The
electronic structure of AlH3 is also ionic. Implications for the binding of
complex hydrides are discussed.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure
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