Self-Diffusion in Random-Tiling Quasicrystals

The first explicit realization of the conjecture that phason dynamics leads to self-diffusion in quasicrystals is presented for the icosahedral Ammann tilings. On short time scales, the transport is found to be subdiffusive with the exponent $\beta\approx0.57(1)$, while on long time scales it is consistent with normal diffusion that is up to an order of magnitude larger than in the typical room temperature vacancy-assisted self-diffusion. No simple finite-size scaling is found, suggesting anomalous corrections to normal diffusion, or existence of at least two independent length scales.Comment: 11 pages + 2 figures, COMPRESSED postscript figures available by anonymous ftp to black_hole.physics.ubc.ca directory outgoing/diffuse (use bi for binary mode to transfer), REVTeX 3.0, CTP-TAMU 21/9

Quantum dynamics in high codimension tilings: from quasiperiodicity to disorder

We analyze the spreading of wavepackets in two-dimensional quasiperiodic and random tilings as a function of their codimension, i.e. of their topological complexity. In the quasiperiodic case, we show that the diffusion exponent that characterizes the propagation decreases when the codimension increases and goes to 1/2 in the high codimension limit. By constrast, the exponent for the random tilings is independent of their codimension and also equals 1/2. This shows that, in high codimension, the quasiperiodicity is irrelevant and that the topological disorder leads in every case, to a diffusive regime, at least in the time scale investigated here.Comment: 4 pages, 5 EPS figure

Cluster Model of Decagonal Tilings

A relaxed version of Gummelt's covering rules for the aperiodic decagon is considered, which produces certain random-tiling-type structures. These structures are precisely characterized, along with their relationships to various other random tiling ensembles. The relaxed covering rule has a natural realization in terms of a vertex cluster in the Penrose pentagon tiling. Using Monte Carlo simulations, it is shown that the structures obtained by maximizing the density of this cluster are the same as those produced by the corresponding covering rules. The entropy density of the covering ensemble is determined using the entropic sampling algorithm. If the model is extended by an additional coupling between neighboring clusters, perfectly ordered structures are obtained, like those produced by Gummelt's perfect covering rules.Comment: 10 pages, 20 figures, RevTeX; minor changes; to be published in Phys. Rev.

6-dimensional properties of Al0.86Mn0.14 alloy

The general properties of the phases with the icosahedral point group and long-range orientational order are considered. 6 Goldstone modes — 3 phonons and 3 phasons — are shown to exist. A model for the microscopic structure — a 6-D crystal — is proposed, and phason modes are discussed in this framework. Bravais lattice types are determined and some physical phenomena due to the peculiar AlMn dimension 6 are listed. Simple Landau-theory type arguments for advantages of icosahedral structure are put forward.Les propriétés générales des phases présentant un groupe ponctuel icosaédrique et un ordre orientationnel à grande distance sont étudiées ici. On montre l'existence de six modes de Goldstone — 3 phonons et 3 phasons. Un modèle pour la structure microscopique, cristalline dans un espace à six dimensions est proposé et les modes phasons sont discutés dans ce cadre. Des réseaux de Bravais sont déterminés et certains phénomènes physiques de AlMn dus à cette dimension six sont soulignés. Des arguments simples, du type de la théorie de Landau, montrent pourquoi la structure icosaédrique est favorisée