First and higher order lattice excitations in the B-site disordered perovskites LaFe1-xCrxO3 (x=0, 0.1, 0.5, 0.9, and 1) and La0.835Sr0.165Fe0.5Cr0.5O3-delta are investigated using temperature dependent and polarized inelastic light scattering [lambda=515 nm (2.41 eV) and 676 nm (1.83 eV)] on oriented crystallites. A peak at approximately 2.4 eV in the imaginary part of the dielectric function of LaFe0.5Cr0.5O3 is assigned to a charge transfer from Fe3+ (d(5)) to Cr3+ (d(3)) ions, coupled with the appearance of an intense A(g)-like mode at approximately 700 cm(-1) in the Raman data. This excitation is identified as a symmetric oxygen breathing mode activated by the Fe-Cr charge transfer through an orbital coupling mechanism. Higher order scattering (up to seventh order) of the intrinsic Raman active symmetric breathing mode is also explained by an orbital-mediated electron-phonon coupling, similar to the Franck-Condon effect observed in the Jahn-Teller active-perovskite-structured manganite LaMaO(3). These results show that the Franck-Condon mechanism is a more common mechanism for resonant higher order scattering in solids than previously believed and propose the LaFe1-xCrxO3 system as a model system for electron-phonon coupling and higher order Raman scattering in solids.
The nuclear and magnetic structures of the double provskite compound Ca2MnWO6 have been determined by neutron powder diffraction. Rietveld refinement shows that the compound adopts a monoclinic crystal structure with P2(1)/n symmetry. Magnetic refinement
The double perovskite Ba2MnWO6 has been prepared as a pure powder by a conventional solid-state reaction process and studied by X-ray, neutron powder diffraction (NPD), magnetization, and AC susceptibility measurements. NPD, magnetization, and AC suscepti
Single-phase polycrystalline material of the double perovskite Ba2FeWO6 was prepared and characterized by X-ray and neutron powder diffraction (NPD). The crystal structure was tetragonal with lattice parameters a=b=5.7479(4) Å and c=8.1444(9) Å at room temperature (295 K). NPD data at 10 K shows the evidence of an antiferromagnetic ordering of the Fe atoms. The reverse Monte Carlo powder (RMCPOW) technique was used to find the magnetic structure, which showed that it is based on a unit cell related to that of the nuclear structure by the propagation vector 0 \frac[¯]1[¯][¯]2[¯] \frac[¯]1[¯][¯]2[¯] . An ordering of collinear spins was found with alternate layers in the c-direction or in the a-b plane. The model was checked by Rietveld refinement and the magnetic moment of iron was found to be 3.39(2)7B at 10 K.
Mechanical behavior of the Si(111)/Si3N4(0001) interface is studied using million atom molecular dynamics simulations, At a critical value of applied strain parallel to the interface, a crack forms on the silicon nitride surface and moves toward the inter
We have studied the effect of Cr substitution for Fe in Sr2Fe1-xCr,MoO6 (x <= 0.3) double perovskites. X-ray diffraction, neutron powder diffraction (NPD), magnetisation measurements as well as Mossbauer spectroscopy have been used to determine the structural and magnetic properties of these compounds. All these materials were found to crystallise with tetragonal symmetry. The main observed effect is a decrease with respect to the undoped composition, of the cationic order with Cr doping levels. Mossbauer spectroscopy measurement revealed that iron exists in high spin + 3 oxidation state.
The total structure factor of BaTiO3 obtained by neutron powder diffraction in the temperature range 360-430 K in the vicinity of ferroelectric phase transition has been modeled by the reverse Monte Carlo method. A presence of disordered displacements of Ti atoms due to dynamical tetragonal elongations of unit cells and off-centered sites of Ti atoms in paraelectric phase in the vicinity of the ferroelectric phase transition was observed. Both features result in the anomalous increase of mean square displacements of Ti atoms and reflect the coexistence of displacive and order-disorder components in the ferroelectric phase transition.
The total structure factor for deuterated ammonium chloride measured by neutron diffraction has been modeled using the reverse Monte Carlo method. The results show that the orientational disorder of the ammonium ions consists of a local librational motion
Cesium hydrogen sulphate is one of the most extensively studied superprotonic conductors with hydrogen bonds. The first-order phase transition, from the low-conductivity to high conductivity phase takes place at 414 K. The crystallographic structure of bo
Neutron diffraction measurements have been carried out on the REST diffractometer (Studsvik) on curved components fabricated by cold working bimetallic tubes. The tubes consist of two layers (an outer one of austenitic steel and an inner one of ferritic s
A Monte Carlo code for the simulation of neutron strain scanning experiments on a reactor-based two-axis diffractometer is described. In order to validate this code, several experiments have been performed. A comparison is made between experimental and si
Neutron strain scanning measurements have been performed on straight and curved parts of a component manufactured from bimetallic tubes. Instrumental and sample-related effects contributing to non-strain induced Bragg peak shifts have been corrected for b
Crystal structure and phase transformation behaviors in two Ni-Mn-Ga ferromagnetic shape memory alloys (FSMAs) with compositions of Ni48Mn30Ga22 and Ni53Mn25Ga22 (at. %) as a function of temperature were investigated by in situ neutron diffraction experiments. Neutron diffraction technique proves to be highly efficient in characterizing structural transformation in Ni-Mn-Ga FSMAs, which consist of nearby elements in the periodic table. Our neutron results show that Ni48Mn30Ga22 has a cubic, L-21 Heusler structure from 373 to 293 K. Its crystal structure changes into a seven-layered orthorhombic martensitic structure when cooled to 243 K, and no further transformation is observed upon cooling to 19 K. Neutron diffraction results also show that Ni53Mn25Ga22 has a tetragonal 14/mmm martensitic structure from 20 to 403 K. A pre-transformation around room temperature is observed from an abrupt jump in unit-cell volume of Ni53Mn25Ga22, which corresponds with an endothermic peak detected in a heated DSC curve.
The present work is focused on studies of the influence of magnesium on the hydrogenation behaviour of the (La,Mg)(2)Ni-7 alloys. Substitution of La in La2Ni7 by Mg to form La1.5Mg0.5Ni7 preserves the initial Ce2Ni7 type of the hexagonal P6(3)/mmc structure and leads to contraction of the unit cell. The system La1.5Mg0.5Ni7-H2 (D-2) was studied using in situ synchrotron X-ray and neutron powder diffraction in H-2/D-2 gas and pressure-composition-temperature measurements. La replacement by Mg was found to proceed in an ordered way, only within the Laves-type parts of the hybrid crystal structure, yielding formation of LaMgNi4 slabs with statistic and equal occupation of one site by La and Mg atoms. Mg alters structural features of the hydrogenation process. Instead of a strong unilateral anisotropic expansion which takes place on hydrogenation of La2Ni7, the unit cell of La1.5Mg0.5Ni7D9.1 is formed by nearly equal hydrogen-induced expansions proceeding in the basal plane (Delta a/a = 7.37%) and along [001] (Delta c/c = 9.67%). In contrast with La2Ni7D6.5 where only LaNi2 layers absorb hydrogen atoms, in La1.5Mg0.5Ni7D9.1 both LaNi5 and LaMgNi4 layers become occupied. Nine types of sites were found to be filled by D in total, including tetrahedral (La,Mg)(2)Ni-2, (La,Mg)Ni-3, Ni-4, tetragonal pyramidal La2Ni3 and trigonal bipyramidal (La,Mg)(3)Ni-2 interstices. The hydrogen sublattice around the La/Mg site shows formation of two co-ordination spheres of D atoms: an octahedron MgD6 and a 16-vertex polyhedron LaD16 around La. The interatomic distances are in the following ranges: La-D (2.28-2.71), Mg-D (2.02-2.08), Ni-D (1.48-1.86 angstrom). All D-D distances exceed 1.9 angstrom. Thermodynamic PCT studies yielded the following values for the Delta H and Delta S of hydrogenation/decomposition; Delta H-H = -15.7 +/- 0.9 kJ (mol(H))(-1) and Delta S-H = -46.0 +/- 3.7 J (K mol(H))(-1) for H-2 absorption, and Delta H-H = 16.8 +/- 0.4 kJ (mol(H))(-1) and Delta S-H = 48.1 +/- 1.5 J (K mol(H))(-1) for H-2 desorption.
'Hybrid' RNi3 (R =rare earth metal) crystal structures are built of the slabs of simpler types, CaCu5 and MgZn2. Different affinities of these slabs to hydrogen result in unusual "anisotropic" expansion of the RNi3 and R2Ni7 (R = La, Cc) structures upon hydrogenation. This work focuses on studies of the hydrogenation behaviour of LaNi3 and on the properties of the hydrides of the modified by Mg and Mn La-Ni alloys. The crystal structure of LaNi3D2.8 and the crystal structure and hydrogen storage behaviours of the La1.5Mg0.5Ni7 and La(Ni-1-,Mn,)3 (x=0; 0.067-, 0.133; 0.2: 0.267; 0.3; 0.333; 0.4) alloys were in focus. The deuteration of LaNi3 with PuNi3 type of structure leads to the formation of LaNi3D2.8 and is accompanied by a deformation of the metal matrix causing a change of the initial rhombohedral symmetry (space group R3m) to a nionoclinic one (space group C2/m; a = 8.6408(7) angstrom, b=4.928](4) angstrom, c= 32.774(3) A; = 90.850(8)degrees; V= 1395.5(2) angstrom(3)). Similar to the earlier studied CeNi3D2.8, preferential occupation by deuterium atoms of the AB, layers takes place, leading to the "anisotropic" expansion of the unit cell along [0 0 1] (Delta c/c = 30.6%). 14 occupied D crystallographic sites have 4 chemically different types of metal-atom surroundings, including Ni-4 (2), La2Ni2 (2), La3Ni (6), and La3Ni3 (4). Modification of the La-Ni alloys by magnesium and manganese leads to the formation of intermetallic compounds crystallising with the PuNi3, CeNi3, and Ce2Ni7-type structures. An ordered substitution of La by Mg in the MgZn2-type slabs was observed, causing a complete alteration of the hydrogenation behaviour of the original LaNi3 alloy. La1.5Mg0.5Ni7D9 isotropically expands upon its formation and leads to a substantial increase of the stability against hydrogenation-induced aniorphisation. On the other hand, replacement of Ni by Mn leads to the change in crystal-structure type from PuNi3 to CeNi3 in the LaNi3-xMn. alloys (x>0.1). An ordered substitution of Ni by Mn proceeds inside the RNi5 slabs only. This decreases the stability of the initial alloy against amorphisation on hydrogenation.
A new intermetallic deuteride Ce2Ni7D4.7 with an anomalous volume expansion has been studied. Its structure was solved on the basis of in situ neutron diffraction data. Expansion proceeds along the c-axis and within the CeNi2 slabs only. All D atoms are located inside these slabs and on the border between CeNi2 and CeNi5. Ordering of D atoms in the bulk of CeNi2 is accompanied by substantial deformation of these slabs thus lowering the hexagonal symmetry to orthorhombic [space group Pmcn (No. 62); a = 4.9251(3) angstrom b = 8.4933(4) angstrom, c = 29.773(1) angstrom]. Inside the CeNi2 layer the hydrogen sublattice is completely ordered; all D-D distances exceed 2.0 angstrom Local coordination of Ni by D inside the CeNi, blocks is of "open", saddle-like type. Hydrogen ordering is mainly determined by Ce-H and H-H interactions. The press ure-composition-temperature measurements yielded the following thermodynamic parameters of the formation of the hydride: Delta H = -22.4 kJ/MOl(H), Delta S = -59.9 J/(K mol(H)).
Structural correlations in amorphous gallium arsenide are investigated with molecular-dynamics simulations using a new interatomic potential function. The calculated static structure factor, in particular the height and width of the first peak which is a
The crystal and magnetic structure of K+ beta-ferrite, K1.33Fe12O17, has been studied with neutron powder diffraction (lambda = 1.47) at 10, 295 and 923 K. Parameters describing the crystal and magnetic structure were refined with the Rietveld method. A m
The magnetic structures of stoichiometric, KFe11O17, and non-stoichiometric, K1.33Fe11O17, K+ beta-ferrite, have been studied with neutron powder diffraction at 10, 295 and 923 K. Parameters describing the crystal and magnetic structures were refined with