Pressure-induced magnetic phase and structural transition in SmSb_(2)

Motivated by the recent discovery of unconventional superconductivity around a magnetic quantum critical point in pressurized CeSb_(2),here we present a high-pressure study of an isostructural antiferromagnetic(AFM) SmSb_(2) through electrical transport and synchrotron x-ray diffraction measurements.At P_C~2.5 GPa,we found a pressure-induced magnetic phase transition accompanied by a Cmca→P4/nmm structural phase transition.In the pristine AFM phase below P_C,the AFM transition temperature of SmSb_(2) is insensitive to pressure;in the emergent magnetic phase above P_C,however,the magnetic critical temperature increases rapidly with increasing pressure.In addition,at ambient pressure,the magnetoresistivity(MR) of SmSb_(2) increases suddenly upon cooling below the AFM transition temperature and presents linear nonsaturating behavior under high field at 2 K.With increasing pressure above P_C,the MR behavior remains similar to that observed at ambient pressure,both in terms of temperature-and field-dependent MR.This leads us to argue an AFM-like state for SmSb_(2) above P_C.Within the investigated pressure of up to 45.3 GPa and the temperature of down to 1.8 K,we found no signature of superconductivity in SmSb_(2).

Pressure-induced structural transition and low-temperature recovery of sodium pentazolate

Pentazolate compounds have attracted extensive attention as high energy density materials.The synthesis and recovery of pentazolate compounds is of great importance for their potential applications.Here,we report the synthesis of Pmn2_(1)-NaN_(5)and Pm-Na_(2)N_(5)through compressing and laser heating pure NaN_(3)at~60 GPa.Upon decompression,the pressureinduced structural transition from Pmn2_(1)-NaN_(5)into Cm-NaN_(5)is observed in the pressure range of 14-23 GPa for the first time.The cyclo-N_(5)^(-)can be traced down to 4.7 GPa at room temperature and recovered to ambient pressure under low temperature condition(up to 160 K).The Pm-Na_(2)N_(5)is suggested to decompose into the P4/mmm-NaN_(2)at 23 GPa,and be stable at ambient conditions.This work provides insight into the high-pressure behaviors of pentazolate compounds and an alternative way to stabilize energetic polynitrogen compounds.

Charge Density Wave States and Structural Transition in Layered Chalcogenide TaSe_(2-x)Te_x

The structural features and three-dimensional nature of the charge density wave （CDW） state of the layered chalcogenide 1T-TaSe2-xTex （0≤x≤2.0） are characterized by Cs-corrected transmission electron microscopy measurements. Notable changes of both average structure and the CDW state arising from Te substitution for Se are clearly demonstrated in samples with x〉0.3. The commensurate CDW state characterized by the known star-of-David clustering in the 1T-TaSe2 crystal becomes visibly unstable with Te substitution and vanishes when x=0.3. The 1T-TaSe2-xTex （0.3≤x≤1.3） samples generally adopt a remarkable incommensurate CDW state with monoclinic distortion, which could be fundamentally in correlation with the strong qq-dependent electron-phonon coupling-induced period-lattice-distortion as identified in TaTe22. Systematic analysis demonstrates that the occurrence of superconductivity is related to the suppression of the commensurate CDW phase and the presence of discommensuration is an evident structural feature observed in the superconducting samples.

New Superconductivity Dome in LaFeAsO1-xFx Accompanied by Structural Transition

High-temperature superconductivity is often found in the vicinity of antiferromagnetism. This is also true in LaFeAsOl-xFx （x ≤ 0.2,） and many other iron-based superconductors, which leads to proposals that supercon- ductivity is mediated by fluctuations associated with the nearby magnetism. Here we report the discovery of a new superconductivity dome without low-energy magnetic fluctuations in LaFeAsO1-xFx with 0.25 ≤ x ≤ 0.75, where the maximal critical temperature Tc at Xopt =0.5-0.55 is even higher than that at x ≤0.2. By nuclear magnetic resonance and transmission electron microscopy, we show that a C4 rotation symmetry-breaking struc- tural transition takes place for x 〉 0.5 above To. Our results point to a new paradigm of high temperature superconductivity.

Field-Induced Structural Transition in the Bond Frustrated Spinel ZnCr2Se4

The effect of an external magnetic field on the structural and magnetic properties of bond frustrated ZnCr2 Se4 at low temperatures is investigated using magnetization, dielectric constants and thermal conductivity experiments. With an increase in the magnetic field H, the antiferromagnetic transition temperature TN is observed to shift progressively toward lower temperatures. The corresponding high temperature cubic （Fd3m） to low temperature tetragonal （I41amd） structural transition is tuned simultaneously due to the inherent strong spin-lattice coupling. In the antiferromagnetic phase, an anomaly at Hc2 defined as a steep downward peak in the derivative of the M-H curve is dearly drawn. It is found that TN versus H and Hc2 versus T exhibit a consistent tendency, indicative of a field-induced tetragonal （I41amd） to cubic （Fd3m） structural transition. The transition is further substantiated by the field-dependent dielectric constant and thermal conductivity measurements. We modify the T-H phase diagram, highlighting the coexistence of the paramagnetic state and ferromagnetic clusters between 100K and TN.

Metastable Face-Centered Cubic Structure and Structural Transition of Sn on 2H-NbSe2(0001)

Surface structures and properties of Sn islands grown on superconducting substrate 2H-NbSe2（0001）are studied using low temperature scanning tunneling microscopy or spectroscopy.The pure face-centered cubic（fee）structure of Sn surface is obtained.Superconductivity is also detected on the fcc-Sn（111）surface,and the size of superconducting gap on the Sn surface is nearly the same as that on the superconducting substrate.Furthermore,phase transition occurs from fcc-Sn（111）toβ-Sn（001）by keeping the sample at room temperature for a certain time.Due to the strain relaxation on theβ-Sn islands,both the in-plane unit cell and out-of-plane structures distort,and the height of surface atoms varies periodically to form a universal ripple structure.

Peierls Structural Transition in Q1D Organic Crystals of TTT<SUB>2</SUB>I<SUB>3</SUB>for Different Values of Carrier Concentration

The Peierls structural transition in the TTT2I3 (tetrathiotetracene-iodide) crystal, for different values of carrier concentration is studied in 3D approximation. A crystal physical model is applied that considers two of the most important hole-phonon interactions. The first interaction describes the deformation potential and the second one is of polaron type. In the presented physical model, the interaction of carriers with the structural defects is taken into account. This is crucial for the explanation of the transition. The renormalized phonon spectrum is calculated in the random phase approximation for different temperatures applying the method of Green functions. The renormalized phonon frequencies for different temperatures are presented in two cases. In the first case the interaction between TTT chains is neglected. In the second one, this interaction is taken into account. Computer simulations for the 3D physical model of the TTT2I3 crystal are performed for different values of dimensionless Fermi momentum kF, that is determined by variation of carrier concentration. It is shown that the transition is of Peierls type and strongly depends on iodine concentration. Finally, the Peierls critical temperature was determined.

Structural phase transition and transport properties in topological material candidate NaZn_(4)As_(3)

We report a comprehensive study on a layered-structure compound of NaZn_(4)As_(3),which has been predicted to be an ideal topological semimetal(TSM) candidate.It is found that NaZn_(4)As_(3) undergoes a structural transformation from high temperature rhombohedral to a low temperature monoclinic phase.The electric resistivity exhibits a metal-to-insulatorlike transition at around 100 K,and then develops a plateau at low temperature,which might be related to the protected topologically conducting surface states.Our first-principles calculation confirms further that NaZn_(4)As_(3) is a topological insulator(TI) for both different phases rather than a previously proposed TSM.The Hall resistivity reveals that the hole carriers dominate the transport properties for the whole temperature range investigated.Furthermore,an obvious kink possibly associated to the structure transition has been detected in thermopower around ~ 170 K.The large thermopower and moderate κ indicate that NaZn_(4)As_(3) and/or its derivatives can provide a good platform for optimizing and studying the thermoelectric performance.

STRAIN INDUCED STRUCTURAL TRANSITION OF INTERFACES AND TWINS IN A HOT－DEFORMED DUAL－PHASE TIAL ALLOY

The structure characteristics of a2/γinterfaces and the features of deformation twins in a quasi-isothermal forged Ti-45Al-10Nb alloy were studied by highresolution transmission electron microscopy. Three types of strain induced a2/γinterfaces and two types of strain induced twin boundaries were identified The most,important features are high density of ledges and the existence of I/3[111] Frank partial dislocation. Mechanisms for the formation these interfaces were proposed Two types of deformation twins were observed These deformation twins always start from the ledges it seems that ledges at interfaces are important features of interfacial structure for the mechanical behavior of alloys.

Structural Transition Dynamics in Carbon Electrode-Based Single-Molecule Junctions

Monitoring the structural transitions of individual molecules is of great significance because it helps to in depth explore the properties of molecules and provide diverse possibilities for molecular applications in the fields of chemistry,biology and material science.This review summarizes the strategy of using single-molecule electrical approaches to study molecular structure transitions at the single-molecule level in real time.Specifically,through the use of stable single-molecule devices for real-time electrical monitoring,the process of molecular structure transitions of a single molecule can be investigated,which helps to explore the nature of molecules in chemical and biological systems.In particular,the detection methods have been extended to the investigation of biological macromolecules for monitoring the conformational changes of nucleotide chains in different systems,such as double helix DNA,aptamer and DNA enzyme.In the end,we discuss the future challenges of probing structural transitions of single molecules,and provide prospects for further breakthroughs in this field.

Microstructure and structural phase transitions in iron-based superconductors

Crystal structures and microstructural features, such as structural phase transitions, defect structures, and chemical and structural inhomogeneities, are known to have profound effects on the physical properties of superconducting materials. Recently, many studies on the structural properties of Fe-based high-Tc superconductors have been published. This review article will mainly focus on the typical microstructural features in samples that have been well characterized by physical measurements. （i） Certain common structural features are discussed, in particular, the crystal structural features for different superconducting families, the local structural distortions in the Fe2Pn2 （Pn = P, As, Sb） or FeeCh2 （Ch = S, Se, Te） blocks, and the structural transformations in the 122 system. （ii） In FeTe（Se） （11 family）, the superconductivity, chemical and structural inhomogeneities are investigated and discussed in correlation with superconductivity. （iii） In the Ko.sFe1.6＋xSe2 system, we focus on the typical compounds with emphasis on the Fe-vacancy order and phase separations. The microstructural features in other superconducting materials are also briefly discussed.

Thickness-dependent structural stability and transition in molybdenum disulfide under hydrostatic pressure

Understanding the physical mechanism of structural stability and transition in various polytypes of layered transition metal dichalcogenides under the external stimulus is of crucial importance for their new applications.Here,we investigate the thickness-dependent structural properties of MoS2 under the condition of hydrostatic pressure in terms of bond relaxation and thermodynamics considerations.For both types of MoS2 structures,we find that the transition and metallization are significantly modulated by hydrostatic pressure and the number of layers.We establish a pressure-size phase diagram to address the transition mechanism.Our study not only provides insights into the thickness-dependent structural properties of MoS2,but also shows a theoretical guidance for the design and fabrication of MoS2-based devices.

A STUDY ON THE STRUCTURAL TRANSITION OF A SINGLE POLYMER CHAIN BY PARALLEL TEMPERING MOLECULAR DYNAMICS SIMULATION

The structural transition of a single polymer chain with chain length of 100,200 and 300 beads was investigated by parallel tempering MD simulation.Our simulation results can capture the structural change from random coil to orientationally ordered structure with decreasing temperature.The clear transition was observed on the curves of radius of gyration and global orientational order parameter P as the function of temperature,which demonstrated structural formation of a single polymer chain.The linear relationships between three components of square radius of gyration R_（gx）~2,R_（gx）~2,R_（gz）~2 and global orientational order P can be obtained under the structurally transformational process.The slope of the linear relationship between x（or y-axis） component R_（gx）~2（or R_（gy）~2） and P is negative,while that of RL as the function of P is positive.The absolute value of slope is proportional to the chain length.Once the single polymer chain takes the random coil or ordered configuration,the linear relationship is invalid.The conformational change was also analyzed on microscopic scale.The polymer chain can be treated as the construction of rigid stems connecting by flexible loops.The deviation from exponentially decreased behavior of stem length distribution becomes prominent,indicating a stiffening of the chain arises leading to more and more segments ending up in the trans state with decreasing temperature.The stem length N_（tr） is about 21 bonds indicating the polymer chain is ordered with the specific fold length.So,the simulation results,which show the prototype of a liquid-crystalline polymer chain,are helpful to understand the crystallization process of crystalline polymers.

THERMAL STRUCTURAL DISORDER AND MELTING TRANSITION IN HIGH-ANGLE GRAIN-BOUNDARY: A MOLECULAR-DYNAMICS STUDY

A structural transition in the fcc ∑=5 (120)/[001] high-angle tilt grain-boundary(GB)is investigated by molecular-dynamics simulation. The calculations have been performed at various temperutures and the thermodynamic melting point Tm of the model system is determined by using a many-body potential fitted to copper. A thermal disorder transition in the GB region occurs well below the melting point. Our results indicate that such a transition is a continuous process and there is no evidence of premelting, which is entirely in accord with experiment results and theoretical prediction.Moreover we also observed that melting initiated at the interface and then propagated into the bulk quickly at or above Tm.

Structural and magnetic transition in stainless steel Fe-21Cr-6Ni-9Mn up to 250 GPa

Stainless steel Fe-21Cr-6Ni-9Mn （SS 21-6-9）, with ~21% Cr, ,~6% Ni, and ~ 9% Mn in weight percentage, has wide applications in extensive fields. In the present study, SS 21-6-9 is compressed up to 250 GPa, and its crystal structures and compressive behaviors are investigated simultaneously using the synchrotron angle-dispersive x-ray diffraction technique. The SS 21-6-9 undergoes a structural phase transition from fcc to hcp structure at ~ 12.8 GPa with neglectable volume collapse within the determination error under the quasi-hydrostatic environment. The hcp structure remains stable up to the highest pressure of 250 GPa in the present experiments. The antiferromagnetic-to-nonmagnetic state transition of hcp SS 21-6-9 with the changes of inconspicuous density and structure, is discovered at ~50 GPa, and revealed by the significant change in c/a ratio. The hcp SS-21-6-9 is compressive anisotropic： it is more compressive in the c-axis direction than in the a-axis direction. Both the equations of states （EOSs） of fcc and hcp SS 21-6-9, which are in accordance with those of fcc and hcp pure irons respectively, are also presented. Furthermore, the c/a ratio of hcp SS 21-6-9 at infinite compression, R∞, is consistent with the values of pure iron and Fe-10Ni alloy.

Structural Phase Transitions of ZnTe under High Pressure Using Experiments and Calculations

The pressure-induced structural transitions of ZnTe are investigated at pressures up to 59.2 GPa in a diamond anvil cell by using synchrotron powder x-ray diffraction method. A phase transition from the initial zinc blende （ZB, ZnTe-Ⅰ） structure to a cinnabar phase （ZnTe-Ⅱ） is observed at 9.6 GPa, followed by a high pressure orthorhombic phase （ZnTe-Ⅲ） with Cmcm symmetry at 12.1 GPa. The ZB, cinnabar （space group P3121）, Cmcm, P31 and rock salt structures of ZnTe are investigated by using density functional theory calculations. Based on the experiments and calculations, the ZnTe-Ⅱ phase is determined to have a cinnabar structure rather than a P3 1 symmetry.

Structural phase transition, precursory electronic anomaly, and strong-coupling superconductivity in quasi-skutterudite (Sr1-xCax)3Ir4Sn13 and Ca3Rh4Sn13

The interplay between superconductivity and structural phase transition has attracted enormous interest in recent years. For example, in Fe-pnictide high temperature superconductors, quantum fluctuations in association with structural phase transition have been proposed to lead to many novel physical properties and even the superconductivity itself. Here we report a finding that the quasi-skutterudite superconductors （Sr1-xCax）3Ir4Sn13 （x = 0, 0.5, 1） and Ca3Rh4Snl3 show some unusual properties similar to the Fe-pnictides, through 119Sn nuclear magnetic resonance （NMR） measurements. In （Sr1-xCax）3Ir4Sn13, the NMR linewidth increases below a temperature T＊ that is higher than the structural phase transition temperature Ts. The spin-lattice relaxation rate （1/T1 ） divided by temperature （T）, 1/TI T and the Knight shift K increase with decreasing T down to T＊, but start to decrease below T＊, and followed by more distinct changes at Ts. In contrast, none of the anomalies is observed in Ca3Rh4Sn13 that does not undergo a structural phase transition. The precursory phenomenon above the structural phase transition resembles that occurring in Fe-pnictides. In the superconducting state of Ca3Ir4Sn13, 1/T1 decays as exp（-△/kBT） with a large gap △ = 2.21kBTc, yet without a Hebel-Slichter coherence peak, which indicates strong-coupling superconductivity. Our results provide new insight into the relationship between superconductivity and the electronic-structure change associated with structural phase transition.

Structural transitions in Pb(In_(1/2)Nb_(1/2))O_(3) under pressure

Room-temperature Raman scattering and x-ray difraction measurements together with first principles calculations were employed to invetigate the behavior of disordered Pb(In_(1/2)Nb_(1/2))O_(3)(PIN)under pressure up to 50GPa.Raman spectra show broad bands but a peak near the 380cm^(-1) increases its intensity with pressure.The linewidth of the band at 550cm^(-1) also increases with pressure,while two of the Raman peaks merge above 6GPa.Above 16 GPa,we observe additional splitting of the band at 50cm^(-1).The pressure evolution of the diffraction patterns for PIN shows obvious Bragg peaks splitting above 16GPa;consistent with a symmetry lowering transition.The transition at 0.5 GPa is identified as a pseudo-cubic to orthorhombic(Pbam)structural change whereas the transition at 16GPa is istructure and associated with changes in linear compresibility and octahedral titling,and the transition at 30 GPa is associated to an orthorhombic to monoclinic change.First-principles calculations indicate that the Pbam structure is ground state with antiferrodisdortion consistent with experiment.

Structural Phase Transition and a Mutation of Electron Mobility in Zn_xCd_(1-x)O Alloys

We investigate the electronic structures and phase stability of ZnO, CdO and the related alloys in rocksalt（B1）and wurzite（B4） crystal, using the first-principle density functional theory within the hybrid functional approximation. By varying the concentration of Zn components from 0% to 100%, we find that the Zn_xCd（1-x）O alloy undergoes a phase transition from octahedron to tetrahedron at x = 0.32, in agreement with the recent experimental findings. The phase transition leads to a mutation of the electron mobility originated from the changes of the effective mass. Our results qualify Zn O/Cd O alloy as an attractive candidate for photo-electrochemical and solar cell power applications.

Structural Phase Transition in Nanostructured TiO_2

Using DTA (difFerential thermal analysis) measurement on nanostructured TiO2, we find two endothermic peaks on the DTA curve. From XRD (X-ray diffraction) analysis of the original nanostructured TiO2 and its heat-treated samples, we obtain the following results: the first endothermic peak corresponds to the desorption of physical or chemical absorption, the second one is related to the structural phase transition from brookite to anatase then to rutile, and this structural phase transition is beneficial to the grain growth of nanocrystal