No Arabic abstract
Diffuse scattering is a rich source of information about disorder in crystalline materials, which can be modelled using atomistic techniques such as Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations. Modern X-ray and neutron scattering instruments can rapidly measure large volumes of diffuse-scattering data. Unfortunately, current algorithms for atomistic diffuse-scattering calculations are too slow to model large data sets completely, because the fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithm has long been considered unsuitable for such calculations [Butler & Welberry, J. Appl. Cryst. 25, 391 (1992)]. Here, a new approach is presented for ultrafast calculation of atomistic diffuse-scattering patterns. It is shown that the FFT can actually be used to perform such calculations rapidly, and that a fast method based on sampling theory can be used to reduce high-frequency noise in the calculations. These algorithms are benchmarked using realistic examples of compositional, magnetic and displacive disorder. They accelerate the calculations by a factor of at least 100, making refinement of atomistic models to large diffuse-scattering volumes practical.
We devise automated workflows for the calculation of Helmholtz and Gibbs free energies and their temperature and pressure dependence and provide the corresponding computational tools. We employ non-equilibrium thermodynamics for evaluating the free energy of solid and liquid phases at a given temperature and reversible scaling for computing free energies over a wide range of temperatures, including the direct integration of $P$-$T$ coexistence lines. By changing the chemistry and the interatomic potential, alchemical and upscaling free energy calculations are possible. Several examples illustrate the accuracy and efficiency of our implementation.
Using neutron elastic and inelastic scattering and high-energy x-ray diffraction, we present a comparison of 40% Pb(Mg$_{1/3}$Nb$_{2/3}$)O$_{3}$-60% PbTiO$_{3}$ (PMN-60PT) with pure Pb(Mg$_{1/3}$Nb$_{2/3}$)O$_{3}$ (PMN) and PbTiO$_{3}$ (PT). We measure the structural properties of PMN-60PT to be identical to pure PT, however, the lattice dynamics are exactly that previously found in relaxors PMN and PZN. PMN-60PT displays a well-defined macroscopic structural transition from a cubic to tetragonal unit cell at 550 K. The diffuse scattering is shown to be weak indicating that the structural distortion is long-range in PMN-60PT and short-range polar correlations (polar nanoregions) are not present. Even though polar nanoregions are absent, the soft optic mode is short-lived for wavevectors near the zone-centre. Therefore, PMN-60PT displays the same waterfall effect as prototypical relaxors PMN and PZN. We conclude that it is random fields resulting from the intrinsic chemical disorder which is the reason for the broad transverse optic mode observed in PMN and PMN-60PT near the zone centre and not due to the formation of short-ranged polar correlations. Through our comparison of PMN, PMN-60PT, and pure PT, we interpret the dynamic and static properties of the PMN-xPT system in terms of a random field model in which the cubic anisotropy term dominates with increasing doping of PbTiO$_{3}$.
We present a scheme for the improved description of the long-range interatomic force constants in a more accurate way than the procedure which is commonly used within plane-wave based density-functional perturbation-theory calculations. Our scheme is based on the inclusion of a q point grid which is denser in a restricted area around the center of the Brillouin Zone than in the remaining parts, even though the method is not limited to an area around Gamma. We have tested the validity of our procedure in the case of high-pressure phases of bulk silicon considering the bct and sh structure.
A quite unusual diffuse scattering phenomenology was observed in the single-crystal X-ray diffraction pattern of cubic perovskite BMT ($mathrm{BaMg}_{1/3}mathrm{Ta}_{2/3}mathrm{O}_3$). The intensity of the scattering is parametrized as a set of cube-like objects located at the centers of reciprocal space unit cells, resembling very broad and cubic-shaped (1/2,1/2,1/2)-satellites. BMT belongs to perovskites of formula AB$_{1/3}$B$_{2/3}$O$_{3}$ (A=Mg, B$=$Ta, B$=$Mg). The cubes of the intensity can be attributed to the partial correlations of the occupancies of the B site. The pair correlation function is the Fourier transform of the diffuse scattering intensity and the latters idealized form yields the unusual property of a power-law correlation decay with distance. Up to now this is observed only in a few exotic instances of magnetic order or nematic crystals. Therefore it cannot be classified as a short-range order phenomenon, as in most situations originating diffuse scattering. A Monte-Carlo search in configuration space yielded solutions that reproduce faithfully the observed diffuse scattering. Analysis of the results in terms of the electrostatic energy and the entropy point to this phase of BMT as a metastable state, kinetically locked, which could be the equilibrium state just below the melting point.
A previous inelastic UV scattering experiment on silica glass is reproduced using a high grade superpolished sample. In the pristine sample condition, surface scattering is not observable compared to Rayleigh scattering from the bulk. However, exposure to a fluence of the order of 100 J/cm$^2$ at photon energies slightly below the electronic gap generates observable surface damage. This occurs after a few hours illumination with the monochromatic spectrometer beam. No anomaly in the Brillouin linewidth was found up to an excitation energy of 7.8 eV.