arXiv subjects

Maik Lang

Publications and source records attributed to Maik Lang.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2021

Pressure-induced insulator-metal transition in two-dimensional Mott insulator NiPS3

The pressure-induced insulator to metal transition (IMT) of layered magnetic nickel phosphorous tri-sulfide NiPS3 was studied in-situ under quasi-uniaxial conditions by means of electrical resistance (R) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements. This sluggish transition is shown to occur at 35 GPa. Transport measurements show no evidence of superconductivity to the lowest measured temperature (~ 2 K). The structure results presented here differ from earlier in-situ work that subjected the sample to a different pressure state, suggesting that in NiPS3 the phase stability fields are highly dependent on strain. It is suggested that careful control of the strain is essential when studying the electronic and magnetic properties of layered van der Waals solids.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2020

Fundamental Phenomena and Applications of Swift Heavy Ion Irradiations

This review concentrates on the specific properties and characteristics of damage structures generated with high-energy ions in the electronic energy loss regime. Irradiation experiments with so-called swift heavy ions (SHI) find applications in many different fields, with examples presented in ion-track nanotechnology, radiation hardness analysis of functional materials, and laboratory tests of cosmic radiation. The basics of the SHI-solid interaction are described with special attention to processes in the electronic subsystem. The broad spectrum of damage phenomena is exemplified for various materials and material classes, along with a description of typical characterization techniques. The review also presents state-of-the-art modeling efforts that try to account for the complexity of the coupled processes of the electronic and atomic subsystems. Finally, the relevance of SHI phenomena for effects induced by fission fragments in nuclear fuels and how this knowledge can be applied to better estimate damage risks in nuclear materials is discussed.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2019

Temperature-induced atomic-structure modifications in UO$_{2}$ and UO$_{2+x}$

UO$_{2}$ and UO$_{2.07}$ were characterized from 25-1000$\,^{\circ}\mathrm{C}$ using neutron total scattering in order to evaluate effects of temperature and phase boundaries on local and average structures. Analyses of unit cell parameters showed that both materials exhibit very similar thermal expansion behavior and thermal expansion data lay along the upper bound of uncertainty for standard empirical models, indicating a slightly faster thermal expansion rate. Atomic displacement parameters of UO$_{2.07}$ showed evidence for U$_{4}$O$_{9}$ phase boundaries in accordance with the established phase diagram, despite the suppression of U$_{4}$O$_{9}$ superlattice peaks in the measured diffraction patterns. Pair distribution functions revealed that the differences in local structure between UO$_{2}$ and UO$_{2.07}$ were very small and PDF features are dominated by thermal effects. The rate of contraction of the first nearest-neighbor U-O distances of UO$_{2}$ and UO$_{2.07}$ between 25-1000$\,^{\circ}\mathrm{C}$ were shown to agree with molecular dynamics simulations and local structure analyses previously performed on UO$_{2}$ above 1000$\,^{\circ}\mathrm{C}$.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2017

High pressure synthesis of a hexagonal close-packed phase of the high-entropy alloy CrMnFeCoNi

High-entropy alloys, near-equiatomic solid solutions of five or more elements, represent a new strategy for the design of materials with properties superior to those of conventional alloys. However, their phase space remains constrained, with transition metal high-entropy alloys exhibiting only face- or body-centered cubic structures. Here, we report the high-pressure synthesis of a hexagonal close-packed phase of the prototypical high-entropy alloy CrMnFeCoNi. This martensitic transformation begins at 14 GPa and is attributed to suppression of the local magnetic moments, destabilizing the initial fcc structure. Similar to fcc-to-hcp transformations in Al and the noble gases, the transformation is sluggish, occurring over a range of >40 GPa. However, the behaviour of CrMnFeCoNi is unique in that the hcp phase is retained following decompression to ambient pressure, yielding metastable fcc-hcp mixtures. This demonstrates a means of tuning the structures and properties of high-entropy alloys in a manner not achievable by conventional processing techniques.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗