Origin of Spinel Nanocheckerboards via First Principles
Self-organizing nanocheckerboards have been experimentally fabricated in Mn-based spinels but have not yet been explained with first principles. Using density-functional theory, we explain the phase diagram of the ZnMn_{x}Ga_{2-x}O_{4} system and the origin of nanocheckerboards. We predict total pha...
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Published in | Physical review letters Vol. 114; no. 22; p. 226102 |
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Main Authors | , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
United States
05.06.2015
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Online Access | Get more information |
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Summary: | Self-organizing nanocheckerboards have been experimentally fabricated in Mn-based spinels but have not yet been explained with first principles. Using density-functional theory, we explain the phase diagram of the ZnMn_{x}Ga_{2-x}O_{4} system and the origin of nanocheckerboards. We predict total phase separation at zero temperature and then show the combination of kinetics, thermodynamics, and Jahn-Teller physics that generates the system's observed behavior. We find that the {011} surfaces are strongly preferred energetically, which mandates checkerboard ordering by purely geometrical considerations. |
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ISSN: | 1079-7114 |
DOI: | 10.1103/PhysRevLett.114.226102 |