Work

Exploring oxide quasicrystals in internal space

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Quantitative assessment of the structural quality of quasicrystals is a challenging task. Whereas diffraction techniques are a powerful tool for the coherently scattering regions, only diffuse scattering addresses structural inhomogeneities. Alternatively, local imaging techniques allow for direct inspection of the structures and for statistical evaluation of tiling elements. In both cases, inspecting the internal space characteristic for quasicrystals offers an additional, more sensitive perspective. Here, we analyze atomically resolved scanning tunneling microscopy images for three dodecagonal oxide quasicrystal (OQC) systems. Upon uplifting the 2D coordinates into a 4D hyperspace, the quasicrystal structure can be discussed in the internal space as well as in the physical space. The quasicrystal acceptance domain in internal space of all three OQCs increases logarithmically with the system size. From the acceptance domain expansion we determine the effective phason elastic constants, which reflect phason disorder within their square-triangle-rhombus tiling.

Source: Acta Crystallographica Section A Foundations and Advances

DOI: 10.1107/s2053273325011015

Authors: Sebastian Schenk, Martin Haller, Stefan Förster, Wolf Widdra

Institution: Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg

Language: English

Topic: Quasicrystal Structures and Properties

Subfield: Materials Chemistry

Field: Materials Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,430

Funders: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, European Regional Development Fund