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Selective breakdown of phonon quasiparticles across superionic transition in CuCrSe 2

Publication ,  Journal Article
Niedziela, JL; Bansal, D; May, AF; Ding, J; Lanigan-Atkins, T; Ehlers, G; Abernathy, DL; Said, A; Delaire, O
Published in: Nature Physics
January 1, 2019

Superionic crystals exhibit ionic mobilities comparable to liquids while maintaining a periodic crystalline lattice. The atomic dynamics leading to large ionic mobility have long been debated. A central question is whether phonon quasiparticles—which conduct heat in regular solids—survive in the superionic state, where a large fraction of the system exhibits liquid-like behaviour. Here we present the results of energy- and momentum-resolved scattering studies combined with first-principles calculations and show that in the superionic phase of CuCrSe 2 , long-wavelength acoustic phonons capable of heat conduction remain largely intact, whereas specific phonon quasiparticles dominated by the Cu ions break down as a result of anharmonicity and disorder. The weak bonding and large anharmonicity of the Cu sublattice are present already in the normal ordered state, resulting in low thermal conductivity even below the superionic transition. These results demonstrate that anharmonic phonon dynamics are at the origin of low thermal conductivity and superionicity in this class of materials.

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Published In

Nature Physics

DOI

EISSN

1745-2481

ISSN

1745-2473

Publication Date

January 1, 2019

Volume

15

Issue

1

Start / End Page

73 / 78

Related Subject Headings

  • Fluids & Plasmas
  • 51 Physical sciences
  • 49 Mathematical sciences
  • 02 Physical Sciences
  • 01 Mathematical Sciences
 

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Niedziela, J. L., Bansal, D., May, A. F., Ding, J., Lanigan-Atkins, T., Ehlers, G., … Delaire, O. (2019). Selective breakdown of phonon quasiparticles across superionic transition in CuCrSe 2. Nature Physics, 15(1), 73–78. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-018-0298-2
Niedziela, J. L., D. Bansal, A. F. May, J. Ding, T. Lanigan-Atkins, G. Ehlers, D. L. Abernathy, A. Said, and O. Delaire. “Selective breakdown of phonon quasiparticles across superionic transition in CuCrSe 2.” Nature Physics 15, no. 1 (January 1, 2019): 73–78. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-018-0298-2.
Niedziela JL, Bansal D, May AF, Ding J, Lanigan-Atkins T, Ehlers G, et al. Selective breakdown of phonon quasiparticles across superionic transition in CuCrSe 2. Nature Physics. 2019 Jan 1;15(1):73–8.
Niedziela, J. L., et al. “Selective breakdown of phonon quasiparticles across superionic transition in CuCrSe 2.” Nature Physics, vol. 15, no. 1, Jan. 2019, pp. 73–78. Scopus, doi:10.1038/s41567-018-0298-2.
Niedziela JL, Bansal D, May AF, Ding J, Lanigan-Atkins T, Ehlers G, Abernathy DL, Said A, Delaire O. Selective breakdown of phonon quasiparticles across superionic transition in CuCrSe 2. Nature Physics. 2019 Jan 1;15(1):73–78.

Published In

Nature Physics

DOI

EISSN

1745-2481

ISSN

1745-2473

Publication Date

January 1, 2019

Volume

15

Issue

1

Start / End Page

73 / 78

Related Subject Headings

  • Fluids & Plasmas
  • 51 Physical sciences
  • 49 Mathematical sciences
  • 02 Physical Sciences
  • 01 Mathematical Sciences