Direct observation of discommensuration arrays in NbTe4 by means of low-temperature electron microscopy

J. Mahy, J. Van Landuyt, S. Amelinckx, Yuji Uchida, K. D. Bronsema, Sander Van Smaalen

    Research outputpeer-review

    Abstract

    The pseudo one-dimensional compound NbTe4 exhibits a lock-in-type phase transition around 50 K. Electron microscopy reveals the occurrence of discommensurations; their evolution as a function of temperature is reported. A microstructure model is proposed in which cooperative dephasing between one-dimensional Nb-string segments generates the discommensurations. An alternative description using concepts currently applied for long-period antiphase-boundary structures provides a valid description for the phenomena observed below room temperature.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)1188-1191
    Number of pages4
    JournalPhysical review Letters
    Volume55
    Issue number11
    DOIs
    StatePublished - 1985

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • General Physics and Astronomy

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