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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 703 records · Page 39
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

First-principles investigation of near-field energy transfer between localized quantum emitters in solids

We present a predictive and general approach to investigate near-field energy transfer processes between localized defects in semiconductors, which couples first-principles electronic structure calculations and a nonrelativistic quantum electrodynamics description of photons in the weak-coupling regime. The approach is general and can be readily applied to investigate broad classes of defects in solids. We apply our approach to investigate an exemplar point defect in an oxide, the F center in MgO, and we show that the energy transfer from a magnetic source, e.g., a rare-earth impurity, to the vacancy can lead to spin nonconserving long-lived excitations that are dominant processes in the near field, at distances relevant to the design of photonic devices and ultrahigh dense memories. We also define a descriptor for coherent energy transfer to predict geometrical configurations of emitters to enable long-lived excitations, that are useful to design optical memories in semiconductor and insulators. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Chattaraj, Swarnabha (ORCID:0000000329333581)↗
DOE OSTI2025

Perturbative Stability and Error-Correction Thresholds of Quantum Codes

Topologically ordered phases are stable to local perturbations, and topological quantum error-correcting codes enjoy thresholds to local errors. We connect the two notions of stability by constructing classical statistical mechanics models for decoding general Calderbank-Shor-Steane codes and classical linear codes. Our construction encodes correction success probabilities under uncorrelated bit-flip and phase-flip errors, and simultaneously describes a generalized ℤ 2 lattice-gauge theory with quenched disorder. We observe that the clean limit of the latter is precisely the discretized imaginary-time path integral of the corresponding quantum code Hamiltonian when the errors are turned into a perturbative 𝑋 or 𝑍 magnetic field. Motivated by error-correction considerations, we define general order parameters for all such generalized ℤ 2 lattice-gauge theories, and show that they are generally lower bounded by success probabilities of error correction. For CSS codes satisfying the low-density parity-check condition and with a sufficiently large code distance, we prove the existence of a low-temperature ordered phase of the corresponding lattice-gauge theories, particularly for those lacking Euclidean spatial locality and/or when there is a nonzero code rate. We further argue that these results provide evidence for stable phases in the corresponding perturbed quantum Hamiltonians, obtained in the limit of continuous imaginary time. To do so, we distinguish space- and timelike defects in the lattice-gauge theory. A high free-energy cost of spacelike defects corresponds to a successful “memory experiment” and suppresses the energy splitting among the ground states, while a high free-energy cost of timelike defects corresponds to a successful “stability experiment” and points to a nonzero gap to local excitations.

quantum error correction↗
DOE OSTI2024

Aging Mechanisms of Broad Area ~800 nm Laser Diodes

Here, this work presents a comprehensive study of early aging behavior (<500 hr) in ~800 nm, phosphide-based laser diodes grown by solid-source MBE with different oxygen concentration levels incorporated into the diode epitaxial layers during growth. The data indicate that lasing characteristics prior to aging are degraded by oxygen introduction, but the gradual power degradation rate after the onset of aging is not a strong function of oxygen at these concentration levels. Devices with oxygen concentrations of ~2.5 × 10 15 cm -3 showed significantly longer delay before the onset of aging (incubation time) than devices with less than 1 × 10 15 cm -3 oxygen. Generation-Recombination current and Laser Beam Induced Current measurements indicate that defect densities and aggregation are suppressed at the facets by oxygen, which can explain longer incubation times. Diagnostic data and parametric fits to diode simulation models show that increased cavity optical loss and defect density are primarily responsible for gradual power degradation during aging, rather than changes in nonradiative recombination. Mechanisms are proposed that explain this behavior, based on density functional theory (DFT) simulations and known recombination-enhanced defect generation phenomena.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2026

Radiation Tolerance of Nanoporous Gadolinium Titanate

Defect sinks play a crucial role in reducing radiation-induced damage accumulation, but their effectiveness varies. This study directly compares the efficacy of grain boundaries and pores (free surfaces) in gadolinium titanate (Gd 2 Ti 2 O 7 ) using in situ ion irradiation transmission electron microscopy (TEM). A unique sample configuration is developed, where each of the three distinct regions, each containing only one primary sink of interest, is in the same TEM lamella for simultaneous irradiation. Regular assessments of crystallinity in each region via nanobeam electron diffraction show that, at both room temperature and 600°C, free surface (pore) defect sinks are more effective than grain boundaries in capturing radiation-induced defects and delaying the onset of amorphization. These findings have significant implications for further microstructural engineering and the design of radiation-resistant microstructures.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

The immune-evasive proline-283 substitution in influenza nucleoprotein increases aggregation propensity without altering the native structure

Nucleoprotein (NP) is a key structural protein of influenza ribonucleoprotein complexes and is central to viral RNA packing and trafficking. NP also determines the sensitivity of influenza to myxovirus resistance protein 1 (MxA), an innate immunity factor that restricts influenza replication. A few critical MxA-resistant mutations have been identified in NP, including the highly conserved proline-283 substitution. This essential proline-283 substitution impairs influenza growth, a fitness defect that becomes particularly prominent at febrile temperature (39°C) when host chaperones are depleted. Here, we biophysically characterize proline-283 NP and serine-283 NP to test whether the fitness defect is caused by the proline-283 substitution introducing folding defects. We show that the proline-283 substitution changes the folding pathway of NP, making NP more aggregation prone during folding, but does not alter the native structure of the protein. These findings suggest that influenza has evolved to hijack host chaperones to promote the folding of otherwise biophysically incompetent viral proteins that enable innate immune system escape.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Skyrmion soliton motion on periodic substrates by atomistic and particle-based simulations

Abstract We compare the dynamical behavior of magnetic skyrmions interacting with square and triangular defect arrays just above commensuration using both atomistic and particle-based models. Under applied drives, the initial motion is a kink traveling through the pinned skyrmion lattice. For the square defect array, both models agree well and show a regime in which the soliton motion is locked along 45°. The atomistic model also produces locking of a soliton along 30°, which is absent in the particle-based model. For the triangular defect array, the atomistic model exhibits 30° soliton motion over a wide region of external current values. In contrast, the particle-based model gives 45° soliton motion over a small range of external driving force values. The difference arises because the nondeforming particle model facilitates meandering skyrmion orbits while the deformable atomistic model enables stronger skyrmion-skyrmion interactions that reduce the meandering. Our results indicate that soliton motion through pinned skyrmion lattices on a periodic substrate is a robust effect.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Investigation of the distribution of laser-induced damage precursors in etched grating sidewalls fabricated using inductively coupled plasma reactive-ion etching

Inductively coupled plasma reactive-ion etching for grating fabrication is explored with emphasis on the type and distribution of process-induced defects that can act as precursors to laser-induced damage initiation. To provide flexibility in the ability to perform a variety of material characterization methods, grating-like features with large pitch were fabricated in silica monolayers. The results indicate that the etch process introduces surface fluorine and subsurface carbon-containing contamination, which reduces the laser-induced damage threshold. The local relative concentrations of the laser-damage precursors introduced during the etch step of the manufacturing process were investigated using angle-resolved damage testing, taking advantage of the shift of the location of the peak electric-field intensity incident on the grating sidewall. The results suggest an increased level of etch-related defects near the base of the sidewall, with directly fluorinated silicon identified as the primary defect.

Dent, R. [Univ. of Rochester, NY (United States). ↗
DOE OSTI2026

Incident excitation effects on ZnO-based photoluminescence

Zinc oxide (ZnO) is an attractive semiconductor material owing to a wide band gap, large exciton binding energy, and strong luminescent properties. Two distinct spectral regions are present in the room temperature emission of this material: a narrow line in the UV/near-UV region that is excitonic in nature and a lower energy broad emission band centered in the green/yellow region. Commercially available ZnO particles containing excess Zn and oxygen vacancy defect sites (referred to as ZnO:Zn) were excited using three light sources to study different radiative recombination regimes of the as-received powders. First, a UV LED at a center wavelength of 365 nm provided low irradiance (0.02–0.08 W/cm 2 ) with varying pulse widths (continuous operation to 16 ns). Second, the third harmonic of a pulsed Nd:YAG laser provided high irradiances (∼10 4 –10 6 W/cm 2 ) at a fixed nominal pulse width of 5 ns. Finally, a continuous polychromatic synchrotron X-ray source was also used to excite the ZnO:Zn powders. During UV LED excitation, a low number of carriers are created in the material, leading to an anticipated linear relationship between luminescence and irradiance. This held true for defect luminescence; however, there was an observed enhancement of exciton emission relative to the UV LED intensity as the pulse width was decreased, independent of irradiance. During UV laser excitation, the number of carriers was significantly increased, raising the material into a bimolecular recombination regime, which produced exciton emission much stronger than visible band emission. Finally, spectra obtained during synchrotron X-ray excitation, whose continuous illumination and higher penetration depth yielded higher emission from defect sites relative to exciton emission. A redshift in the exciton emission was also observed as excitation pulse width and sample temperature were varied, and is discussed.

Westphal, Eric Robert [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-N↗
DOE OSTI2026

CHARACTERIZING AND CONTROLLING RECOVERY AND RECRYSTALLIZATION IN NIOBIUM FOR IMPROVED SRF CAVITY PERFORMANCE

Crystal defects, such as dislocations and low-angle boundaries, provide sources of magnetic flux trapping in the Nb materials used for superconducting radio frequency (SRF) resonating cavities. Improving the performance of SRF cavities, as measured through the quality factor, requires reducing these defects. SRF cavity production involves deformation processing, such as rolling and forming, and strategic annealing heat treatments. The resulting microstructures can be recovered, recrystallized, or both. Because recovery leaves many defects that can trap flux, recrystallization should improve cavity performance. Thus, processing schedules that produce complete recrystallization without excessive grain growth need to be designed. Solutions to this problem require understanding physical metallurgy and differentiating between recovered and recrystallized regions of microstructure. Backscattered electron microscopy techniques are applied to this end. We demonstrate that the conditions required to produce fully recrystallized microstructures depend on Nb impurity content, suggesting that processing schedules may need to be adjusted by material heat or lot. We also demonstrate that processing can be used to control growth of recrystallized grains to maintain mechanical strength in fully recrystallized materials. Forming cavities from cold-rolled Nb sheet material may provide strategic new routes to obtain microstructures that improve SRF cavity performance.

Taleff, E. [The University of Texas at Austin]↗
DOE OSTI2025

Non-invertible symmetries in finite-group gauge theory

We investigate the invertible and non-invertible symmetries of topological finite-group gauge theories in general spacetime dimensions, where the gauge group can be abelian or non-abelian. We focus in particular on the 0-form symmetry. The gapped domain walls that generate these symmetries are specified by boundary conditions for the gauge fields on either side of the wall. We investigate the fusion rules of these symmetries and their action on other topological defects including the Wilson lines, magnetic fluxes, and gapped boundaries. We illustrate these constructions with various novel examples, including non-invertible electric-magnetic duality symmetry in 3+1d \mathbb{Z}_2 ℤ 2 gauge theory, and non-invertible analogs of electric-magnetic duality symmetry in non-abelian finite-group gauge theories. In particular, we discover topological domain walls that obey Fibonacci fusion rules in 2+1d gauge theory with dihedral gauge group of order 8. We also generalize the Cheshire string defect to analogous defects of general codimensions and gauge groups and show that they form a closed fusion algebra.

Córdova, Clay↗
DOE OSTI2024

Controlling reversible phase transitions in rare-earth nickelates for novel memory devices

Resistive switching in correlated complex oxides is lucrative for emerging applications in neuromorphic computing, and densely scaled non-volatile memory. Electrical conductance of such complex oxides can be controllable switched across multiple orders of magnitude by either (a) electroforming a conduction channel (e.g., in tungsten oxide), or (b) inducing Mott-Hubbard transition (e.g., in rare-earth nickelates)– both via controlled migration of defects (such as oxygen vacancies) under applied bias. Nevertheless, the promise of such defect-driven electronic transitions are far from realized due to a lack of fundamental understanding of the atomic-scale processes that underlie migration and spatiotemporal evolution of oxygen vacancies over nano-to-mesoscopic length/timescales under applied electric field. In this project, we employ a synergistic integration of density functional theory (DFT) calculations, ab initio/classical molecular dynamics (AIMD/CMD) simulations, machine learning (ML), precision synthesis, and multi-modal X-ray imaging experiments to address this knowledge gap. Such an integrated approach offers to elucidate the correlations between subtle structural distortion and oxidation states; treat localized charge carriers; describe defect/ion transport in the presence of electric field; and, in turn, greatly advance the current understanding of microstructural evolution in complex oxides under applied bias. The fundamental knowledge gained from this work will enable precise control over hierarchical defect structures and unravel new routes to manipulate resistance states in complex oxides. This, in turn, will accelerate design of novel devices with desired set of neural functionalities, and high-speed densely-scaled resistive random access memory technologies.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Radiation Response of Low Dimensional Carbon Systems

The project is aimed at understanding the fundamentals of radiation response of low dimensional carbon systems and irradiation-induced mechanical property changes, with a focus on the unique phenomena caused by their geometry, boundary, and quantum size effects. In comparison with their bulk counterparts (graphite), radiation responses of low-dimensional carbon systems are substantially different. The differences exist at almost every stage of defect development, namely, displacement creation, damage cascade, thermal spike formation defect recombination, defect clustering, and structural reconstruction. Many traditional concepts in ion-solid interaction theory do not apply at the nanoscale or require substantial modification. Through this project, we systematically studied various aspects of radiation damage development in graphene, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and graphite.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Non-Equilibrium Effects in Quantum Magnets

While most often the state of a material will tend toward an equilibrium determined by its environment, there are many cases of scientific and technological interest where materials are manipulated to be or are found in non-equilibrium configurations. For example, data can be stored in hard drives by deliberately altering the magnetic orientation in a material to store information in non-equilibrium pattern. In this project, the main goals were studies of non-equilibrium properties of quantum magnets using neutron scattering as the primary experimental method. Neutron scattering allows characterization of magnetic correlation lengths sensitive to the presence of defects. It can also be used to distinguish equilibrium from non-equilibrium states via energy transfer rates. Typical bulk state magnetization relaxation times are too short to perform many neutron scattering measurements of interest. To enable the study of non-equilibrium conditions, materials with longer magnetic relaxation times were targeted. CoNb 2 O 6 was used in two experiments related to non-equilibrium physics. In the first, evidence for defects created via the Kibble-Zurek mechanism (KZM) was sought by quenching across a magnetic field-dependent phase transition. Somewhat unexpectedly, clear evidence for KZM-induced defects was absent. Additional measurements of CoNb 2 O 6 were made to better characterize its crystal field and other properties to provide a better theoretical understanding to enable more effective non-equilibrium physics measurements. In another project, LiHo 0.45 Y 0.55 F 4 was used to compare a quantum annealing protocol to a thermal annealing one since magnetic fields can be used to control the thermal fluctuations in LiHo 0.45 Y 0.55 F 4 . In addition, a new pulsed magnet power supply and new techniques were developed suitable for neutron scattering experimental environments to enable faster magnetic field changes for producing non-equilibrium conditions. The power supply developed for this project has wider technological applications in addition to faster magnetic field ramps.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2025

Computational Modeling of Graphite Degradation due to Molten Salt Infiltration and Wear

Molten-salt reactors (MSRs) represent a promising next-generation reactor design, with graphite serving as a moderator and/or reflector in several designs. However, due to limited experimental data and operational experience, a technical understanding of the structural integrity of graphite in molten salt environments remains incomplete. This report presents a modeling-based evaluation of graphite degradation in MSR environments, focusing on the effects of salt infiltration in fuel salt-based designs and surface wear in pebble bed reactor designs. The objective of this study is to enhance understanding of the structural integrity challenges posed by these degradation mechanisms and to provide a framework for assessing graphite behavior in MSRs. The first part of the report investigates the phenomenon of molten salt infiltration into graphite. This infiltration occurs when molten salt permeates the interconnected pore structure of the graphite moderator, driven by factors such as pressure differentials and the physical properties of both the salt and graphite. The infiltration process is influenced by characteristics of the pore structure, viscosity of the molten salt, and the interfacial energies between the graphite, salt, and the atmosphere within the graphite pore. Utilizing a coupled multiphysics modeling approach with Grizzly software, the study evaluates the stress induced by internal heat sources due to infiltration, which can lead to structural concerns. This evaluation is crucial for understanding how infiltration affects the mechanical integrity of graphite components in MSRs. The study considers the Molten-Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) graphite stringer geometry due to the availability of relevant data. Through detailed finite element analysis, the study examines stress distributions at varying infiltration percentages, revealing that stress levels increase with higher amounts of infiltration. Rare-event simulations, using the parallel subset simulation (PSS) framework, further quantify the failure probabilities under input uncertainties, with a user-specified failure metric. The PSS framework also identifies critical input parameters that significantly affect the stress values, including infiltration amount, thermal conductivity, and power density. Additionally, considering realistic reactor scenarios, the analysis was performed to account for the combined effects of radiation and infiltration, and modeling strategies on how to analyze new reactor designs or new graphite grades are discussed. The second part of the report focuses on wear mechanisms in pebble bed-based MSRs. As graphite fuel pebbles interact with the graphite reflector block, wear can result in material loss and the formation of surface defects, which may act as stress concentrators. A similar multiphysics modeling framework is employed to assess the impact of wear on the structural integrity of graphite components. This study considers a generic fluoride-cooled high-temperature reactor (gFHR) design due to the availability of comprehensive data. Worst-case scenario dimensions of the reflector blocks were analyzed under thermal and radiation conditions. Subsequently, wear in the form of idealized pits and grooves is modeled on the inner surface of the graphite block, with the maximum stress from previous simulations. The simulations show that groove-type defects are more detrimental than pits, leading to higher stress concentrations. Considering worst-case simulation scenarios and experimental wear rates, it was determined that the formation of a surface defect critical enough to affect the stress may not be possible in a gFHR design. Overall, the findings of this research contribute to the development of robust modeling tools for predicting graphite behavior under various operational conditions in MSRs.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Evolution of the electrothermal instability from thick rod z pinches subject to dynamically and statically applied axial magnetic field

LDRD Project 229427 aimed to determine how electrothermal instability (ETI) driven heating on a z-pinch rod pulsed with intense current evolves under mixed magnetic field (azimuthal + axial) conditions, which is pertinent to pulsed-power-driven magnetically-insulated transmission lines and physics targets. Experiments focused on diagnosing ETI-driven heating from deliberately-machined and well-characterized micron-scale surface defects (referred to as engineered defects or ED). Prior to the start of this project, understanding of how unmagnetized (B z =0) ED evolve had been obtained—simulations largely reproduce the experimentally observed high temperature spots which develop at the poles of bare/uncoated ED. Project 229427 extended the Mykonos Facility ED experimental platform to include axial field. In the first class of experiments, axial field was provided “dynamically” via a helical return can (HRC). In this case, B z and B θ rise at the same rate. Generally, the HRC generated magnetic field at a fixed polarization angle Φ B =arctan(B z /B θ )=15° on the rod's surface. In the second class of experiments, axial field was provided “statically” via a slow-rising (millisecond) external Helmholtz coil pair. In this case, B z was effectively constant/static throughout the 100 ns rise of the Mykonos current. For either case, a primary goal was to determine whether ETI provides a helical seed perturbation for the subsequent growth of the helical magneto Rayleigh-Taylor modes observed in MagLIF (static B z ) and dynamic screw pinch (DSP, dynamic B z ) experiments. When dynamic field was applied using an HRC, emissions from individual ED aligned toward Φ B , while emissions from ED within pairs elongated and preferentially merged along Φ B . These data strongly support that for a randomized defect distribution, heating from nearby current-density perturbations will favorably merge about Φ B to generate an extended seed perturbation that aligns toward the surface-field polarization, and this may impact the orientation of subsequent MRT growth on imploding liners. The results from the static field experiments were largely inconclusive, as any ETI heating rotation, if present, was obscured/overwhelmed by local/random heating from ED rim imperfections.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Feasibility Assessment of Using Electrical Impedance Tomography for Damage Localization in Graphite Microreactor Components

Microreactors have great potential to decrease capital costs and construction timelines, reducing the barriers to implementing advanced nuclear reactor technologies. However, the lower power output of these microreactors introduces economic challenges if the operation and maintenance costs cannot be reduced sufficiently. Many microreactor concepts use graphite materials for in-core moderator and structural purposes, which will require periodic inspection or, ideally, in situ structural health monitoring. This work describes an initial evaluation of the feasibility of leveraging graphite’s semiconducting properties to perform electrical impedance tomography (EIT) for defect localization. First, a study was performed to identify the best methods for bonding electrical contacts to minimize the effects of contact resistance that interfere with impedance measurements of the graphite. After determining the best bonding approach, electrodes were attached to multiple graphite components with varying geometries (e.g., simple block and more representative microreactor hexagonal block). In parallel, finite element analysis approaches were developed and implemented to analyze the impact of defects and contact resistances and to inform an iterative inverse model for reconstructing the conductivity distribution. The results of this study show that defect localization in graphite components is possible using EIT if a sufficient number of electrodes (to improve spatial resolution) can be bonded using a technique with very low contact resistance and those contact resistances remain stable during reactor operation. If the reactor core and vessel design do not allow electrodes to be bonded during reactor operation, then it may be possible to detach/reattach electrodes between reactor operation and outages if a suitable mechanical connection that offers repeatable contact resistance can be identified. Alternatively, future work could focus on identifying contacts that can survive the harsh reactor operating environment so that contacts do not need to be removed.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Measuring 3D Profilometry of SAVY-4000 Nuclear Material Storage Containers: Novacam TubeInspect Capabilities Report

The SAVY-4000 container series is a general-purpose interim storage container for nuclear materials, developed and maintained by Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). It is the first vented, general-use nuclear material container to be demonstrated as meeting the requirements outlined in DOE M 441.1-1, the Nuclear Material Packaging Manual. Due to the challenging radiation, thermal, and corrosive storage conditions that the SAVY containers must endure, continuous surveillance techniques are employed to ensure the containers meet all safety standards and specifications. These inspections are typically performed by human operators, who check for issues such as corrosion, O-ring deterioration, corrosion, filter integrity, and potential manufacturing defects. However, human inspections alone are not sufficient, and automated inspection technologies, such as the ATIS system, as well as other automated systems are also utilized. The MicroCam TubeInspect, developed by Novacam Technologies Inc., is designed to address the challenges of understanding how manufacturing variations in the SAVY-4000 container series may affect performance. It is a 3D profilometry measurement system that enables detailed analysis of surface features, including defects, surface roughness, and manufacturing variations. This advanced tool significantly enhances rapid surveillance techniques for both pristine and used containers. In this study, container properties such as surface roughness, thickness, and geometric attributes like circularity are measured for SAVY-4000 containers. Artificially corroded or dented containers are examined to demonstrate the MicroCam's ability to quantify defects. A sensitivity analysis is also conducted, comparing the MicroCam results to those obtained using more precise instruments such as confocal microscopy. This comparison aims to provide valuable insights into container quality, durability, and potential improvements in manufacturing processes.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2025

Hydrothermal Growth of Magnetically Frustrated Crystals: Lanthanide Stannate Pyrochlores as a Prototype

One important test bed system for frustrated magnetism is the pyrochlore lattice with the formula A2B2O7 in the cubic space group Fd3(-)m. Both the A and B sites occupy crystallographic trigonal sites and both sites possess a tetrahedral relationship with the other similar metal ion sites. These symmetry relationships generate a 3 D frustrated structure. In frustrated magnetic systems, typically a trivalent lanthanide ion occupies the A site and a magnetically silent tetravalent ion (Ti, Zr, Sn, etc.) occupies the B site. A classical problem related to the crystal growth of these compounds is sample quality. As refractory oxides, the traditional synthesis and crystal growth techniques require high temperatures, which creates two problems that are quite common and endemic to the pyrochlores. One is oxide lattice defects and the other is A/B site disorder. Both issues often occur in the same crystals at the same time and can have a significant impact on the study of physical properties. A hydrothermal approach can be applied to this problem. The relatively low crystal growth temperatures (600-720˚C) greatly minimize nonstoichiometry, lattice defects and A/B site disorder. The reduction of these pervasive imperfections significantly increases the quality of the observed physical property data. This talk will focus on the lanthanide stannates Ln2Sn2O7 as a prototype test bed of these systems. The stannates are among the few building blocks that can stabilize the pyrochlore structure type for all the lanthanides and they serve as an excellent proving ground for a wide range of physical properties. The synthesis and crystal growth of the lanthanide stannates will be reviewed, along with a discussion of some of the physical properties that result from the frustrated magnetic states of these low defect crystals.

Hydrothermal, crystal growth↗