Multiple scaling power in liquid gallium under pressure conditions

Journal Article · Thu Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 2017 · Physical Review B

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.95.224204· OSTI ID:1393202

Li, Renfeng; Wang, Luhong; Li, Liangliang; Yu, Tony; Zhao, Haiyan; Chapman, Karena W.; Rivers, Mark L.; Chupas, Peter J.; Mao, Ho-kwang; Liu, Haozhe

Generally, a single scaling exponent, Df, can characterize the fractal structures of metallic glasses according to the scaling power law. However, when the scaling power law is applied to liquid gallium upon compression, the results show multiple scaling exponents and the values are beyond 3 within the first four coordination spheres in real space, indicating that the power law fails to describe the fractal feature in liquid gallium. The increase in the first coordination number with pressure leads to the fact that first coordination spheres at different pressures are not similar to each other in a geometrical sense. This multiple scaling power behavior is confined within a correlation length of ξ ≈ 14–15 Å at applied pressure according to decay of G(r) in liquid gallium. Beyond this length the liquid gallium system could roughly be viewed as homogeneous, as indicated by the scaling exponent, Ds, which is close to 3 beyond the first four coordination spheres.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: National Science Foundation (NSF) - Directorate for Geosciences Division of Earth Sciences (GEO/EAR); USDOE Office of Science - Office of Basic Energy Sciences - Chemical Sciences, Geosciences, and Biosciences Division; National Natural Science Foundation of China (NNSFC); USDOE Office of Science - Office of Basic Energy Sciences - Scientific User Facilities Division
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-06CH11357
• OSTI ID: 1393202
• Journal Information: Physical Review B, Vol. 95, Issue 22; ISSN 2469-9950
• Publisher: American Physical Society (APS)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English