Correspondence: Reply to ‘Phantom phonon localization in relaxors’

Journal Article · Tue Dec 05 00:00:00 EST 2017 · Nature Communications

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-01396-5· OSTI ID:1414696

Manley, Michael E.  ^[1]; Abernathy, Douglas L.  ^[2]; Budai, John D.  ^[1]

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1. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Materials Science & Technology Division
2. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Quantum Condensed Matter Division

The Correspondence by Gehring et al. mistakes Anderson phonon localization for the concept of an atomic-scale local mode. An atomic-scale local mode refers to a single atom vibrating on its own within a crystal. Such a local mode will have an almost flat intensity profile, but this is not the same as phonon localization. Anderson localization is a wave interference effect in a disordered system that results in waves becoming spatially localized. The length scale of the localized waves is set by the wavelength, which is approximately 2 nm in this case. This larger length scale in real space means narrower intensity profiles in reciprocal space. Here, we conclude that the claims in the Correspondence by Gehring et al. are incorrect because they mistakenly assume that the length scale for Anderson localization is atomic, and because the experimental observations rule out multiple scattering as the origin.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 1414696
• Journal Information: Nature Communications, Vol. 8, Issue 1; ISSN 2041-1723
• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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36 MATERIALS SCIENCE