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Ferroelectricity in free niobium clusters.

Ramiro Moro¹, Xiaoshan Xu, Shuangye Yin

¹School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta GA, 30332-0430, USA.

Science (New York, N.Y.)

|May 24, 2003

Summary

Cold niobium clusters exhibit anomalous, large electric dipole moments, a ferroelectric-like state not seen at room temperature. This discovery in metallic matter may link to superconductivity.

Area of Science:

Materials Science
Condensed Matter Physics
Quantum Chemistry

Background:

Neutral niobium clusters (NbN) exhibit temperature-dependent electrical properties.
Room-temperature measurements show normal metallic polarizabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

Investigate the electric dipole moments of cryogenically cooled niobium clusters.
Characterize the transition to a ferroelectric-like state in metallic clusters.

Main Methods:

Electric deflection measurements of gas-phase niobium clusters (N=2-150) in molecular beams.
Variable temperature control (20-300 Kelvin) to observe phase transitions.

Main Results:

Cold niobium clusters (NbN) display anomalous, large electric dipole moments below a transition temperature TG(N).

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A ferroelectric-like state develops in NbN clusters at low temperatures.

TG(N) decreases with increasing cluster size (N), showing even-odd alternations for N > 38.

Conclusions:

A novel state of metallic matter with ferroelectric-like properties exists in cold niobium clusters.
This phenomenon may be connected to bulk superconductivity in niobium materials.