Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 16, 2026

08:55
Methods of Ex Situ and In Situ Investigations of Structural Transformations: The Case of Crystallization of Metallic Glasses
Published on: June 7, 2018
Metallic state in cubic FeGe beyond its quantum phase transition.
P Pedrazzini1, H Wilhelm, D Jaccard
1DPMC, University of Geneva, 24 Quai Ernest-Ansermet, 1211 Genève 4, Switzerland.
Physical Review Letters
|March 16, 2007
Summary
High pressure suppresses the helical order in cubic FeGe, with deviations from quantum criticality observed. The metallic state persists, challenging standard transition models.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Materials Science
- High-Pressure Physics
Background:
- The cubic modification of iron germanium (FeGe) exhibits long-wavelength helical magnetic order.
- Understanding the behavior of magnetic materials under extreme conditions like high pressure is crucial for fundamental physics and potential applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of high pressure on the electrical resistivity and structural properties of cubic FeGe.
- To determine the pressure-induced changes in the magnetic ordering and ground state of FeGe.
Main Methods:
- Electrical resistivity measurements under varying high pressures.
- Structural investigations using X-ray diffraction or similar techniques.
- Analysis of magnetic phase transitions and deviations from theoretical models.
Main Results:
- The helical magnetic order in FeGe is suppressed at a critical pressure (p(c)) around 19 GPa.
- An anomaly (T(X)(p)) and non-Fermi-liquid behavior observed above p(c) suggest a non-standard quantum critical phase transition.
- Band-structure calculations, including zero-point motion, successfully describe the metallic ground state at high pressures.
- Discontinuous changes in interatomic distances near the magnetic phase line were observed.
Conclusions:
- The suppression of magnetic order in FeGe under pressure does not align with conventional quantum critical transition theories.
- The metallic ground state's persistence is explained by including zero-point motion in theoretical models.
- Structural changes near the magnetic transition line indicate complex interplay between magnetism and lattice structure.
Related Concept Videos
Metallic Solids
Metallic solids such as crystals of copper, aluminum, and iron are formed by metal atoms. The structure of metallic crystals is often described as a uniform distribution of atomic nuclei within a “sea” of delocalized electrons. The atoms within such a metallic solid are held together by a unique force known as metallic bonding that gives rise to many useful and varied bulk properties.
All metallic solids exhibit high thermal and electrical conductivity, metallic luster, and malleability. Many...
All metallic solids exhibit high thermal and electrical conductivity, metallic luster, and malleability. Many...
States of Matter and Phase Changes
The internal energy of a substance—the total kinetic energy of all its molecules and the potential energy of their associated forces—depends on the strength of the intermolecular forces in the condensed phases and the pressure exerted on the substance. The internal energy of a substance is the highest in the gaseous state, the lowest in the solid state, and intermediate in the liquid state. Phase transitions are caused by changes in physical conditions, such as temperature and pressure, that...
Bonding in Metals
Metallic bonds are formed between two metal atoms. A simplified model to describe metallic bonding has been developed by Paul Drüde called the “Electron Sea Model”.
Fermi Level
The Fermi-Dirac function is represented by an S-shaped curve indicating the probability of an energy state being occupied by an electron at a given temperature. The Fermi level is the energy level at which there is a fifty percent chance of finding an electron, and it is positioned between the lower-energy valence band and the higher-energy conduction band.
At absolute zero temperature, electrons fill all energy states up to the Fermi level, leaving upper states empty. As the temperature rises,...
At absolute zero temperature, electrons fill all energy states up to the Fermi level, leaving upper states empty. As the temperature rises,...
Phase Transitions
Whether solid, liquid, or gas, a substance's state depends on the order and arrangement of its particles (atoms, molecules, or ions). Particles in the solid pack closely together, generally in a pattern. The particles vibrate about their fixed positions but do not move or squeeze past their neighbors. In liquids, although the particles are closely spaced, they are randomly arranged. The position of the particles are not fixed—that is, they are free to move past their neighbors to occupy...
Phase Transitions
A phase transition is the process in which a substance changes from one state of matter to another, like from a solid to a liquid, liquid to gas, or vice versa, at a specific temperature and under given pressure conditions. This change is spontaneous and is affected by alterations in temperature and pressure. These parameters impact the strength of the forces between molecules (intermolecular forces) in the substance.During a phase transition, both the initial and final phases of the substance...
