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Updated: Mar 8, 2026

Methods of Ex Situ and In Situ Investigations of Structural Transformations: The Case of Crystallization of Metallic Glasses
Published on: June 7, 2018
Structural metatransition of energetically tangled crystalline phases
Dan Zhou1, Quan Li2, Weitao Zheng3
1Laboratory of Clean Energy Technology, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun 130022, China and Physics and HiPSEC, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada 89154, USA. chen@physics.unlv.edu and Department of Materials Science, State Key Laboratory of Superhard Materials, and Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials of MOE, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China. liquan777@jlu.edu.cn.
We uncovered how tin selenide (SnSe) structures change under pressure, revealing dynamic phase transitions. This discovery explains SnSe property variations and aids in understanding multiphase crystals.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Crystallography
Background:
- Tin selenide (SnSe) exhibits complex structural evolution under pressure.
- Understanding these pressure-induced transformations is crucial for material property prediction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the longstanding puzzle of pressure-induced structural evolution in SnSe.
- To introduce a new concept for describing these dynamic phase transitions.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a swarm structure search method.
- Performed first-principles phonon and kinetic barrier calculations.
- Corroborated theoretical predictions with X-ray diffraction measurements.
Main Results:
- Identified a dynamic set of nearly degenerate crystalline SnSe phases.
- Revealed low kinetic barriers facilitating unusual structural transitions.
- Observed transitions characterized by a dynamically changing mix of constituent phases.
Conclusions:
- Introduced the concept of 'structural metatransition' for these dynamic phase changes.
- Provided insights into the enigmatic property variations of SnSe under pressure.
- Enhanced understanding of intrinsic multiphase crystals and their dynamic evolution.
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