Strain Induced Incommensurate Structures in Vicinity of the Reconstructive Phase Transitions

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the conditions under which incommensurate phases form near reconstructive phase transitions in crystals, proposing a universal mechanism involving Lifshitz invariants and strain coupling.

Contribution

It introduces a universal phenomenological model explaining the formation of incommensurate phases near RPTs, including complex high-pressure structures.

Findings

High-order Lifshitz invariants reduce to bi-linear couplings at RPTs.

Universal mechanism explains formation of premartensite incommensurate phases.

Applicable to elemental crystals under high pressure.

Abstract

General conditions controlling formation of incommensurate phases (IPs) in crystals undergoing reconstructive phase transitions (RPTs) are analyzed in the framework of a model free phenomenological approach. A universal trend to stabilizing such intermediate phases in vicinity of RPTs stems from the fact that certain high-order improper Lifshitz invariants reduce at RPTs to ones bi-linearly coupling critical displacement gradients and strains. Developed approach introduces a universal mechanism for formation both premartensite IPs and complex structures with giant unit cells found in some elemental crystals at high pressure.