Local Structure of Functional Solids

TL;DR

This paper reviews neutron total scattering studies to understand the local structural features of functional solids, emphasizing their impact on electronic properties and the limitations of standard crystallography in detecting disorder.

Contribution

It highlights the importance of local structure analysis via neutron scattering for revealing disorder and functional properties in solids, beyond traditional crystallographic methods.

Findings

Neutron total scattering reveals local disorder in functional solids.

Local structural features influence electronic and functional properties.

Disorder plays a key role in phenomena like negative thermal expansion and Mott transitions.

Abstract

The local structure study reveals important aspects of the physical properties, because it is closely related to the electronic structure. Standard crystallographic analysis based on a space group fails to observe disorder in the crystal structure. Many functional and industrial materials have disorder, because of the optimized modifications of crystal structures such as the substitution of an element. Doped elements inevitably induce local strains in the matrix. Some neutron total scattering results are reviewed to show the local functional properties of solids from optical recording to negative thermal expansion to Mott transition materials.