A new type of fluctuation behind the metal-nonmetal transition in fluid mercury - an evidence for Landau's prediction - (Press Release)
- Release Date
- 08 May, 2007
- BL04B2 (High Energy X-ray Diffraction)
In 1940's, Landau predicted that fluid Hg undergoes a discontinuous metal-nonmetal (M-NM) transition (first-order phase transition) with volume expansion. However there has been so far no experimental evidence of the first-order M-NM transition. We have made an in situ observation of density fluctuations in expanded fluid Hg by means of small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and found an increase of SAXS intensity just in the M-NM transition for the first time. The SAXS profile indicates that there appear structural fluctuations, which are composed of metallic and insulating domains with a size of a nano meter. It is a new type of fluctuations intrinsic to a first-order M-NM transition in fluid Hg. Our findings proved that Landau's prediction is principally a truth.
Publication:
"Medium-Range Fluctuations Accompanying the Metal-Nonmetal Transition in Expanded Fluid Hg"
M. Inui, K. Matsuda, D. Ishikawa, K. Tamura, and Y. Ohishi
Physical Review Letters 98, 185504 (2007), published online 4 May 2007
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