4[functionof] electron delocalization and volume collapse in praseodymium metal

We study the pressure evolution of the 4[functionof] electrons in elemental praseodymium metal compressed through several crystallographic phases, including the large volume-collapse transition at 20 GPa. Using resonant x-ray emission, we directly and quantitatively measure the development of multip...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physical review. B, Condensed matter and materials physics Condensed matter and materials physics, 2012-03, Vol.85 (10)
Main Authors: Bradley, Joseph A, Moore, Kevin T, Lipp, Magnus J, Mattern, Brian A, Pacold, Joseph I, Seidler, Gerald T, Chow, Paul, Rod, Eric, Xiao, Yuming, Evans, William J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Condensed matter
Degrees of freedom
Electronics
Evolution
Mathematical analysis
Occupation
Phases
Praseodymium
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:We study the pressure evolution of the 4[functionof] electrons in elemental praseodymium metal compressed through several crystallographic phases, including the large volume-collapse transition at 20 GPa. Using resonant x-ray emission, we directly and quantitatively measure the development of multiple electronic configurations with differing 4[functionof] occupation numbers, the key quantum observable related to the delocalization of the strongly correlated 4[functionof] electrons. These results provide a high-fidelity test of prior predictions by dynamical mean-field theory, and support the hypothesis of a strong connection between electronic and structural degrees of freedom at the volume-collapse transition.
ISSN:1098-0121
1550-235X