Pressure-induced distortion of the amorphous tetrahedral network in a-GaSb: Direct evidence from EXAFS

A. G. Lyapin*, V. V. Brazhkin, S. C. Bayliss, A. V. Sapelkin, J. P. Itié, A. Polian, S. M. Clark

*Corresponding author for this work

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17 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The pressure dependence of the average interatomic distances for the first Ga shell in bulk tetrahedral a-GaSb has been studied by Ga K-edge extended x-ray-absorption fine structure. We have found that the microscopic compressibility of the covalent bonds in the disordered network is less than in the crystalline zinc-blende structure. Comparison of the microscopic bond-bulk modulus (Bbond≈ 105±20 GPa) in a-GaSb with the macroscopic bulk modulus (Bcr= 35 GPa) and with the bulk modulus of c-GaSb (Bcr= 56 GPa) gives unambiguous evidence for a pressure-induced geometrical or topological distortion in the a-GaSb tetrahedral network. Physical reasons for the observed behavior of volume in the amorphous tetrahedral network under pressure, such as a bond-bending distortion mechanism and a nonlinear averaging for a system with heterogeneous compressibility, are discussed.

Original languageEnglish
JournalPhysical Review B: Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
Volume54
Issue number20
Publication statusPublished - 15 Nov 1996
Externally publishedYes

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