From systematic ab initio calculations of the alloy system Mg_{1-x}Al_{x}B_2, we find a strong tendency for the formation of a superstructure characterized by Al-rich layers. We also present a simple model, based on calculated energies and an estimate of the configurational entropy, which suggests that the alloy has two separate concentration regimes of phase separation, with critical points near x = 0.25 and x = 0.75. These results, together with calculations of electronic densities of states in several ionic arrangements, give a qualitative explanation for the observed structural instabilities, as well as the x-dependence of the superconducting T_c for x<0.6.
@article{arxiv.cond-mat/0111392,
title = {Structural and Superconducting Transitions in Mg_{1-x}Al_{x}B_2},
author = {Sergey V. Barabash and David Stroud},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/0111392},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
4 pp./4 figs.; revisions in responce to Referee comments