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Structural chirality measurements and computation of handedness in periodic solids

Gómez-Ortiz, Fernando; Fava, Mauro; McCabe, Emma E.; Romero, Aldo H.; Bousquet, Eric

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Authors

Fernando Gómez-Ortiz

Mauro Fava

Aldo H. Romero

Eric Bousquet



Abstract

We compare the various chirality measures most widely used in the literature to quantify chiral symmetry in extended solids, i.e., the continuous chirality measure and the Hausdorff distance. By studying these functions in an algebraically tractable case, we can evaluate their strengths and weaknesses when applied to more complex crystals. Going beyond those classical calculations, we propose a different method to quantify the handedness of a crystal based on a pseudoscalar function, i.e., the helicity during a soft phonon mode driven displacive phase transition from an achiral structure. This quantity, borrowed from hydrodynamics, can be computed from the eigenvector carrying the system from the high-symmetry nonchiral phase to the low-symmetry chiral phase. Different model systems like K3⁢NiO2, CsCuCl3, and MgTi2⁢O4 are used as test cases where we show the superior interest of using helicity to quantify chirality in displacive chiral transitions together with the handedness distinction.

Citation

Gómez-Ortiz, F., Fava, M., McCabe, E. E., Romero, A. H., & Bousquet, E. (2024). Structural chirality measurements and computation of handedness in periodic solids. Physical Review B, 110(17), Article 174112. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.110.174112

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Nov 13, 2024
Online Publication Date Nov 26, 2024
Publication Date Nov 26, 2024
Deposit Date Nov 27, 2024
Publicly Available Date Nov 27, 2024
Journal Physical Review B
Print ISSN 2469-9950
Electronic ISSN 2469-9969
Publisher American Physical Society
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 110
Issue 17
Article Number 174112
DOI https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.110.174112
Public URL https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/3107291

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