The study of liquid germanium structure

Abstract

The static structure factor S(q) of liquid germanium is determined at 1123K by neutron diffraction techniques in the range from 0.4 to 8.5 AA -1 . The structure factor shows a clear low-lying shoulder on the high side of the scattering angle, near the first peak of S(q). These two peaks indicate a dual structure of the germanium melt. The first one characterises the short-range order and the 'irregular' one is associated with a certain degeneracy of the atomic states of the liquid around the imperfections of the structure, which appear as single vacancies.