Phase Stability and Broken‐Symmetry Transition of Elemental Lithium up to 140 GPa

Abstract

High-pressure structures of lithium are investigated using first-principles calculations. Phonon-dispersion studies show that a proposed broken-symmetry phase is stable at high pressures and simulated-annealing studies allow the identification of a new metallic structure. The figure shows the structure of solid lithium in the Cmca-24 phase.