Английская Википедия:Hill limit (solid-state)
In solid-state physics, the Hill limit is a critical distance defined in a lattice of actinide or rare-earth atoms.[1] These atoms own partially filled <math>4f</math> or <math>5f</math> levels in their valence shell and are therefore responsible for the main interaction between each atom and its environment. In this context, the hill limit <math>r_H</math> is defined as twice the radius of the <math>f</math>-orbital.[2] Therefore, if two atoms of the lattice are separate by a distance greater than the Hill limit, the overlap of their <math>f</math>-orbital becomes negligible. A direct consequence is the absence of hopping for the f electrons, ie their localization on the ion sites of the lattice.
Localized f electrons lead to paramagnetic materials since the remaining unpaired spins are stuck in their orbitals. However, when the rare-earth lattice (or a single atom) is embedded in a metallic one (intermetallic compound), interactions with the conduction band allow the f electrons to move through the lattice even for interatomic distances above the Hill limit.
See also
References
- ↑ Hill, H. H. The Early Actinides: the Periodic System’s f Electron Transition Metal Series, in Plutonium 1970 and Other Actinides (AIME, New York, 1970)
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite journal
