How does temperature affect phason motion in quasicrystals?

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In quasicrystals, phasons are elastic deformations that involve the rearrangement of relative atomic positions. Temperature plays a critical role in the mobility of these deformations:1

  • Low Temperatures: Atomic motion within the solid is restricted, making it difficult for atoms to rearrange. Consequently, phason strain can easily become "frozen" into the structure, which may limit the perfection of the quasicrystal.1
  • High Temperatures: As the temperature approaches the melting point, phasons fluctuate continually, and atoms frequently jump between positions.1

These fluctuations are significant because entropy—a measure of such structural fluctuations—is likely a key factor in the thermodynamic equilibrium and stability of quasicrystalline phases.2