THE CHARACTERISTIC TEMPERATURE-DEPENDENCE OF THE STRUCTURE OF LIQUID TELLURIUM BY NEUTRON-DIFFRACTION

The neutron diffraction study of liquid tellurium has been carried out to reveal the origin of characteristic temperature dependence of various properties related to the atomic scale structure. The temperature dependence of measured structural functions of liquid tellurium could be explained by a gradual transition from the two-fold coordinated ordering (non-metallic) to the three-fold coordinated one (metallic). Thermodynamic properties of liquid tellurium have also appeared to be consistent with the present interpretation for the change in structure with increasing temperature.