Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Ames
Laboratory have discovered a new family of rare-earth quasicrystals using an
algorithm they developed to help pinpoint them. Quasicrystalline materials may
be found close to crystalline phases that contain similar atomic motifs, called
crystalline approximants. And just like fishing experts know that casting a
line in the right habitat hooks the big catch, the scientists used their
knowledge to hone in on just the right spot for new quasicrystal materials
discovery.
Their research resulted in finding the only known magnetic
rare earth icosahedral binary quasicrystals, now providing a “matched set” of
magnetic quasicrystals and their closely related periodic cousins.