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Nanoscale particles embedded in a metallic matrix are of considerable interest as a route towards identifying and tailoring material properties. We present a detailed investigation of the electronic structure, and in particular the Fermi surface, of a nanoscale phase ($L1_2$ Al$_3$Li) that has so far been inaccessible with conventional techniques, despite playing a key role in determining the favorable material properties of the alloy (Al\nobreakdash-9 at. %\nobreakdash-Li). The ordered precipitates only form within the stabilizing Al matrix and do not exist in the bulk; here, we take advantage of the strong positron affinity of Li to directly probe the Fermi surface of Al$_3$Li. Through comparison with band structure calculations, we demonstrate that the positron uniquely probes these precipitates, and present a 'tuned' Fermi surface for this elusive phase.

We report high resolution Compton scattering measurements on an Al$_{97}$Li$_3$ disordered alloy single crystal for momentum transfer along the [100], [110] and [111] symmetry directions. The results are interpreted via corresponding KKR-CPA (Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker coherent potential approximation) first principles computations. By comparing spectra for Al$_{97}$Li$_3$ and Al, we show that the momentum density in the alloy differs significantly from the predictions of the conventional Fermi liquid picture and that the ground state of Al is modified anomalously by the addition of Li., Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures

A reconstruction technique based on the solution of the Radon transform in terms of Jacobi polynomials is used to obtain the 3D electron momentum density rho(p) from nine high-resolution Compton profiles (CPs) for a Cu0.9Al0.1 disordered alloy single crystal. The method was also applied to theoretical CPs computed within the Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker coherent potential approximation (KKR-CPA) first-principles scheme for the same nine orientations of the crystal. The experimental density rho(p) is in satisfactory agreement with the theoretical density and shows most details of the Fermi surface (FS) and exhibits electron correlation effects. We comment on the map of the FS obtained by folding the reconstructed rho(p) into the first Brillouin zone which yields the occupation number density, rho(k). A test of the validity of data via a consistency condition (within our reconstruction algorithm) as well as the propagation of experimental noise in the reconstruction of both rho(p) and rho(k) are investigated.

A reconstruction technique based on Radon transforms is used to obtain 3D electron momentum density rho(p) using nine recently measured high-resolution Compton profiles (CPs) from a Cu_{0.9}Al_{0.1} disordered alloy single crystal. The method was also applied to nine corresponding theoretical CPs computed within the KKR-CPA first-principles scheme in order to show that our reconstruction procedure reproduces rho(p) reasonably. We comment briefly on how well a map of the Fermi surface (FS) can be obtained by folding the reconstructed rho(p) into the first Brillouin zone.

We present a novel technique for enhancing Fermi surface (FS) signatures in the 2D distribution obtained after the 3D momentum density in a crystal is projected along a specific direction in momentum space. These results are useful for investigating fermiology via high resolution Compton scattering and positron annihilation spectroscopies. We focus on the particular case of the (110) projection in an fcc crystal where the standard approach based on the use of the Lock-Crisp-West (LCW) folding theorem fails to give a clear FS image due to the strong overlap with FS images obtained through projection from higher Brillouin zones. We show how these superposed FS images can be disentangled by using a selected set of reciprocal lattice vectors in the folding process. The applicability of our partial folding scheme is illustrated by considering Compton spectra from an Al-3at%Li disordered alloy single crystal. For this purpose, high resolution Compton profiles along nine directions in the (110) plane were measured. Corresponding highly accurate theoretical profiles in Al-3at%Li were computed within the local density approximation (LDA)-based Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker coherent potential approximation (KKR-CPA) first-principles framework. A good level of overall accord between theory and experiment is obtained, some expected discrepancies reflecting electron correlation effects notwithstanding, and the partial folding scheme is shown to yield a clear FS image in the (110) plane in Al-3%Li., Comment: 24 pages, 8 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev. B