Approximate degeneracies of zone boundary phonons in alkali halide crystals

Abstract

We point out the existence of a pervasive pattern of near degeneracies of phonon frequencies in isobaric alkali halide crystals (NaBr, KCl, RbBr, CsI) which strongly suggests that their dynamical matrices are almost invariant under transformations which exchange positive and negative ions. We extend this hypothesis to a relation between phonon properties of "mirror" alkali halides in which the ions of one crystal are replaced by the oppositely charged isobaric ions of the other, such as RbCl and KBr. Experimental evidence supporting this can also be adduced. Similar near degeneracies universally occurring in NaCl structure alkali halides and alkaline earth oxides are also noted and a possible dynamical basis for understanding these suggested.