title: Unidirectional thermal expansion in KZnB3O6: role of alkali metals.
abstract: The driving force of the unidirectional thermal expansion in KZnB3O6 has been studied experimentally and theoretically. Our results show that the low-energy vibrational modes of alkali metals play a crucial role in this unusual thermal behavior.
authors.affiliation: Research & Development Center for Functional Crystals, Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China. chenx29@iphy.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Yanfang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lou
authors.affiliation: Research & Development Center for Functional Crystals, Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China. chenx29@iphy.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Dandan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Research & Development Center for Functional Crystals, Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China. chenx29@iphy.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Zhilin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Research & Development Center for Functional Crystals, Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China. chenx29@iphy.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Han
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Research & Development Center for Functional Crystals, Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China. chenx29@iphy.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Shifeng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Research & Development Center for Functional Crystals, Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China. chenx29@iphy.ac.cn and Collaborative Innovation Center of Quantum Matter, Beijing 100190, China.
authors.forename: Xiaolong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen