High pressure Raman study of bromine and iodine: soft phonon in the incommensurate phase

A new phase of solid bromine was discovered at a pressure region above 80 GPa by Raman scattering experiments with a diamond anvil high-pressure cell. This phase was found to be the same as the iodine phase V with an incommensurate structure [Nature (London) 423, 971 (2003)] which appears between the molecular phase I and the monatomic phase II. In the incommensurate phases of both bromine and iodine, Raman active soft modes were clearly found in the low frequency region. The data suggest that the monoatomic phase II occurs above 30 and 115 GPa for iodine and bromine, respectively.     

New phase transition of solid bromine under high pressure

Solid bromine has been studied by x-ray absorption spectroscopy experiments up to a maximum pressure of 75 GPa. The data analysis of the extended fine structure reveals that the intramolecular distance first increases, reaching its maximum value at 25+/-5 GPa. From this value the intramolecular distance abruptly begins to decrease evidencing a nonpreviously observed phase transformation taking place at 25+/-5 GPa. A maximum variation of 0.08 A is observed at 65+/-5 GPa where again a phase transition occurs. This last transformation could correspond with the recently observed change to an incommensurate modulated phase. We discuss the possible generalization of the observed new phase transition at 25+/-5 GPa to the case of the other halogens.     

First-order isostructural Mott transition in highly compressed MnO

We present evidence for an isostructural, first-order Mott transition in MnO at 105+/-5 GPa, based on high-resolution x-ray emission spectroscopy and angle-resolved x-ray diffraction data. The pressure-induced structural and spectral changes provide a coherent picture of MnO phase transitions from paramagnetic B1 to antiferromagnetic distorted B1 at 30 GPa, to paramagnetic B8 at 90 GPa, and to diamagnetic B8 at 105+/-5 GPa. The last is the Mott transition, accompanied by a significant loss of magnetic moment, an approximately 6.6% volume collapse and the insulator-metal transition as demonstrated by recent resistance measurements.     

Equation of state and pressure induced amorphization of beta-boron from X-ray measurements up to 100 GPa

The equation of state of boron has been measured up to 100 GPa by single-crystal x-ray diffraction with helium as the pressure transmitting medium. Rhombohedral beta-boron is the stable structure up to 100 GPa under hydrostatic conditions. Nonhydrostatic stress stabilizes a different rhombohedral structure. At about 100 GPa a pressure-induced amorphization is observed. The amorphous phase can be quenched to ambient pressure. An explanation is proposed based on the different stability under pressure between intraicosahedra and intericosahedra bonds.     

Pressure-induced phase transition in PbSc0.5Ta0.5O3 as a model Pb-based perovksite-type relaxor ferroelectric

We report pressure-induced structural changes in PbSc(0.5)Ta(0.5)O3 studied by single-crystal x-ray diffraction and Raman scattering. The appearance of a soft mode, a change in the volume compressibility, broadening of the diffraction peaks, and suppression of the x-ray diffuse scattering show that a phase transition occurs near pc approximately 1.9 GPa. The critical pressure is associated with a decoupling of the displacements of the B site and Pb cations in the existing polar nanoregions, leading to the suppression of B-cation off-center shifts and enhancement of the ferroic distortion in the Pb-O system.     

一种新的恶二唑衍生物在金刚石对顶砧中的电阻率随压力和温度的变化关系

利用金刚石对顶砧测量了恶二唑衍生物微晶, 1,4-bis[(4-methyloxyphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazolyl]- 2,5-bisheptyloxyphenylene (OXD-2), 电阻随压力和温度的变化关系，并利用有限元分析方法计算了样品的电阻率。实验中，测量压力和温度达到了16 GPa和150℃。样品的电阻率随着温度的升高而降低，说明样品表现出半导体传导特性。在90-100 ℃之间，样品的电阻率有一明显的下降，说明这时发生了温度诱导的相变。随着压力的增加，样品的电阻率在6GPa左右达到最大值，此后随着压力的增加而下降。结合原位x光数据，在6GPa左右的电阻突变应该是由于样品在压力的诱导下发生了无序化的相变。     

Semiconductor–metal transition in GaAs nanowires under high pressure

We investigate the structural phase transitions and electronic properties of GaAs nanowires under high pressure by using synchrotron x-ray diffraction and infrared reflectance spectroscopy methods up to 26.2 GPa at room temperature.The zinc-blende to orthorhombic phase transition was observed at around 20.0 GPa.In the same pressure range, pressureinduced metallization of GaAs nanowires was confirmed by infrared reflectance spectra.The metallization originates from the zinc-blende to orthorhombic phase transition.Decompression results demonstrated that the phase transition from zincblende to orthorhombic and the pressure-induced metallization are reversible.Compared to bulk materials, GaAs nanowires show larger bulk modulus and enhanced transition pressure due to the size effects and high surface energy.     

Phase transitions in KIO(3)

The high-pressure behavior of KIO(3) was studied up to 30?GPa using single crystal and powder x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, second harmonic generation (SHG) experiments and density functional theory (DFT)-based calculations. Triclinic KIO(3) shows two pressure-induced structural phase transitions at 7?GPa and at 14?GPa. Single crystal x-ray diffraction at 8.7(1)?GPa was employed to solve the structure of the first high-pressure phase (space group R3, a?=?5.89(1) ?, α?=?62.4(1)°). The bulk modulus, B, of this phase was obtained by fitting a second order Birch-Murnaghan equation of state (eos) to synchrotron x-ray powder diffraction data resulting in B(exp,second)?=?67(3)?GPa. The DFT model gave B(DFT,second)?=?70.9?GPa, and, for a third order Birch-Murnaghan eos, B(DFT,third)?=?67.9?GPa with a pressure derivative of [Formula: see text]. Both high-pressure transformations were detectable by Raman spectroscopy and the observation of second harmonic signals. The presence of strong SHG signals shows that all high-pressure phases are acentric. By using different pressure media, we showed that the transition pressures are very strongly influenced by shear stresses. Earlier work on low- and high-temperature transitions was complemented by low-temperature heat capacity measurements. We found no evidence for the presence of an orientational glass, in contrast to earlier dielectric studies, but consistent with earlier low-temperature diffraction studies.     

Anomalous bond-length behaviors of solid halogens under pressure

The three halogen solids(Cl_2, Br_2, and I_2) have the isostructural diatomic molecular phase I with a space group of Cmca at ambient pressure. At high pressure, they all go through an intermediate phase V with incommensurate structures before eventually dissociating into the monatomic phase II. However, a new structural transition between phase I and V with anomalous bond-length behavior was observed in bromine under pressure, which, so far, has not been confirmed in iodine and chlorine. Here, we perform first-principles calculations for iodine and chlorine. The new structural transition was predicted to be common to all three halogens under pressure. The transition pressures might be systematically underestimated by the imperfect van der Waals correction method, but they follow the order Cl_2 Br_2 I_2, which is consistent with other pressure-induced structural transitions such as metallization and the molecular-to-monatomic transition.     

Effects of pressure on the structure and the thermal decomposition kinetics of RDX

Abstract

High pressure and temperature structural changes for RDX were investigated to 7.0 GPa and 570 K in a diamond anvil cell apparatus using FTIR absorption, optical microscopy, and energy-dispersive powder x-ray diffraction techniques. Three distinct solid phases were observed. The effects of pressure on the thermal decomposition kinetics as a function of RDX pressure were investigated using an infrared absorption technique. Solid phase I was found to have a pressure enhanced reaction rate with an energy and volume of activation of 51 Kcal/mole and -5.6 cc/mole respectively. Solid II was not observed to react and the observed reaction rate of Solid III decreased with increasing pressure.     

Pressure dependence of the electron density in solid iodine by the maximum-entropy method

Abstract

A direct observation of the electron density of solid iodine has been attempted in order to study the electron-density delocalization process due to pressure-induced metallization. A high-accuracy x-ray powder diffraction measurement was carried out with a diamond anvil cell and an imaging plate on a synchrotron-radiation source. The maximum entropy method was employed to analyze the data and to obtain electron-density maps under pressures up to 20 GPa. The electron density between adjacent iodine molecules has been shown to gradually increase with increasing pressure; also, a two-dimensional network is formed at a density level of 0.2 e/ų at around 16 GPa.     

X-ray diffraction study of liquid Cs up to 9.8 GPa

We describe an x-ray diffraction study of liquid Cs at high pressure and temperature conducted in order to characterize the structural changes associated with the complex melting curve and phase transitions observed in the solid phases. At 3.9 GPa we observe a discontinuity in the density of the liquid accompanied by a decrease in the coordination number from about 12 to 8, which marks a change to a nonsimple liquid. The specific volume of liquid Cs, combined with structural analysis of the diffraction data, strongly suggest the existence of dsp(3) electronic hybridization above 3.9 GPa, similar to that reported on compression in the crystalline phase.     

High-pressure structural properties of tetramethylsilane

High-pressure structural properties of tetramethylsilane are investigated by synchrotron powder x-ray diffraction at pressures up to 31.1 GPa and room temperature. A phase with the space group of Pnma is found to appear at 4.2 GPa. Upon compression, the compound transforms to two following phases: the phase with space groups of P2_1/c at 9.9 GPa and the phase with P2/m at 18.2 GPa successively via a transitional phase. The unique structural character of P2_1/c supports the phase stability of tetramethylsilane without possible decomposition upon heavy compression. The appearance of the P2/m phase suggests the possible realization of metallization for this material at higher pressure.     

Theoretical and experimental evidence for a new post-cotunnite phase of titanium dioxide with significant optical absorption

We report the discovery of a post-cotunnite phase of TiO2 by both density-functional ab initio calculations and high-pressure experiments. A pressure-induced phase transition to a hexagonal Fe2P-type structure (space group P62m) was predicted to occur at 161 GPa and 0 K and successfully observed by in situ synchrotron x-ray diffraction measurements at 210 GPa and 4000 K with a significant increase in opacity. This change in opacity is attributed to a reduction of band gap from 3.0 to 1.9 eV across the phase change. The Fe2P-type structure is proved to be the densest phase in major metal dioxides.     

Pressure-induced phase transitions for goethite investigated by Raman spectroscopy and electrical conductivity

We reported two pressure-induced phase transitions of goethite up to ～35?GPa using a diamond anvil cell in conjunction with ac impendence spectroscopy, Raman spectra at room temperature. The first pressure-induced phase transition at ～7.0?GPa is manifested in noticeable changes in six Raman-active modes, two obvious splitting phenomena for the modes and the variations in the slope of conductivity. The second phase transition at ～20?GPa was characterized by an obviously drop in electrical conductivity and the noticeable changes in the Raman-active modes. The variations in activation energy with increasing pressure were also discussed to reveal the electrical properties of goethite at high pressure.     

Influence of pressure on the solid state phase transformation of Cu-Al-Bi alloy

The solid state phase transformation of Cu-Al-Bi alloy under high pressure was investigated by x-ray diffraction, energy dispersive spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Experimental results show that the initial crystalline phase in the Cu-Al-Bi alloy annealed at 750℃ under the pressures in the range of 0-6 GPa is α-Cu solid solution (named as α-Cu phase below), and high pressure has a great influence on the crystallisation process of the Cu-Al-Bi alloy. The grain size of the α-Cu phase decreases with increasing pressure as the pressure is below about 3 GPa, and then increases (P 3 GPa). The mechanism for the effects of high pressure on the crystallisation process of the alloy has been discussed.     

High-pressure study of topological semimetals XCd2Sb2 (X = Eu and Yb)

Topological materials have aroused great interest in recent years, especially when magnetism is involved. Pressure can effectively tune the topological states and possibly induce superconductivity. Here we report the high-pressure study of topological semimetals $X$Cd$_{2}$Sb$_{2}$ ($X = {\rm Eu} $ and Yb), which have the same crystal structure. In antiferromagnetic (AFM) Weyl semimetal EuCd$_{2}$Sb$_{2}$, the Néel temperature (${T}_{\rm N}$) increases from 7.4 K at ambient pressure to 50.9 K at 14.9 GPa. When pressure is above 14.9 GPa, the AFM peak of resistance disappears, indicating a non-magnetic state. In paramagnetic Dirac semimetal candidate YbCd$_{2}$Sb$_{2}$, pressure-induced superconductivity appears at 1.94 GPa, then ${ T}_{\rm c}$ reaches to a maximum of 1.67 K at 5.22 GPa and drops to zero at about 30 GPa, displaying a dome-shaped temperature-pressure phase diagram. High-pressure x-ray diffraction measurement demonstrates that a crystalline-to-amorphous phase transition occurs at about 16 GPa in YbCd$_{2}$Sb$_{2}$, revealing the robustness of pressure-induced superconductivity against structural instability. Similar structural phase transition may also occur in EuCd$_{2}$Sb$_{2}$, causing the disappearance of magnetism. Our results show that $X$Cd$_{2}$Sb$_{2}$ ($X = {\rm Eu}$ and Yb) is a novel platform for exploring the interplay among magnetism, topology, and superconductivity.     

Magnetic ordering in Fe<Subscript>1.087</Subscript>Te under pressure

The crystal and magnetic structures of Fe_1.087Te have been studied by neutron powder diffraction in the temperature range from 1.7 to 80 K at pressures of  ≈0.4 and ≈1.2 GPa. No symmetry change of the tetragonal paramagnetic ambient pressure phase (space group P4/nmm) was observed for temperatures above 60 K and pressures up to  ≈1.2 GPa. A novel pressure-induced phase of Fe_1.087Te having orthorhombic symmetry (space group Pmmn) and incommensurate antiferromagneticbicollinear order was observed in the temperature range from 50 to 60 K at  ≈1.2 GPa. The known monoclinic ambient pressure phase of Fe_1.087Te (space group P2 ₁/n) with commensurate antiferromagnetic order was found to be stable up to at least  ≈1.2 GPa at low temperature.     

High-pressure crystal structure of thorium disulfide and diselenide and uranium disulfide

Abstract

The crystal structure of ThS₂, ThSe₂ and US₂ has been investigated for pressure up to 60GPa using x-ray powder diffraction. The bulk moduli are 175(10), 155(10) and 155(20) GPa, respectively. A pressure-induced phase transformation occurs at about 40 GPa for ThS₂, 30 GPa for ThSe₂ and 15 GPa for US₂. The results for ThSe₂ indicate that its high-pressure phase has a monoclinic structure. The same structure is compatible with the observed high-pressure spectra of ThS₂ and US₂. However, the crystal system assignment is less certain for these compounds.     

Simultaneous electrical and X-ray diffraction studies on neodymium metal to 152 GPa

Using designer diamond anvils and angle dispersive X-ray diffraction technique at a synchrotron source, we have performed simultaneous electrical and structural studies on neodymium metal to 152 GPa in a diamond anvil cell. Four-probe electrical resistance measurement shows a 38% decrease in the electrical resistivity, associated with the delocalization of the 4f-shell electrons, starting at 100 GPa up to a final pressure of 152 GPa. The continuous decrease in electrical resistivity is consistent with the observation of a gradual phase transition to α-U structure in this pressure range. The (1 1 1) diffraction peak of α-U structure first appears at 100 GPa and increases in intensity with increasing pressure to 152 GPa. This increase in intensity is attributed to an increasing volume fraction of α-U phase and an increase in structural y-parameter from 0.07 at 118 GPa to 0.095 at 152 GPa. In contrast to the abrupt pressure-induced f-electron transition seen in cerium and praseodymium, the continuous evolution of α-U structure and electrical resistivity in neodymium confirms the gradual nature of 4f delocalization process in this element.