Advances in data reduction of high-pressure x-ray powder diffraction data from two-dimensional detectors: a case study of schafarzikite (FeSb(2)O(4))

Methods have been developed to facilitate the data analysis of multiple two-dimensional powder diffraction images. These include, among others, automatic detection and calibration of Debye-Scherrer ellipses using pattern recognition techniques, and signal filtering employing established statistical procedures like fractile statistics.All algorithms are implemented in the freely available program package Powder3D developed for the evaluation and graphical presentation of large powder diffraction data sets.As a case study, we report the pressure dependence of the crystal structure of iron antimony oxide FeSb(2)O(4) (p≤21?GPa, T = 298?K) using high-resolution angle dispersive x-ray powder diffraction. FeSb(2)O(4) shows two phase transitions in the measured pressure range. The crystal structures of all modifications consist of frameworks of Fe(2+)O(6) octahedra and irregular Sb(3+)O(4) polyhedra. At ambient conditions, FeSb(2)O(4) crystallizes in space group P4(2)/mbc (phase I). Between p = 3.2?GPa and 4.1?GPa it exhibits a displacive second order phase transition to a structure of space group P 2(1)/c (phase II, a = 5.7792(4)??, b = 8.3134(9)??, c = 8.4545(11)??, β = 91.879(10)°, at p = 4.2?GPa). A second phase transition occurs between p = 6.4?GPa and 7.4?GPa to a structure of space group P4(2)/m (phase III, a = 7.8498(4)??, c = 5.7452(5)??, at p = 10.5?GPa). A nonlinear compression behaviour over the entire pressure range is observed, which can be described by three Vinet equations in the ranges from p = 0.52?GPa to p = 3.12?GPa, p = 4.2?GPa to p = 6.3?GPa and from p = 7.5?GPa to p = 19.8?GPa. The extrapolated bulk moduli of the high-pressure phases were determined to K(0) = 49(2)?GPa for phase I, K(0) = 27(3)?GPa for phase II and K(0) = 45(2)?GPa for phase III. The crystal structures of all phases are refined against x-ray powder data measured at several pressures between p = 0.52?GPa, and 10.5?GPa.     

非线性光学晶体的高压拉曼散射研究

 报道了高压下非线性光学晶体KNbO₃（KN）,KIO₃（KI）和KTiOAsO₄（KTA）的Raman散射研究结果,压力引起的Raman光谱非常丰富,在所有的样品中都观察到了压致相变。另外,在KN晶体中发现了非常强的压致振动耦合现象及高压非晶相。对于KTA,建立了Raman光谱变化与其倍频效率随压力提高之间的可能联系。在22 GPa以上,KI晶体的基本组成集团可能由IO₃变为IO₆。     

Phase transitions of YbX (X = P,As and Sb) with a NaCl-type structure at high pressures

The powder X-ray diffraction of YbX (X?=?P, As and Sb) with a NaCl-type structure has been studied with synchrotron radiation up to 63?GPa at room temperature. YbSb undergoes the first-order structural phase transition from the NaCl-type (B1) to the CsCl-type (B2) structure at around 13?GPa. The structural change to the B2 structure occurs with the volume collapse of about 1% at 13?GPa. The transition pressure of YbSb is surprisingly lower than that of any other heavier LnSb (Ln?=?Dy, Ho, Er, Tm and Lu). The pressure-induced phase transitions in YbP and YbAs are observed at around 51?GPa and 52?GPa respectively. The transition pressure of both compounds is much higher than that of YbSb. The high-pressure structural behaviour of YbX (X?=?P, As and Sb) is discussed. The volume versus pressure curve for YbX with the NaCl-type structure is fitted by a Birch equation of state. The bulk moduli of these compounds with the NaCl-type structure are 104?GPa for YbP, 85?GPa for YbAs and 52?GPa for YbSb.     

High-pressure effect on inverse spinel LiCuVO4:X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering

The effect of external quasi-hydrostatic pressure on the inverse spinel structure of LiCuVO 4 was studied in this paper. High-pressure synchrotron X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy measurements were carried out at room temperature up to 35.7 and 40.3 GPa, respectively. At a pressure of about 20 GPa, both Raman spectra and X-ray diffraction results indicate that LiCuVO4 was transformed into a monoclinic phase, which remained stable up to at least 35.7 GPa. Upon release of pressure, the high-pressure phase returned to the initial phase. The pressure dependence of the volume of low pressure orthorhombic phase and high-pressure monoclinic phase were described by a second-order Birch-Murnaghan equation of state, which yielded bulk modulus values of B 0 = 197(5) and 232(8) GPa, respectively. The results support the empirical suggestion that the oxide spinels have similar bulk modulus around 200 GPa.     

Experimental Observation of Phase Transition in Sb203 under High Pressure

The in situ high-pressure behavior of the semiconductor antimony trioxide(Sb_2O_s) is investigated by the Raman spectroscopy techniques and angle-dispersive synchrotron x-ray powder diffraction in a diamond anvil cell up to31.5 and 30.7 GPa,respectively.New peaks observed in the external lattice mode range in the Raman spectra at 13.5 GPa suggest that the structural phase transition occurs.The group mode(140 cm~(-1)) in Sb_2O_3 exhibits anomalous pressure dependence;that is,the frequency decreases gradually with the increasing pressure.High pressure synchrotron x-ray diffraction measurements at room temperature reveal that the transition from the orthorhombic structure to high-pressure new phase occurs at about 14.2 GPa,corresponding to the softening of the group optic mode(140 cm~(-1)).     

Structural instability of PbSe/SnSe superlattices under pressure

Abstract

PbSe/SnSe superlattice, phase transition, high pressure, SR x-ray diffraction)

Synchrotron x-ray diffraction experiments have revealed successive phase transitions in epitaxially-grown PbSe/SnSe superlattices. The transition pressures from the low-pressre cubic B1- to the high-pressure orthorhombic B16-type structures are observed to vary systematically depending upon thickness of the PbSe layer. For example, a [PbSe(36A)/SnSe(12A)]₁₉, with the B1 structure in both layers stabilized in its asgrown state, undergoes the [B1/B1]-to-[B1/B16] and [B1/B16]-to-[B16/B16] structural transitions at 1.9 and 3.8GPa, respectively. This result is in contrast to their bulk data that the B1-to-B16 transition takes place at 5.3GPa in PbSe while the B16 phase is stable in SnSe at atmospheric pressure.     

Magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of the high-temperature modification of TbTiGe

The high-temperature form (HT) of the ternary germanide TbTiGe was prepared by melting. The investigation of HT-TbTiGe by x-ray and neutron powder diffractions shows that the compound crystallizes in the tetragonal CeScSi-type structure (space group I4/mmm; a?=?404.84(5) and c?=?1530.10(9)?pm as unit cell parameters). Magnetization and specific heat measurements as well as neutron powder diffraction performed on HT-TbTiGe reveal a ferromagnet having T(C)?=?300(1)?K as the Curie temperature; the Tb-moments are aligned along the c-axis. This magnetic ordering is associated with a modest magnetocaloric effect around room temperature. The isothermal magnetic entropy change ΔS(m) was determined from the magnetization data; ΔS(m) reaches, respectively, a maximum value of -?4.3 and -?2.0?J?K(-1)?kg(-1) for a magnetic field change of 5 and 2?T.     

Structure phase transformation and equation of state of cerium metal under pressures up to 51 GPa

This study presents high pressure phase transitions and equation of states of cerium under pressures up to 51 GPa at room temperature. The angle-dispersive x-ray diffraction experiments are carried out using a high energy synchrotron x-ray source. The bulk moduli of high pressure phases of cerium are calculated using the Birch–Murnaghan equation. We discuss and correct several previous controversial conclusions, which are caused by the measurement accuracy or personal explanation. The c/a axial ratio of ε-Ce has a maximum value at about 29 GPa, i.e., c/a ≈ 1.690.     

Observation of a pressure-induced first-order polyamorphic transition in a chalcogenide glass at ambient temperature

An apparently first-order polyamorphic transition has been observed with increasing pressure at ambient temperature in a molecular glass of composition Ge(2.5)As(51.25)S(46.25) Raman spectroscopic measurements on pressure-quenched samples and in situ x-ray diffraction measurements indicate that this transition corresponds to a collapse of the ambient-pressure molecular phase to a high-pressure network phase. The high-pressure phase first appears at a pressure of approximately 8-9 GPa and the transformation becomes complete at approximately 14-15 GPa. Calorimetric measurements indicate that the low- and high-pressure phases are thermodynamically distinct and that they coexist in the transition range.     

Synthesis of novel Ru(2)C under high pressure-high temperature conditions

We report here, for the first time, synthesis of the Fe(2)N type hexagonal phase of ruthenium carbide by a high pressure-high temperature technique using a laser heated diamond anvil cell (LHDAC). The synthesis is carried out by laser heating a mixture of pure elements, Ru and C, at very low 'pressure' of 5?GPa and T?～?2000?K. The structure of the temperature quenched high pressure phase is characterized by in situ high pressure x-ray diffraction (HPXRD) and is corroborated by ex situ TEM imaging and diffraction, carried out for the first time on the retrieved sample synthesized by LHDAC. The lattice parameters of Ru(2)C at ambient pressure are found to be a?=?2.534???and c?=?4.147??. In situ HPXRD studies up to 14.2?GPa yield a bulk modulus of 178(4)?GPa. Electronic structure calculations reveal the system to be metallic in nature with a degree of covalence along the Ru-C bond. As ruthenium is isoelectronic to osmium, this result for Ru(2)C has significant implications in the synthesis and study of osmium carbides.     

Zn2SnO4纳米线高压下的相变研究

 利用金刚石对顶压砧（DAC）对具有反尖晶石结构的透明导体氧化物Zn₂SnO₄（ZTO）纳米线进行了原位高压同步辐射角散X射线衍射（ADXRD）研究。结果发现：在压力为12.9 GPa附近,晶体的对称性降低,并发生晶体结构相变,产生中间过渡相;当压力为32.7 GPa时,发生高压相变,形成高压相。在样品加压前后,纳米线的形貌发生了很大的变化。通过Birch-Murnaghan方程,拟合得到B′₀=4时的体弹模量B₀ =(168.6±9.7) GPa。     

Near-zero thermal expansion in β-CuZnV2O7 in a large temperature range

We report a new type of near-zero thermal expansion material β-CuZnV₂O₇ in a large temperature range from 173 K to 673 K. It belongs to a monoclinic structure (C2/c space group) in the whole temperature range. No structural phase transition is observed at atmospheric pressure based on the x-ray diffraction and Raman experiment. The high-pressure Raman experiment demonstrates that two structural phase transitions exist at 0.94 GPa and 6.53 GPa, respectively. The mechanism of negative thermal expansion in β-CuZnV₂O₇ is interpreted by the variations of the angles between atoms intuitively and the phonon anharmonicity intrinsically resorting to the negative Grüneisen parameter.     

High-pressure study of neptunium and plutonium compounds

Abstract

Neptunium and plutonium monopnictides and monochalcogenides were studied by x-ray diffraction at pressures up to 57 GPa. All of them exhibit structural phase transitions under pressure. The arsenides and tellurides have a CsCl (B2) type high-pressure structure. Sb as an anion favours a tetragonal high-pressure structure. The compressibilities were determined for all of the compounds studied. The results are compared to those obtained for the corresponding thorium and uranium compounds.     

Structural investigation of LaAlO3 up to 63 GPa

We report a high-pressure synchrotron x-ray diffraction on a LaAlO(3) single crystal. The transition from rhombohedral to cubic at 14.8 GPa is confirmed by the loss of the superstructure reflections, whose intensity shows a linear pressure dependence, characteristic of a second-order transition. The crystal remains cubic up to 63 GPa, the highest pressure reached, which provides a confirmation over a very large pressure range of the general rules for the evolution of distortions of perovskites under pressure. We report the parameters of the Birch-Murnaghan equations of state in the low- and high-pressure phases and discuss the evolution of the bulk modulus.     

高压下ZnSe 纳米带的结构相变及拉曼散射研究

 利用高压原位角散X射线衍射实验研究了ZnSe纳米带的结构稳定性。发现样品在12.6 GPa 附近存在一个从立方闪锌矿型到立方岩盐矿型的结构相变,并且在相变点附近存在较大的体积收缩,相对体积变化率达13%。利用Birch-Murnaghan 状态方程拟合,得到了闪锌矿相的体弹模量约为56 GPa,略低于体材料的体弹模量（约67 GPa）;并得到其立方岩盐矿相的体弹模量约为116 GPa。高压拉曼散射实验结果表明,横光学声子模散射峰在5.5 GPa压力附近发生劈裂,纵光学声子模散射峰在12.8 GPa压力以上逐渐消失。根据角散实验的体弹模量数据,计算得到了闪锌矿相中对应不同声子模式的格林爱森常数。     

Pressure-Induced Phase Transition in BaTiO3 Nanocrystals

The crystal structure and electric properties of BaTiO3 nanocrystals are studied by in situ high-pressure synchrotron radiation x-ray powder diffraction. The phase transition takes place not only in the samples of BaTiO3 nanocrystals that are tetragonal phase with grain sizes more than 100nm, but also in the samples of BaTiO3 nanocrystals that are cubic phase with grain sizes less than 100nm. The pressures of phase transition are found to increase with decrease of the grain size from about 4 to 10GPa for crystallites ranging from 200 to 10nm in radius. The bulk moduli are calculated according to Birch-Murnaghan state equation before and after the phase transition.     

Pressure-induced structural change in orthorhombic perovskite GdMnO3

Structural stability of the perovskite-type GdMnO(3) has been investigated by the synchrotron angle-dispersive x-ray diffraction technique up to 63 GPa in a diamond anvil cell. GdMnO(3) stays in an orthorhombic structure but undergoes an isostructural phase transition with ~5% volume reduction at 50 GPa. In the parent orthorhombic phase, the compressions along a, b and c axes exhibit a large anisotropic behavior. With increasing pressure, our results show that the distortion and tilts of the MnO(6) octahedra are reduced continuously and the orthorhombic structure evolves towards higher symmetry. By fitting the observed pressure-volume data using the third-order Birch-Murnaghan equation of state, we obtain the bulk modulus B(0) = 156(3) GPa with B(0)' = 6.5(3) for the starting orthorhombic phase. Upon decompression, the starting orthorhombic phase is recovered.     

Polymerization of formic acid under high pressure

We report Raman, infrared, and x-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements, along with ab initio calculations on formic acid (FA) under pressure up to 50 GPa. We find an infinite chain Pna2(1) structure to be a high-pressure phase at room temperature. Our data indicate the symmetrization and a partially covalent character of the intrachain hydrogen bonds above approximately 20 GPa. Raman spectra and XRD patterns indicate a loss of long-range order at pressures above 40 GPa, with a large hysteresis upon decompression. We attribute this behavior to a three-dimensional polymerization of FA.     

三聚氰胺(C_3N_6H_6)的高压Raman与压致结构相变研究

本文在8 7GPa压力范围内研究了三聚氰胺(C3N6H6)的高压原位Raman光谱。通过内、外Raman活性模的压致效应,发现在1 5GPa和6 0GPa压力下该分子晶体发生了压致结构相变。用空间群相关原理确认在1 5GPa压力下它从单斜相转变为三斜相;在6 0GPa压力下又发生了另一次结构相变。然后在室温高压条件下对三聚氰胺进行了原位同步辐射能量散射x-ray衍射实验(EDXD),在14 7GPa压力范围内,观察到常压下为单斜晶系的三聚氰胺经历了两次压致结构相变。在1 3GPa下,三聚氰胺分子晶体从单斜相转变为三斜相;在8 2GPa又转变为正交相。本实验结果为利用三聚氰胺碳氮有机分子晶体高温高压合成超硬C3N4共价晶体的研究提供了重要信息。     

High-pressure phase transition of Bi2Fe4O9

The high-pressure behaviour of Bi2Fe4O9 was analysed by in situ powder and single-crystal x-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. Pressures up to 34.3(8) GPa were generated using the diamond anvil cell technique. A reversible phase transition is observed at approximately 6.89(6) GPa and the high-pressure structure is stable up to 26.3(1) GPa. At higher pressures the onset of amorphization is observed. The crystal structures were refined from single-crystal data at ambient pressure and pressures of 4.49(2), 6.46(2), 7.26(2) and 9.4(1) GPa. The high-pressure structure is isotypic to the high-pressure structure of Bi2Ga4O9. The lower phase transition pressure of Bi2Fe4O9 with respect to that of Bi2Ga4O9 (16 GPa) confirms the previously proposed strong influence of cation substitution on the high-pressure stability and the misfit of Ga3+ and Fe3+ in tetrahedral coordination at high pressure. A fit of a second-order Birch–Murnaghan equation of state to the p–V data results in K0 = 74(3) GPa for the low-pressure phase and K0 = 79(2) GPa for the high-pressure phase. The mode Grüneisen parameters were obtained from Raman-spectroscopic measurements.