Raman spectroscopic investigations of dl-serine and dl-valine under pressure

Raman spectroscopic studies of dl-serine and dl-valine under static high pressures have been carried out up to 8 and 7 GPa, respectively to understand the behaviour of hydrogen bonds in these compounds. The discontinuous changes in the pressure dependence of some of the Raman modes of dl-serine at 1.5 GPa are interpreted to be due to molecular rearrangements brought about by changes in the hydrogen bonding interactions. Our results of the pressure dependence of N–H?O librational modes in dl-valine at 3 GPa suggest changes in the nature of hydrogen bonding interactions across this pressure.     

High pressure behavior of α-NaVO3: A Raman scattering study

The reported pressure-induced amorphization in α-NaVO₃ has been re-investigated using Raman spectroscopy. Discontinuous changes are noted in the Raman spectrum above 5.6 GPa implying large structural changes across the transition. The decrease in frequency of the V-O stretching mode across the transition suggests that the vanadium atom may be in octahedral coordination in the high pressure phase. Excessive broadening of the internal modes is observed above 6 GPa. New peaks characteristic of a crystalline phase gain in intensity at higher pressures in the bending modes region; however, the transformation is not complete even at 13 GPa. Co-existence of phases is noted over a significant pressure range above the onset of transition. Pressure released spectrum is found to be a mixture of crystalline α-phase, traces of crystalline β-phase and highly disordered phase consisting of V-O units in five- and six-fold coordination.     

Pressure induced phase transitions in hydroquinone

High pressure behavior of alpha-hydroquinone (1,4-dihydroxybenzene) has been studied using Raman spectroscopy up to pressures of 19 GPa. Evolution of Raman spectra suggests two transitions around 3.3 and 12.0 GPa. The first transition appears to be associated with the lowering of crystal symmetry. Above 12.0 GPa, Raman bands in the internal modes region exhibit continuous broadening suggesting that the system is progressively evolving into a disordered state. This disorder is understood as arising due to distortion of the hydrogen-bonded cage across the second transition around 12 GPa.     

Phonon behavior of CaSnO3 perovskite under pressure

Raman scattering and x-ray diffraction studies of CaSnO(3) perovskite were performed under high-pressure conditions. This high-pressure study was motivated by a recent theoretical study predicting a phase transition in CaSnO(3) from GdFeO(3)-type perovskite to CaIrO(3)-type structure occurred at 12 GPa. Despite no obvious structure change up to a pressure of 26 GPa based on the x-ray diffraction data, high pressure Raman measurements revealed that some Raman modes disappeared upon compression; either merging into neighboring bands or vanishing. The signals for these Raman peaks were recovered during decompression. The measured pressure derivative of Raman shift (?ν∕?P) of CaSnO(3) ranged from ~1.29 to ~4.35, up to 20 GPa. Due to the lack of lattice dynamic study for CaSnO(3) perovskite, the mode symmetry for CaSnO(3) was tentatively assigned based on the empirical relation among Ca-bearing perovskites. The pressure derivative of the Raman shifts was found to be related to their mode vibrations: modes related to Ca and O shifts had a strong pressure dependence compared with those associated with oxygen octahedral rotation.     

High pressure-temperature Raman measurements of H2O melting to 22 GPa and 900 K

The melting curve of H(2)O has been measured by in situ Raman spectroscopy in an externally heated diamond anvil cell up to 22 GPa and 900 K. The Raman-active OH-stretching bands and the translational modes of H(2)O as well as optical observations are used to directly and reliably detect melting in ice VII. The observed melting temperatures are higher than previously reported x-ray measurements and significantly lower than recent laser-heating determinations. However, our results are in accord with earlier optical determinations. The frequencies and intensities of the OH-stretching peaks change significantly across the melting line while the translational mode disappears altogether in the liquid phase. The observed OH-stretching bands of liquid water at high pressure are very similar to those obtained in shock-wave Raman measurements.     

Terahertz time-domain and Raman spectroscopy of the sulfur-containing peptide dimers: Low-frequency markers of disulfide bridges

The terahertz time-domain and Raman spectra of sulfur-containing cystein-based peptides in the region of the low-frequency infrared vibrations have been measured at room temperature. The low-frequency bands that can be assigned to the S–S bridges are observed. The vibrational modes found in molecular crystalline materials should be described as phonon modes with strong coupling to the intra molecular vibrations.     

高压下铌酸锌钶铁矿结构相变的原位拉曼光谱和X射线衍射研究

通过原位高压拉曼光谱和X射线衍射对ZnNb₂O₆晶体在29 GPa以下的结构转变进行了研究.拉曼光谱显示, 多数拉曼峰强度减弱, 且随着压力增加向高波数方向移动.压力频移曲线分别在10, 16 和20 GPa处形成了拐点.原位X射线衍射谱在10.6 GPa以上有旧峰消失和新峰出现.结果分析表明, ZnNb₂O₆钶铁矿结构压缩过程中发生了一个可逆压致相变, 此相变从10 GPa左右开始, 到16 GPa左右完成, 继续增加压力到20 GPa以上则形成无序状态.     

High pressure Raman scattering study on the phase stability of LuVO4

High pressure Raman spectroscopic investigations have been carried out on rare earth orthovanadate LuVO₄ upto 26 GPa. Changes in the Raman spectrum around 8 GPa across the reported zircon to scheelite transition are investigated in detail and compared with those observed in other vanadates. Co-existence of the zircon and scheelite phases is observed over a pressure range of about 8-13 GPa. The zircon to scheelite transition is irreversible upon pressure release. Subtle changes are observed in the Raman spectrum above 16 GPa which could be related to scheelite ↔ fergusonite transition. Pressure dependencies of the Raman active modes in the zircon and the scheelite phases are reported.     

High-pressure induced conformational and phase transformations of 1,2-dichloroethane probed by Raman spectroscopy

1,2-Dichloroethane (DCE) was loaded into diamond anvil cells and compressed up to 30 GPa at room temperature. Pressure-induced transformations were probed using Raman spectroscopy. At pressures below 0.6 GPa, fluid DCE exists in two conformations, gauche and trans in equilibrium, which is shifted to gauche on compression. DCE transforms to a solid phase with exclusive trans conformation upon further compression. All the characteristic Raman shifts remain constant in fluid phase and move to higher frequencies in the solid phase with increasing pressure. At about 4-5 GPa, DCE transforms from a possible disordered phase into a crystalline phase as evidenced by the observation of several lattice modes and peak narrowing. At 8-9 GPa, dramatic changes in Raman patterns of DCE were observed. The splitting of the C-C-Cl bending mode at 325 cm-1, together with the observation of inactive internal mode at 684 cm-1 as well as new lattice modes indicates another pressure-induced phase transformation. All Raman modes exhibit significant changes in pressure dependence at the transformation pressure. The new phase remains crystalline, but likely with a lower symmetry. The observed transformations are reversible in the entire pressure region upon decompression.     

Vibrational modes of hydrogens in the proton ordered phase XI of ice: Raman spectra above 400 cm(-1)

Polarized Raman spectra of the proton ordered phase of ice Ih, i.e., ice XI, were measured above 400 cm(-1) in the range of librational, bending, and stretching vibrations. Vibrational modes in ice XI, of which symmetry is C(2v) (12)(Cmc2(1)), were discussed from the group theoretical point of view. In the librational mode spectra below 1200 cm(-1), several new peaks and clear polarization dependencies were observed. Assignments of the librational modes agree reasonably well with the recent MD calculations by Iwano et al. (J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 79, 063601 (2010)). In contrast, the spectra for bands above 1200 cm(-1) show no distinct polarization dependencies and the spectra resemble those in ice Ih. In ice XI, however, fine structure composed of several weak peaks appear on the broad bending and the combination band. No direct evidence of the LO-TO splitting of the ν(3) anti-symmetric stretching mode was obtained. It is contrary to the case of the translational modes Abe and Shigenari (J. Chem. Phys. 134, 104506 (2011)). Present results suggest that the influence of the proton ordering in ice XI is weaker than the effect of inter- and intra-molecular couplings in the stretching vibrations of ice Ih.     

High pressure Raman spectroscopic study of phase transformation in TaO2F

High pressure Raman spectroscopic measurements on nearly zero thermal expansion material TaO₂F are carried out up to 19 GPa. Earlier report of high pressure X-ray diffraction studies shows two phase transitions, one at 0.7 and the other at 4 GPa with rhombohedral (R-3c) structure above 4 GPa, but the structure between 0.7 GPa and 4 GPa remained unclear. In high pressure Raman measurements, a reversible, cubic to rhombohedral phase transformation onsets around 0.8 GPa and gets completed at 4.4 GPa with all four predicted normal modes corresponding to R-3c phase and retaining the structure up to 19 GPa. A mixture of cubic and rhombohedral phases is observed between 0.8 and 4.4 GPa. Optically silent modes in the ambient cubic structure exhibit strong, broad Raman bands due to anionic (O/F) disorder in TaO₂F altering the local symmetry and allowing for first order Raman scattering. On compression, these disorder induced first order Raman bands gradually decrease in intensity and disappear around 4.4 GPa due to inhibition of local distortion caused by anions, and the modes corresponding to the rhombohedral phase appear. This is a clear evidence of disorder-free rhombohedral single phase exists above 4.4 GPa in agreement with the reported HPXRD results. Temperature dependent Raman measurements reveal that the intensities of Raman bands remain almost unchanged with rise in temperature indicating static disorder in TaO₂F. Disorder-induced first order Raman modes at 176, 212, 381 and 485 cm⁻¹ soften with increase in pressure whereas the other modes show low positive Gruneisen parameter. The thermal expansion coefficient calculated using these Gruneisen parameters (−2.91 ppm K⁻¹) is in fair agreement with the reported values (−1 to +1 ppm K⁻¹). On the other hand, all four modes of disorder-free rhombohedral phase show the usual hardening behavior with increase in pressure contributing to positive thermal expansion.     

Longitudinal lattice modes in linear mixed valence compounds

Mixed valence compounds of platinum or palladium have a crystal structure that consists of long, linear chains. The frequencies of the three collective (phonon) longitudinal k ≈ 0 optical modes bear little relevance to those of longitudinal modes of the independent molecules, being different in general and not in a one to one correspondence with them. Therefore, they have to be taken into account as such when the observed intensity peaks in resonance Raman or infrared spectra of these compounds are analyzed.     

Pressure-induced phase transitions in LiNH2

In situ high-pressure Raman spectroscopy studies on LiNH2 (lithium amide) have been performed at pressures up to 25 GPa. The pressure-induced changes in the Raman spectra of LiNH2 indicates a phase transition that begins at approximately 12 GPa is complete at approximately 14 GPa from ambient-pressure alpha-LiNH2 (tetragonal, I) to a high-pressure phase denoted here as beta-LiNH2. This phase transition is reversible upon decompression with the recovery of the alpha-LiNH2 phase at approximately 8 GPa. The N-H internal stretching modes (nu([NH2]-)) display an increase in frequency with pressure, and a new stretching mode corresponding to high-pressure beta-LiNH2 phase appears at approximately 12.5 GPa. Beyond approximately 14 GPa, the N-H stretching modes settle into two shouldered peaks at lower frequencies. The lattice modes show rich pressure dependence exhibiting multiple splitting and become well-resolved at pressures above approximately 14 GPa. This is indicative of orientational ordering [NH2]- ions in the lattice of the high-pressure beta-LiNH2 phase.     

Synthetic deuterated erythrite--a vibrational spectroscopic study

A comparison of deuterated and non-deuterated erythrite has been made using a combination of infrared and Raman spectroscopy. Infrared spectrum shows bands at 3442, 3358, 3194 and 3039 cm(-1). The band at 3442 cm(-1) is attributed to weakly hydrogen bonded water and the band at 3039 cm(-1) to strongly hydrogen bonded water. Deuteration results in the observation of OD bands at 2563, 2407 and 2279 cm(-1). The ratio of these bands change with deuteration. Deuteration shows that the strongly hydrogen bonded water is replaced in preference to the weakly hydrogen bonded water. Three HOH bending modes are observed at 1686, 1633, 1572 and DOD bending modes at 1236, 1203 and 1176 cm(-1). Deuteration causes the loss of intensity of the bands at 841, 710 and 561 cm(-1) and new bands are observed at 692, 648 and 617 cm(-1). These three bands are attributed to the water librational modes. Deuteration results in an additional Raman band at 809 cm(-1) with increasing intensity with extent of deuteration. Deuteration results in the shift of Raman bands to lower wavenumbers.     

Phase progression via phonon modes in lanthanide dioxides under pressure

The present paper reports the phase progression in nano-crystalline oxides PrO₂ and CeO₂ up to pressures of 49 GPa and 35 GPa, respectively, investigated via in situ Raman spectroscopy at room temperature. The samples were characterized at ambient conditions using X-ray diffraction (XRD), AFM, and Raman spectroscopy and were found to be cubic with fluorite structure. With an increase in applied pressure the cubic bands were seen to steadily shift to higher wavenumbers for both the samples. However, we observed the appearance of a number of new peaks around a pressure of about 34.7 GPa in CeO₂ and 33 GPa in PrO₂ which were characteristic of an orthorhombic α-PbCl₂ type structure. The mode Gruneisen parameters for both the phases were obtained from the pressure dependence of frequency shifts. On decompression, the high pressure phase existed down to a total release of pressure.     

High-pressure Raman spectra of l-histidine hydrochloride monohydrate crystal

Single-crystals of l-histidine hydrochloride monohydrate, C₆H₉N₃O₂·HCl·H₂O, were studied by Raman spectroscopy as a function of pressure in a diamond anvil cell up to 7.5 GPa at room temperature over the spectral range 3450-30 cm⁻¹. The effect of changing pressure on the vibrational spectrum is discussed. From the analysis of results we inferred that the crystal undergoes a reversible structural phase transition between 2.7 and 3.1 GPa. This transition is characterized by the splitting of a band related to torsion of CO₂⁻, the disappearance and appearance of modes related with stretching of OH⁻ and deformation of CO₂⁻, as well as with bands of low wavenumber which are assigned as lattice modes, and by the discontinuities of the curves of wavenumber versus pressure. Pressure coefficients for all modes observed in this work are also given.     

Pressure dependent Raman studies in the K2Mo2O7·H2O crystal

The pressure dependent Raman scattering in the potassium molybdenum oxide hydrate crystal, K₂Mo₂O₇·H₂O, was measured. The high pressure Raman study showed, that the compound remains in the triclinic structure within the 0.0–3.81 GPa range and undergoes a structural phase transition between 3.81 and 4.13 GPa. This particular phase transition is most likely connected with changes in the Raman spectrum, in which the number of modes associated originally with the stretching vibrations in the MoO₅ and MoO₆ units is increased. However, the phase at atmospheric pressure shows bands due to the presence of only one equivalent site, while in the high-pressure phase, two bands are associated with the stretching modes. Continuing the pressure evolution up to 17.04 GPa, two further phase transitions occurred in this crystal in the 6.3–8.1 GPa and the 12.3–14.0 GPa range, respectively. The Raman spectra measured at about 17.04 GPa presented a crystal structure, which experienced a pre-amorphization with a total loss of all lattice modes. This particular result is indicative that this material may have undergone a complete amorphization at pressures larger than 17.04 GPa. Then, the reversible character in the triclinic P-1 (C_i¹) structure was recovered after releasing the pressure.     

High-pressure effects in pyrene crystals: vibrational spectroscopy

The response of pyrene crystals to high pressure was examined using Raman and FTIR spectroscopies. Raman spectra of external and internal modes were measured up to 11 GPa. Changes in the external modes were observed at approximately 0.3 GPa, indicating the onset of a phase transition. We demonstrated that at this pressure pyrene I (P2(1)/a, 4 mol/unit cell) transforms to pyrene III (P2(1)/a, 2 mol/unit cell). Further increase of pressure produced a gradual broadening of the internal modes and an increase of fluorescence background, indicating the formation of another phase above 2.0 GPa. Irreversible chemical changes were observed upon gradual compression to 40 GPa. FTIR spectroscopy of the recovered product indicated a transformation of pyrene into an amorphous hydrogenated carbon (a-C:H) structure.     

Molecular vibrations of [n]oligoacenes (n=2-5 and 10) and phonon dispersion relations of polyacene

As model compounds for nanosize carbon clusters, the phonon dispersion curves of polyacene are constructed based on density functional theory calculations for [n]oligoacenes (n=2-5, 10, and 15). Complete vibrational assignments are given for the observed Fourier-transform infrared and Raman spectra of [n]oligoacenes (n=2-5). Raman intensity distributions by the 1064-nm excitation are well reproduced by the polarizability-approximation calculations for naphthalene and anthracene, whereas several bands of naphthacene and pentacene at 1700-1100 cm(-1) are calculated to be enhanced by the resonance Raman effect. It is found from vibronic calculations that the coupled a(g) modes between the Kekulé deformation and joint CC stretching give rise to the Raman enhancements of the Franck-Condon type, and that the b(3g) mode corresponding to the graphite G mode is enhanced by vibronic coupling between the (1)L(a)((1)B(1u)) and (1)B(b)((1)B(2u)) states. The phonon dispersion curves of polyacene provide a uniform foundation for understanding molecular vibrations of the oligoacenes in terms of the phase difference. The mode correlated with the defect-sensitive D mode of the bulk carbon networks is also found for the present one-dimensional system.     

Conformational and phase transformations of chlorocyclohexane at high pressures by Raman spectroscopy

Pressure induced conformational and phase transformations of chlorocyclohexane (CCH) were investigated in a diamond anvil cell by Raman spectroscopy at room temperature. Pure CCH was compressed up to 20 GPa and then decompressed to ambient pressure. The conformational equilibrium was shifted by pressure from equatorial to axial conformers in the fluid phase below 0.7 GPa, consistent with previous observations. Upon further compression, several solid-to-solid phase transitions were identified by the observation of markedly different Raman patterns as well as different pressure dependences of characteristic Raman modes. The possible structures of these phases were analyzed in correlation with previously observed solid phases at low temperatures. Finally, CCH exhibits pressure hysteresis and partial reversibility upon decompression which result in the formation of the phases with different Raman patterns from those obtained upon compression. The difference can be interpreted as conformational contribution as well as the intrinsic plasticity of CCH crystals.