Equation of state and high-pressure irreversible amorphization in Y3Fe5O12

The change of crystal structure in yttrium iron garnet Y₃Fe₅O₁₂ was studied at room temperature at high pressures up to ∼55 GPa by the x-ray diffraction technique in diamond anvil cells. At a pressure of about ∼50 GPa, a drastic change in the x-ray diffraction pattern was observed indicating the transition into an amorphouslike state. When the pressure was increased, the bulk modulus of YIG was found to be 193 ± 4 GPa. It was also found that the amorphous state was retained after decompression down to ambient pressure. From the shape of x-ray patterns in the “amorphous” phase, it was concluded that the local atomic structure consists of iron-oxygen FeO₆ octahedral complexes with disordered orientations of local axis and of randomly arranged others ion fragments with the overall Y₃Fe₅O₁₂ composition. For the amorphous phase, it was evaluated that the bulk modulus of FeO₆ octahedral complexes is about 260 GPa. The text was submitted by the authors in English.