The kiel/berlin pressure cells for neutron powder diffraction

Abstract

Two piston/cylinder type pressure cells for neutron powder diffraction are presented. They provide a large sample volume and hence allow rapid data collection at moderate flux neutron sources. Structure refinements from the diffraction data are possible. The maximum attainable pressure is above 2 GPa for Ti/Zr zero-scattering pressure cylinders. Both cells may be equipped with a micro-furnace. This allows measurement up to 700 K, simultaneously to the application of pressure. The low temperature setup for the cell-I is presented which will allow experiments down to 1·5K.     

A high resolution powder diffractometer using focusing optics

In this paper, we describe the design, construction and performance of a new high resolution neutron powder diffractometer that has been installed at the Dhruva reactor, Trombay, India. The instrument employs novel design concepts like the use of bent, perfect crystal monochromator and open beam geometry, enabling the use of smaller samples. The resolution curve of the instrument was found to have little variation over a wide angular region and a Δd/d ∼ 0.3% has been achieved. The instrument provides sample environment of very low temperatures and high magnetic fields using a 7 Tesla cryogen-free superconducting magnet with a VTI having a temperature range of 1.5–320 K. The special sample environment and high resolution make this neutron powder diffractometer a very powerful facility for studying magnetic properties of materials.      

A tof neutron diffraction system for high pressure and low temperature

Abstract

Time-of-flight method of neutron diffraction is applied for materials under high pressure and low temperature. Extra-scattering from the pressure cell is reduced by geometrical design and by shielding with boron-plastics. Temperature is controled by adjusting the supply of liquid nitrogen: Successive transformations with pressure are observed in heavy ice.     

Neutron powder diffraction studies at high pressure using a pulsed neutron source

Abstract

High-pressure neutron-diffraction experiments using the time-of-flight (TOF) method are presented. We first introduce the helium-gas pressure system at Argonne's Intense Pulsed Neutron Source (IPNS) with the Special Environment Powder Diffractometer (SEPD). The results for TIBa₂CuO₆₊₈, and La_2?x, Sr_x, CuO_4–8 are briefly reviewed. We then introduce the present situation in Japan. We have been developing a high-pressure system on high-resolution powder diffractometer (HRP) which was much improved recently and renamed VEGA at KEK. The best resolution of 0.45% was obtained at VEGA. The preliminary results for YBa₂, Cu₄O₈, and HgBa₂, CuO₄₊₈, are presented and compared with the SEPD data.     

Investigation of Nd2CuO4 crystal structure at high pressure by neutron diffraction

Abstract

The crystal structure of Nd₂CuO₄ has been studied by neutron diffraction at pressure up to 5 Gpa. The volume compressibility value was determined as 5·6·10^?3/Gpa. The decrease of positional parameter of neodymium at high pressure has been observed. This structural change is explained by pressure induced neodymium ions charge increase.     

A new high P-T cell for neutron diffraction up to 7 GPa and 2000 K with measurement of temperature by neutron radiography

Abstract

This paper reports developments to enable neutron diffraction at simultaneous high temperatures and pressures using the Paris-Edinburgh cell. These include a new design of a cell assembly with internal heating. One of the novel features of our system is the use of neutron radiographic methods for measurement of temperature. Fully refinable neutron diffraction patterns obtained by time of flight technique with our apparatus are found to be of comparable quality to previous high-pressure studies at ambient temperatures. In this paper we describe the procedures for the generation and measurement of pressure and temperature and illustrate the quality of the data which can be obtained. The present system may be used on a routine basis for experiments up to 7 GPa and temperature approaching 2000 K. Current attempts are discussed for extending these measurements to a wider domain of pressures and temperatures.     

Pulsed neutron powder diffraction at high pressure by a capacity-increased sapphire anvil cell

A new design of opposed anvil cell for time-of-flight neutron powder diffraction was prepared for use at advanced pulsed sources. A couple of single-crystal sapphire sphere anvils and a gasket of fully hardened Ti–Zr null alloy were combined to compress 35 mm³ of sample volume to 1 GPa and 11 mm³ to 2 GPa of pressures, respectively. A very high-quality powder diffraction pattern was obtained at Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex for a controversial high pressure phase of methane hydrate. The counting statistics, resolution, absolute accuracy and d-value range of the pattern were all improved to be best suitable for precise structure refinement. The sample is optically accessible to be measured by Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy during and after compression. The current cell will be an alternative choice to study hydrogenous materials of complex structures that are stable at the described pressure regime.     

基于铰链式六面顶压机的二级6-8型大腔体静高压装置

报道了一种新型二级6-8型大腔体静高压装置.该装置是以国产DS6×800T铰链式六面顶压机为构架,在其六面体压腔中直接放入二级6-8模(球分割)增压装置以产生10GPa以上的压力,还实验了不同规格的预密封边和不同密度的叶蜡石对压力产生效率的影响,在室温下用BiⅠ-Ⅱ(2.55GPa),Ⅲ-Ⅴ(7.7GPa)和SnⅠ-Ⅱ(9.4GPa)在高压下的相变对14／8(8面体传压介质边长／8面体压腔边长)规格压腔进行了压力标定.实验结果表明,该系统可以在加载压力(油压)约为3×10⁶N(～42 关键词： 铰链式六面顶压机 6-8型球分割大腔体静高压装置 压力标定     

大腔体静高压技术的发展及应用

大腔体静高压技术在现代工业和高压科学研究中具有基础性的重要意义,已被广泛应用于工业和科研领域,如超硬材料的合成、凝聚态物质在高温高压极端条件下的行为与物性研究等。经过逾半个世纪的不懈努力,以国产铰链式六面顶压机为代表的大腔体静高压技术与设备取得了长足的发展和丰硕的成果,改变了长期以来我国大腔体静高压技术落后于国外的局面。文章以四川大学高压科学与技术实验室为例,对我国大腔体静高压技术及装置从起步研制到世界领先的发展历程和技术特点进行了介绍。同时,基于典型大腔体静高压技术、装置及主要应用,展望了我国相关领域的发展前景。     

Structural study of ND4Br at high pressure

Abstract

A structure of ND₄Br has been studied at pressures up to 9 GPa by means of time-of-flight neutron diffraction. A phase transition to the high pressure phase V was observed at P=8·2(5)GPa. It was found that the phase V has a tetragonal structure with an antiparallel ordering of ammonium ions, space group P4/nmm which is in strong resemblance with low temperature modification ND₄Br(III). Deuterium positional parameter as a function of pressure was obtained.     

Synthesis of N-type semiconductor diamonds with sulfur,boron co-doping in FeNiMnCo-C system at high pressure and high temperature

A series of diamonds with boron and sulfur co-doping were synthesized in the Fe Ni Mn Co-C system by temperature gradient growth(TGG) under high pressure and high temperature(HPHT). Because of differences in additives, the resulting diamond crystals were colorless, blue-black, or yellow. Their morphologies were slab, tower, or minaret-like. Analysis of the x-ray photoelectron spectra(XPS) of these diamonds shows the presence of B, S, and N in samples from which N was not eliminated. But only the B dopant was assuredly incorporated in the samples from which N was eliminated. Resistivity and Hall mobility were 8.510 ?·cm and 760.870 cm~2/V·s, respectively, for a P-type diamond sample from which nitrogen was eliminated. Correspondingly, resistivity and Hall mobility were 4.211×10~5 ?·cm and 76.300 cm~2/V·s for an N-type diamond sample from which nitrogen was not eliminated. Large N-type diamonds of type Ib with B–S doping were acquired.     

Rietveld analysis of high pressure powder diffraction data

Abstract

X-ray and neutron powder diffraction data obtained from samples contained within high pressure cells are generally of lower quality than data collected from samples at ambient conditions. The far smaller sample size as well as possible contamination of the pattern by the pressure cell means that Rietveld refinement techniques must be adapted to extract the maximum useful information from the data. These problems become paramount as larger structures at high pressure are attempted. Techniques such as “leBail extraction”, “soft restraints” and “rigid body refinement” will be discussed with application to analysis of high pressure neutron powder diffraction data.     

碳化硅压腔和高压下的中子衍射

使用宝石级碳化硅晶体作为压砧材料,成功研制出了碳化硅压腔（MAC）,并应用全景式MAC进行了高压下物质的中子衍射实验研究.结果表明,MAC是一种既能产生高的压力又具有大的高压样品室的装置,特别适合于高压下的中子衍射研究.     

碳化硅压腔和高压下的中子衍射

使用宝石级碳化硅晶体作为压砧材料，成功研制出了碳化硅压腔（MAC），并应用全景式MAC进行了高压下物质的中子衍射实验研究。结果表明，MAC是一种既能产生高的压力又具有大的高压样品室的装置，特别适合于高压下的中子衍射研究。     

Neutron diffraction studies of hydrogen-bonded ices at high pressure

Abstract

The development of the Paris-Edinburgh cell has extended the pressure range for neutron diffraction by a full order of magnitude to 30 GPa. This advance has provided a wealth of new information on the high-pressure behaviour of ices such as water-ice, ammonia, methane and hydrogen sulphide. We have now put in place technique developments to permit loading of water-gas mixtures into the Paris-Edinburgh cell.     

Developments of nano-polycrystalline diamond anvil cells for neutron diffraction experiments

ABSTRACT

A new high pressure cell for neutron diffraction experiments using nano-polycrystalline anvils is presented. The cell design, off-line pressure generation tests and a gas-loading procedure for this cell are described. The performance is illustrated by powder neutron diffraction patterns of ice VII to ～82?GPa. We also demonstrate the feasibility of single crystal neutron diffraction experiments of Fe₃O₄ at ambient conditions using this cell and discuss the current limitation and future developments.     

In situ characterization of liquid network structures at high pressure and temperature using X-ray absorption spectroscopy coupled with the Paris-Edinburgh press

ABSTRACT

We review recent progress in studying structural properties of liquids using X-ray absorption spectroscopy coupled with the Paris-Edinburgh press at third-generation synchrotron facilities. This experimental method allows for detecting subtle changes in atomic arrangements of melts over a wide pressure–temperature range. It has been also employed to monitor variations of the local coordination environment of diluted species contained in glasses, liquids and crystalline phases as a function of the pressure and temperature. Such information is of great importance for gaining deeper insights into the physico-chemical properties of liquids at extreme condition, including the understanding of such phenomena as liquid–liquid phase transitions, viscosity drops and various transport properties of geological melts. Here, we describe the experimental approach and discuss its potential in structural characterization on selected scientific highlights. Finally, the current ongoing instrumental developments and future scientific opportunities are discussed.     

Influence of annealing treatment on as-grown Ib-type diamond crystal at a high temperature and high pressure

In this paper,we report on the influence of annealing treatment on as-grown Ib-type diamond crystal under high pressure and high temperature in a china-type cubic anvil high-pressure apparatus.Experiments are carried out at a pressure of 7.0 GPa and temperatures ranging from 1700 C to 1900 C for 1 h.Annealing treatment of the diamond crystal shows that the aggregation rate constant of nitrogen atoms in the as-grown Ib-type diamond crystal strongly depends on diamond morphology and annealing temperature.The aggregation rate constant of nitrogen remarkably increases with the increase of annealing temperature and its value in octahedral diamond is much higher than that in cubic diamond annealed at the same temperature.The colour of octahedral diamond crystal is obviously reduced from yellow to nearly colorless after annealing treatment for 1 h at 1900 C,which is induced by nitrogen aggregation in a diamond lattice.The extent of nitrogen aggregation in an annealed diamond could approach approximately 98% indicated from the infrared absorption spectra.The micro-Raman spectrum reveals that the annealing treatment can improve the crystalline quality of Ib-type diamond characterized by a half width at full maximum at first order Raman peak,and therefore the annealed diamond crystals exhibit nearly the same properties as the natural IaA-type diamond stones of high quality in the Raman measurements.     

The application of neutron powder diffraction techniques for crystallographic studies at high pressures

Abstract

For phase transition studies, neutron powder diffraction offers a number of important advantages over x-ray based techniques, for example ab-initio structural determination. There are two distinct methods using either monochromatic angular dispersive geometry on a reactor cold source or time-of-flight energy-dispersive techniques requiring a pulsed neutron source. Both techniques offer comparable resolution but have differing advantages for high pressure studies. Recent studies illustrate the benefits of the two methods and the application of these to solve unknown crystal structures.     

A possibility of parallel and anti-parallel diffraction measurements on neutron diffractometer employing bent perfect crystal monochromator at the monochromatic focusing condition

In a conventional diffractometer having single monochromator, only one position, parallel position, is used for the diffraction experiment (i.e. detection) because the resolution property of the other one, anti-parallel position, is very poor. However, a bent perfect crystal (BPC) monochromator at monochromatic focusing condition can provide a quite flat and equal resolution property at both parallel and anti-parallel positions and thus one can have a chance to use both sides for the diffraction experiment. From the data of the FWHM and the Δd/d measured on three diffraction geometries (symmetric, asymmetric compression and asymmetric expansion), we can conclude that the simultaneous diffraction measurement in both parallel and anti-parallel positions can be achieved.