High-Pressure Raman Study of Zincblende,Cinnabar, and Cmcm Phases Of ZnTe

Raman measurements of ZnTe have been performed at pressures up to 15 GPa. Frequencies, line widths, and intensities of first- and second-order Raman features of the zincblende phase (0-9.5 GPa) were studied in detail. In this note, we focus on the Raman spectra of the high-pressure cinnabar and Cmcm phases. In the transition regime from cinnabar to Cmcm (12.2 to 13.7 GPa) the Raman data indicate the possible existence of a new intermediate high-pressure phase.     

A high pressure Raman study of terbium molybdate

Abstract

Tb₂(MoO₄)₃ has been studied by Raman spectroscopy under hydrostatic pressure up to 9 GPa at room temperature. The measurements reveal two phase transitions, one at around 2 GPa and another one above 5 GPa. The first phase transition is associated with an increase in the coordination number of Mo while the second is probably a transition to an amorphous phase in which only a wide band originating from Mo-O vibrations remains. This behaviour is irreversible as the Raman spectrum of the initial structure is not recovered at atmospheric pressure.     

Pressure and photo-induced phase transitions in sulphur investigated by Raman spectroscopy

Abstract

The phase transition of orthorhombic sulphur α-S₈ to a high pressure amorphous sulphur allotrope (a-S) has been investigated by Raman spectroscopy. The conversion is found to be induced by the absorption of laser light and can be discussed in terms of ring opening followed by cis-trans conversion of the dihedral angle of S₈ molecules. Laser energy and transition pressure are correlated due to the pressure tuned red shift of the absorption edge of α-S₈. The amorphous (a-S) phase is observed up to 15 GPa at laser intensities below 30μW/μm² at 514.5 and 488.0 nm. Above this threshold power a-S transforms into a second photo-induced phase (p-S), whose discrete Raman spectrum implies an ordered molecular and crystalline structure. By further increasing pressure crystalline S₆ can be created which is found to be the dominant molecular species at pressures above 10 GPa and low temperatures. A phase diagram in the range T < 300 K and p < 15 GPa is also presented.     

Xanes and raman spectroscopy under pressure of bromobenzene

Abstract

The behaviour of bromobenzene (BBe) compressed in a diamond anvill cell up to 30 GPa was studied by XANES and Raman spectroscopy. The liquid-solid transition and a solid-solid transition were observed at 0.9 GPa and 9 GPa respectively. Above 24 GPa, an irreversible transformation occurs to a solid orange-yellow compound which can be recovered at zero pressure. The polymerization mechanism, in connection with the occurence of Br-bonded Sp² and Sp³ carbons in the solid compound, is discussed.     

Pressure-Effect on Anatase Titanium Dioxide

Pressure-induced phase transition of anatase titanium dioxide was investigated by Raman, absorption spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The change in Raman and absorption spectra with pressure revealed that the transition from anatase to high pressure phase with f -PbO 2 structure (TiO 2 -II) occurred in the pressure range of 4.0-4.6 GPa for a single crystal. The X-ray powder diffraction patterns indicate the presence of superstructural lattice of anatase at pressures more than 3 GPa. The superstructure of anatase disappears on the release of the pressure. A sluggish transition to the high pressure phase is also observed. The anatase coexists with the high pressure phase at 5.2 GPa. The difference in the results between optical spectroscopy (single crystal) and X-ray diffraction (powder) will be due to crystalinity of the sample.     

Pressure Induced Phase Transition in Solid Oxygen at 1.8 K

Pressure dependence of Raman scattering in solid oxygen was studied at 1.8 K. When the f phase is compressed, two libron peaks that, increasing pressure, merge smoothly with those of the l phase at 8 GPa are observed around 5 GPa, besides the libron peaks due to the f phase. Furthermore, unknown Raman peaks are also observed at 5-9 GPa. Coexistence of these Raman peaks indicates that the pressure region from 5 to 9 GPa at low temperature does not correspond to a single phase but complicated mixed ones including f and l components.     

Photo-and pressure-induced transformations in the linear orthorhombic polymer of C<Subscript>60</Subscript>

Stability of the linear orthorhombic polymer of C₆₀ under pressure and laser irradiation is studied by Raman scattering and X-ray diffraction measurements. The Raman spectrum at ambient pressure remains unchanged, in the time scale of the experiment, up to an intensity of 3200 W/cm² of the 514.5 nm line of an Ar⁺ laser, but irreversible changes are observed at higher intensities. The Raman spectra recorded at increased pressure show similar irreversible changes even at the laser intensity as low as 470 W/cm². The X-ray diffraction and Raman measurements of the pressure-treated samples, performed after pressure release, show that the nonirradiated material does not exhibit any changes in the crystal structure and phonon spectra. This behavior indicates a pressure-enhanced photo-induced transformation to a new polymeric phase characterized by a Raman spectrum that differs from those of the other known polymeric phases of C₆₀. The Raman spectra of the phototransformed linear orthorhombic polymer of C₆₀ were measured at a pressure of up to 29 GPa. The pressure dependence of the Raman mode frequencies show singularities near 4 GPa and 15 GPa, respectively, related to a reversible phase transition and an irreversible transformation to a metastable disordered phase. The diffuse Raman spectrum of the disordered phase does not exhibit substantial changes with an increase in pressure up to 29 GPa. The high-pressure phase transforms to a mixture of pristine and dimerized C₆₀, after pressure release and exposure to ambient conditions for 30 h. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Structural transitions in hydrogen and deuterium at ultrahigh pressures

Abstract

Raman measurements indicate that normal hydrogen and deuterium compressed in a diamond-anvil cell at 77 K undergo phase transformations at 145 (±l5) GPa and 190 (±l20) GPa, respectively. The new observations reported for deuterium indicate that the transition in both isotopes is a structural change not associated with a simple rotational ordering mechanism. The possibility of a structural transition driven by band-gap closure is discussed.     

Dynamics of the BiTeI lattice at high pressures

Raman measurements of the phonon spectrum of BiTeI at pressures of up to 20 GPa have been performed. A decrease in the linewidth of E² vibration by almost a factor of 2 with an increase in the pressure to 3 GPa has been detected. The frequencies of all four Raman active modes increase monotonically with the pressure. These lines are observed in spectra up to ～8 GPa. Sharp change in the spectrum occurs at pressures of 8–9 GPa, indicating a transition to the high-pressure phase, which holds up to 20 GPa. This transition is reversible and hardly has any hysteresis. A sample in the high-pressure phase is single crystal.     

High-pressure phases of thorium and uranium compounds with the rocksalt structure

Abstract

The high-pressure crystal structures of the actinide compounds ThX and UX (X= C, N, P, S, As, Se, Sb, Te) have been studied by X-ray diffraction using synchrotron radiation, in the pressure range up to about 60 GPa Distorted fcc structures were observed for UC (27 GPa), UN (29 GPa), UP (10/28 GPa), US (10 GPa) and ThS (20 GPa). No phase transition has been observed for ThC and ThN. Compounds with As, Se, Sb all transform to the CsCl structure. ThP transform to the CsCl structure at 30 GPa. ThTe has the CsCl structure at ambient pressure and no further phase transition has been observed. UTe transforms to the CsCl structure at 9 GPa.     

High pressure study of the 2D polymeric phase of C60 by means of raman spectroscopy

Abstract

The effect of high hydrostatic pressure, up to 12GPa, on the intramolecular phonon frequencies and the material stability of the two-dimensional tetragonal Cm polymer has been studied by means of Raman spectroscopy in the spectral range of the radial intramolecular modes (200-800cm^?1). A number of new Raman modes appear in the spectrum for pressures ～ 1.4 and ～ 5.0 GPa. The pressure coefficients for the majority of the phonon modes exhibit changes to lower values at P=4.0 GPa, which may be related to a structural modification of the 2D polymer to a more isotropic phase. The peculiarities observed in the Raman spectra are reversible and the material is stable in the pressure region investigated.     

Crystal structure of the high pressure phases of bismuth bi iii and bi iii′ by high energy synchrotron x-ray diffraction

Abstract

This paper reports the results of a synchrotron X-ray diffraction study on the crystal structures of Bi 111 and Bi 111′ which have been known to form under high pressure but have, for a long time, been unsolved. Powdered samples were compressed in a cubic-type multi-anvil press, MAXID, and diffraction data were collected using an Imaging Plate with monochromatized radiation of an energy of 49.7 keV. It was possible to identify at 3.8 GPa forty-eight reflections for Bi I11 in the sin θ / δ range from 1.6 nm^?1 to 5.6 nm^?1, which were indexed in terms of a tetragonal unit cell with a=0.8659 nm and c═ O·4238 nm (2=10). Analysis based on the observed intensities of the reflections led to a structure in which atoms form a distorted body-centered cubic lattice. It is of the same type as the structure of the high pressure phase of antimony Sb 11. When pressure was increased across the suggested transition pressure 4.3 GPa between Bi III and Bi III′ to 6.6 GPa, no change in the diffraction pattern was observed, indicating that there is no distinction between the two phases as long as the crystal structure is concerned. Discussion is given on the sequence of high pressure phase transitions in the Group Vb elements.     

Response of high-purity titanium to high-pressure impulsive loading

Abstract

Measurements of free surface velocity profiles of high-purity titanium samples under shock-wave loading were performed to study the dynamic strength and phase transition parameters. The peak pressure of the initial compression waves was within the range of 4 to 40 GPa, and the load duration was vaned between 10^?8 and 10^?6 s. An anomalous structure of shock waves was observed at pressures of ～ 2.0 to 5.0 GPa due to the α-ω phase transition. The dynamic strength of pure titanium is lower than that of titanium alloys but exceeds the spall strength of commercial grade titanium.     

Structural and optical properties of InSe under pressure

Abstract

We have investigated the high pressure behavior of InSe by x-ray powder diffraction and optical measurements. The rhombohedral γ-polytype of InSe (space group R3m) exhibits a strongly anisotropic compressibility characteristic of the layer-type structure. Mode Gruneisen parameters of intralayer modes have been determined by Raman scattering. At 10.3(5) GPa InSe undergoes a phase transition to the rocksalt structure, which remains stable up to at least 30 GPa. Optical reflectivity measurements show the cubic high pressure phase to have metallic character.     

A high pressure Raman study of TeO2 to 30 GPa and pressure-induced phase changes

The effect of pressure on the Raman modes in TeO₂ (paratellurite) has been investigated to 30GPa, using the diamond cell and argon as pressure medium. The pressure dependence of the Raman modes indicates four pressure-induced phase transitions near 1 GPa, 4.5 GPa, 11 GPa and 22 GPa. Of these the first is the well studied second-order transition fromD ₄ ⁴ symmetry toD ₂ ⁴ symmetry, driven by a soft acoustic shear mode instability. The remarkable similarity in the Raman spectra of phases I to IV suggest that only subtle changes in the structure are involved in these phase transitions. The totally different Raman spectral features of phase V indicate major structural changes at the 22GPa transition. It is suggested that this high pressure-phase is similar to PbCl₂-type, from high pressure crystal chemical considerations. The need for a high pressure X-ray diffraction study on TeO₂ is emphasized, to unravel the structure of the various high pressure phases in the system.     

High–pressure electrical conductivity and Raman spectroscopy of chalcanthite

Abstract

The phase transitions and dehydration of chalcanthite were investigated by electrical conductivity and Raman spectroscopy at 1.0–24.0?GPa and 293–673?K in a diamond anvil cell. At ambient temperature, two secondary phase transitions were observed according to discontinuous changes in the slope of Raman shifts, full width at half maximum and electrical conductivities at ～7.3 and ～10.3?GPa. The dehydration temperatures were determined by the splitting of Raman peaks and changes in electrical conductivity as ～350 and ～500?K at respective ～3.0 and ～6.0?GPa. A positive relationship for chalcanthite between dehydration temperature and pressure is established.     

Raman phonon spectra and lattice dynamics of 9,10-dinitroanthracene under pressure

Abstract

Raman phonon spectra of 9, 10-dinitroanthracene have been recorded in the pressure range 0-6GPa. No phase transition is detected up to the maximum pressure studied. Quasi Harmonic Lattice Dynamics calculations, based on an atom-atom potential previously modeled on homologous 9,10-disubstituted anthracenes, have been performed. The optimized potential was used to calculate the equilibrium geometry and the lattice phonon frequencies as a function of pressure. The calculated structure at ambient conditions closely resembles the experimental one. The calculated phonon frequencies show a good agreement with the experimental values at all pressures measured.     

A pressure induced phase transition in pyroxene

Abstract

Two monoclinic pyroxenes of composition Ca(Fe,Mg)Si₂O₆ were studied up to 10 GPa using X-ray powder diffraction and ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauerspectroscopy. The results are indicative of a phase transition at 4 GPa.     

The hydrogen‐bond effect on the high pressure behavior of hydrazinium monochloride

The first high pressure study of solid hydrazinium monochloride has been performed by in situ Raman spectroscopy and synchrotron X‐ray diffraction (XRD) experiments in diamond anvil cell (DAC) up to 39.5 and 24.6 GPa, respectively. The structure of phase I at room temperature is confirmed to be space group C2/c by the Raman spectral analysis and Rietveld refinement of the XRD pattern. A structural transition from phase I to II is observed at 7.3 GPa. Pressure‐induced position variation of hydrogen atoms in NH₃⁺ unit during the phase transition is attributed to the formation of N―H…Cl hydrogen‐bonds, which play a vital role in the stability and subsequent structural changes of this high energetic material under pressure. This inference is proved from the abnormal pressure shifts and obvious Fermi resonance in NH stretching mode of N₂H₅⁺ ion in the Raman experiment. Finally, a further transition from phase II to III accompanied with a slight internal distortion in the N₂H₅⁺ ions occurs above 19.8 GPa, and phase III persists up to 39.5 GPa. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Raman modes of metastable phases of Si and Ge

Abstract

We have measured Raman spectra of metastable phases of Si and Ge prepared in a diamond anvil cell for pressures up to 12 GPa. For Si we observe eight Raman lines with mode Grüneisen parameters varying between -0.3 and 1.5. These lines can be assigned to the zone-center phonons of the cubic BC8-structure (Z = 8) by assuming a violation of Raman selection rules presumably due to disorder. In the case or Ge we observe two phases with different Raman spectra. The spectrum of the first phase is strikingly similar to that of BC8-Si. Below about 5 GPa this phase transforms into a second phase, which can be identified as Ge in the hexagonal diamond structure.