Synthetic diamonds for multimegabar pressures in the diamond anvil cell

Abstract

Synthetic Type 1b yellow diamonds containing nitrogen in substitutional form and with extremely low birefringence were used as anvils for ultra high pressures in the diamond anvil cell. Pressures were measured by the ruby fluorescence technique to above 200 GPa. Using x-ray diffraction the maximum pressure was 210 GPa, while an x-ray based pressure of 245 GPa was achieved with natural diamonds with a somewhat more optimal geometry. Nitrogen platelets appear to be not essential for exceeding 200 GPa. The optical properties of synthetic diamond at ambient and megabar stresses will be discussed.