No abstract

High pressure superconductivity in iron-based superconductor FeSe(0.5)Te(0.5) has been studied up to 15 GPa and 10 K using an eight probe designer diamond anvil in a diamond anvil cell device. Four probe electrical resistance measurements show the onset of superconductivity (T(c)) at 14 K at ambient pressure with T(c) increasing with increasing pressure to 19 K at a pressure of 3.6 GPa. At higher pressures beyond 3.6 GPa, T(c) decreases and extrapolation suggests non-superconducting behavior above 10 GPa. The loss of superconductivity coincides with the pressure induced disordering of the Fe(SeTe)(4) tetrahedra reported at 11 GPa in x-ray diffraction studies at ambient temperature.

High-pressure studies have been performed on heavy rare earth metals Terbium (Tb) to 155 GPa and Holmium (Ho) to 134 GPa in a diamond anvil cell at room temperature. The following crystal structure sequence was observed in both metals hcpThe last transformation to a low symmetry monoclinic phase is accompanied by a volume collapse of 5 % for Tb at 51 GPa and a volume collapse of 3 % for Ho at 103 GPa. This volume collapse under high pressure is reminiscent of f-shell delocalization in light rare earth metal Cerium (Ce), Praseodymium (Pr), and heavy actinide metals Americium (Am) and Curium (Cm). The orthorhombic Pnma phase that has been reported in Am and Cm after f-shell delocalization is not observed in heavy rare earth metals under high pressures.

No abstract

In this study, we report low temperature x-ray diffraction studies combined with electrical resistance measurements on single crystals of iron-based layered superconductor FeSe to a temperature of 10 K and a pressure of 44 GPa. The low temperature high pressure x-ray diffraction studies were performed using a synchrotron source and superconductivity at high pressure was studied using designer diamond anvils. At ambient temperature, the FeSe sample shows a phase transformation from a PbO-type tetragonal phase to a NiAs-type hexagonal phase at 10 ± 2 GPa. On cooling, a structural distortion from a PbO-type tetragonal phase to an orthorhombic Cmma phase is observed below 100 K. At a low temperature of 10 K, compression of the orthorhombic Cmma phase results in a gradual transformation to an amorphous phase above 15 GPa. The transformation to the amorphous phase is completed by 40 GPa at 10 K. A loss of superconductivity is observed in the amorphous phase and a dramatic change in the temperature behavior of electrical resistance indicates formation of a semiconducting state at high pressures and low temperatures. The formation of the amorphous phase is attributed to a kinetic hindrance to the growth of a hexagonal NiAs phase under high pressures and low temperatures.

High-pressure x-ray diffraction studies have been carried out on the two group IV transition metals-based bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) Zr57Cu15.4Ni12.6Al10Nb5 and Ti42Zr24Cu15.5Ni14.5Be4 to a pressure of 30 GPa at ambient temperature in a diamond anvil cell. Image plate x-ray diffraction studies under high pressure were carried out at a synchrotron source and the two BMG diffraction bands can be followed to the highest pressure using an internal copper pressure standard. The amorphous phase is observed to be stable to the highest static pressure of 30 GPa suggesting that the phase change observed in dynamical pressure experiments is related to an increase in temperature. The measured bulk modulus (B0) and its pressure derivative (B′) are 118 GPa and 3.11 for Zr-based BMG and 116 GPa and 2.84 for Ti-based BMG. The measured bulk modulus for BMG’s by x-ray diffraction technique is consistent with the ultrasonic measurements. The decompression data reveal an increase in density by 3%–4% at ambient condition after pressure cycling to 30 GPa indicating reduction in excess free volume.

No abstract

No abstract