Experimental melting curve of zirconium metal to 37 GPa.

In this report, we present results of high-pressure experiments probing the melt line of zirconium (Zr) up to 37 GPa. This investigation has determined that temperature versus laser power curves provide an accurate method to determine melt temperatures. When this information is combined with the onset of diffuse scattering, which is associated with the melt process, we demonstrate the ability to accurately determine the melt boundary. This presents a reliable method for rapid determination of melt boundary and agrees well with other established techniques for such measurements, as reported in previous works on Zr.

High-pressure cell for neutron diffraction with in situ pressure control at cryogenic temperatures.

Pressure generation at cryogenic temperatures presents a problem for a wide array of experimental techniques, particularly neutron studies due to the volume of sample required. We present a novel, compact pressure cell with a large sample volume in which load is generated by a bellow. Using a supply of helium gas up to a pressure of 350 bar, a load of up to 78 kN is generated with leak-free operation. In addition, special fiber ports added to the cryogenic center stick allow for in situ pressure determination using the ruby pressure standard. Mechanical stability was assessed using finite element analysis and the dimensions of the cell have been optimized for use with standard cryogenic equipment. Load testing and on-line experiments using NaCl and BiNiO3 have been done at the WISH instrument of the ISIS pulsed neutron source to verify performance.

Sound velocities of PbTe to 14 GPa: evidence for coupling between acoustic and optic phonons.

Sound velocities of PbTe have been determined to 14 GPa using an ultrasonic interferometric method, which allowed for a detailed investigation of the characteristic variations of P and S wave velocities across the phase transitions from Fm3¯m (B1) to the orthorhombic Pbnm to Pm3¯m (B2). Elastic bulk and shear moduli and their pressure derivatives have been determined by fitting the measured velocities using a finite-strain approach. Based on the measured velocities and Debye theory, an estimate is made of the acoustic phonon contribution to the thermal conductivity, considering inter-phonon interactions only. By combining this result with previous determinations of the thermal conductivity due to electrons, the combination was found to have a significantly lower value than the previously determined total thermal conductivity. This is interpreted as evidence for coupling between the low-lying transverse optic (TO) and longitudinal acoustic (LA) modes, allowing the transfer of thermal energy from the acoustic to the optic modes. Possible explanations are discussed in the paper.