Synchrotron-based high-pressure research in materials science
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Introduction The physical properties of materials are affected mainly by pressure, temperature, and composition. Pressures in nature span a wide range (Figure 1), from as low as 10–15 Pa in interstellar space, to as high as 1025 Pa at the center of white dwarf stars.1 High-pressure science has been an important part of human knowledge since ancient times; however, it did not advance much until the advent of modern pressure devices. Vacuum techniques push the lower limits of attainable pressure, while on the upper end, diamond anvil cells (DACs), gas guns, and laser shock systems can generate pressures that are comparable to pressures at the center of a planet (Figure 1), enabling laboratory investigations of the physical properties of materials under various pressure conditions. In recent decades, high-pressure research advanced rapidly with the development of pressure devices,2,3 calibration, and various property-probing techniques.4,5 The most popular and versatile pressure device is the DAC.2,3A sample is trapped between tiny flat faces (culet faces) of two opposing diamonds. A modest force applied across the wide “table” face of the diamond generates tremendous pressure on the sample through the “culet” face. The biggest advantage of a DAC is that diamond anvils are great optical probing windows, in addition to generating pressure. The disadvantage is that the sample size for DACs cannot be large (
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