0000000000013112
AUTHOR
Srungarpu N. Achary
High-pressure study of ScVO4by Raman scattering andab initiocalculations
We report results of experimental and theoretical lattice-dynamics studies on scandium orthovanadate up to 35 GPa. Raman-active modes of the low-pressure zircon phase are measured up to 8.2 GPa, where the onset of an irreversible zircon-to-scheelite phase transition is detected. Raman-active modes in the scheelite structure are observed up to 16.5 GPa. Beyond 18.2 GPa we detected a gradual splitting of the ${E}_{g}$ modes of the scheelite phase, indicating the onset of a second phase transition. Raman symmetries, frequencies, and pressure coefficients in the three phases of ScVO${}_{4}$ are discussed in the light of ab initio lattice-dynamics calculations that support the experimental resul…
High pressure phase transitions in NdVO4
Raman-scattering measurements on NdVO4 suggest a pressure-induced zircon to monazite phase transition beyond 5.9 GPa. The monazite phase undergoes a second phase transition to a yet unknown phase at 18.1 GPa. Lattice-dynamics calculations well support the experimental findings and predict a possible orthorhombic structure for the post-monazite structure of NdVO4.
Structural and Vibrational Properties of Corundum-type In2O3 Nanocrystals under Compression
[EN] This work reports the structural and vibrational properties of nanocrystals of corundum-type In2O3 (rh-In2O3) at high pressures by using angle-dispersive x-ray diffraction and Raman scattering measurements up to 30 GPa. The equation of state and the pressure dependence of the Raman-active modes of the corundum phase in nanocrystals are in good agreement with previous studies on bulk material and theoretical simulations on bulk rh-In2O3. Nanocrystalline rh-In2O3 showed stability under compression at least up to 20 GPa, unlike bulk rh-In2O3 which gradually transforms to the orthorhombic Pbca (Rh2O3-III-type) structure above 12 14 GPa. The different stability range found in nanocrystallin…
Pressure-induced chemical decomposition of copper orthovanadate (α-Cu3V2O8)
The high pressure stability of α-Cu3V2O8 has been investigated via complementary high pressure synchrotron X-ray diffraction experiments and theoretical density functional theory calculations. The results of both experiment and theory are in close agreement. The main result of this work is that α-Cu3V2O8 undergoes a pressure-induced chemical decomposition into CuO and V2O5 at a modest pressure of ∼1.35 GPa according to the experimental observations, and at ∼2.45 GPa according to the calculations. The decomposition is investigated with enthalpy calculations and one of the main driving factors is the stability of the octhedral oxygen-coordination of the metal atoms in the decompositon product…
In situ high-pressure synchrotron X-ray diffraction study of the structural stability in NdVO4 and LaVO4
Abstract Room-temperature angle-dispersive X-ray diffraction measurements on zircon-type NdVO 4 and monazite-type LaVO 4 were performed in a diamond-anvil cell up to 12 GPa. In NdVO 4 , we found evidence for a non-reversible pressure-induced structural phase transition from zircon to a monazite-type structure at 6.5 GPa. Monazite-type LaVO 4 also exhibits a phase transition but at 8.6 GPa. In this case the transition is reversible and isomorphic. In both compounds the pressure induced transitions involve a large volume collapse. Finally, the equations of state and axial compressibilities for the low-pressure phases are also determined.
High-pressure structural and vibrational properties of monazite-type BiPO4, LaPO4, CePO4, and PrPO4
[EN] Monazite-type BiPO4, LaPO4, CePO4, and PrPO4 have been studied under high pressure by ab initio simulations and Raman spectroscopy measurements in the pressure range of stability of the monazite structure. A good agreement between experimental and theoretical Raman-active mode frequencies and pressure coefficients has been found which has allowed us to discuss the nature of the Raman-active modes. Besides, calculations have provided us with information on how the crystal structure is modified by pressure. This information has allowed us to determine the equation of state and the isothermal compressibility tensor of the four studied compounds. In addition, the information obtained on th…
Phase transition systematics in BiVO4 by means of high-pressure–high-temperature Raman experiments
We report here high-pressure--high-temperature Raman experiments performed on ${\text{BiVO}}_{4}$. We characterized the fergusonite and scheelite phases (powder and single crystal samples) and the zircon polymorph (nanopowder). The experimental results are supported by ab initio calculations, which, in addition, provide the vibrational patterns. The temperature and pressure behavior of the fergusonite lattice modes reflects the distortions associated with the ferroelastic instability. The linear coefficients of the zircon phase are in sharp contrast to the behavior observed in the fergusonite phase. The boundary of the fergusonite-to-scheelite second-order phase transition is given by ${T}_…
Structural Characterization of Aurophilic Gold(I) Iodide under High Pressure
[EN] The effects of pressure on the crystal structure of aurophilic tetragonal gold iodide have been studied by means of powder X-ray diffraction up to 13.5 GPa. We found evidence of the onset of a phase transition at 1.5 GPa that is more significant from 3.8 GPa. The low- and high-pressure phases coexist up to 10.7 GPa. Beyond 10.7 GPa, an irreversible process of amorphization takes place. We determined the axial and bulk compressibility of the ambient-pressure tetragonal phase of gold iodide up to 3.3 GPa. This is extremely compressible with a bulk modulus of 18.1(8) GPa, being as soft as a rare gas, molecular solids, or organometallic compounds. Moreover, its response to pressure is anis…
Comparative study of the high-pressure behavior of ZnV2O6, Zn2V2O7, and Zn3V2O8
We report a study of the high-pressure structural behavior of ZnV2O6, Zn2V2O2, and Zn3V2O8, which has been explored by means of synchrotron powder x-ray diffraction. We found that ZnV2O6 and Zn3V2O8 remain in the ambient-pressure structure up to 15 GPa. In contrast, in the same pressure range, Zn2V2O2 undergoes three phase transitions at 0.7, 3.0, and 10.8 GPa, respectively. Possible crystal structures for the first and second high-pressure phases are proposed. Reasons for the distinctive behavior of Zn2V2O2 are discussed. The compressibility of the different polymorphs has been determined. The response to pressure is found to be anisotropic in all the considered compounds and the room-temp…
Experimental evidence for pressure-driven isostructural and symmetry-breaking phase transitions on Bi14CrO24
Abstract We performed in situ X-ray diffraction experiments on Bi 14 CrO 24 under pressure up to 17.4 GPa. We discovered two reversible phase transitions that take place at 7.3 and 12.1 GPa. The first transition is isostructural and the second-transition involves a tetragonal-monoclinic symmetry reduction. Both transitions involve a small volume collapse indicating that they have a first-order character. For the three observed phases we determined a P – V equation of state. All of them are highly compressible having bulk moduli that range from 64 to 70 GPa. We also determined the axial compressibilities for difference phases, being the response of the structures to pressure anisotropic. Thi…
High-pressure x-ray diffraction study of CdMoO4 and EuMoO4
International audience; We studied the effects of high pressure on the crystalline structure of scheelite-type CdMoO4 and EuMoO4. We found that the compressibility of the materials is highly nonisotropic, with the c-axis being the most compressible one. We also observed clear evidence of a structural phase transition at 12 GPa (CdMoO4) and 8.8 GPa (EuMoO4). The high-pressure phase has a monoclinic structure similar to M-fergusonite. The transition is reversible, and no volume change is detected between the low- and high-pressure phases. The results contradict early x-ray diffraction studies carried out in CdMoO4 and are compared with those obtained previously in isomorphic molybdates. Final…
High-pressure polymorphs of TbVO4: A Raman and ab initio study
Raman measurements on TbVO4 show the occurrence of three pressure-induced phase transitions. The first one, an irreversible transition from the zircon to the scheelite structure, occurs beyond 6.7 GPa. In addition, two reversible transformations take place at 26.7 and 34.4 GPa. The last transition was never reported before. The experimental findings are supported by structural and lattice-dynamics calculations that helped us to identify the post-scheelite phase as a monoclinic fergusonite structure. According to the calculations, the third transition involves a symmetry increase. An orthorhombic structure is proposed for the phase found above 34.4 GPa. The results have been compared with pr…
High-pressure lattice-dynamics of NdVO4
High-pressure Raman-scattering measurements and ab initio calculations on NdVO4 have been carried out up to 30 GPa. Our combined experimental and theoretical study confirms that beyond 5.9 GPa NdVO4 undergoes an irreversible zircon to monazite transition. The coexistence of zircon and monazite phases is experimentally observed up to ~8 GPa (which agrees with the theoretical transition pressure), stabilizing the monazite phase as a single phase around 10 GPa. Calculations additionally predict the existence of a second high-pressure phase transition at 12.4 GPa. This reversible phase transition has been experimentally observed beyond 18.1 GPa and remains stable up to 30 GPa. The post-monazite…
High-pressure structural investigation of several zircon-type orthovanadates
Room temperature angle-dispersive x-ray diffraction measurements on zircon-type EuVO4, LuVO4, and ScVO4 were performed up to 27 GPa. In the three compounds we found evidence of a pressure-induced structural phase transformation from zircon to a scheelite-type structure. The onset of the transition is near 8 GPa, but the transition is sluggish and the low- and high-pressure phases coexist in a pressure range of about 10 GPa. In EuVO4 and LuVO4 a second transition to a M-fergusonite-type phase was found near 21 GPa. The equations of state for the zircon and scheelite phases are also determined. Among the three studied compounds, we found that ScVO4 is less compressible than EuVO4 and LuVO4, b…
Polymorphism of praseodymium orthovanadate under high pressure
Zircon-type $\mathrm{PrV}{\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ has been studied at high pressures and room temperature by means of synchrotron powder x-ray diffraction. At room temperature, we observed the previously known zircon-to-monazite phase transition at 5.5(4) GPa and a second phase transition from monazite to a monoclinic structure at 12.7(8) GPa, which we identified as a $\mathrm{PbW}{\mathrm{O}}_{4}$-III-type phase. This conclusion is supported by our ab initio calculations, which also predict a scheelite-type phase to be stable at high pressure. Motivated by this finding, we subjected zircon-type $\mathrm{PrV}{\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ samples to high pressure (7 GPa) and temperature (600, 800, and 1000 \if…
High-pressure polymorphs of gadolinium orthovanadate: X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and ab initio calculations
We present a study of the different high-pressure polymorphs of $\mathrm{GdV}{\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ and its stability. Powder x-ray diffraction and Raman experiments show a phase transition from a zircon- to a scheelite-type structure taking place at 6.8(4) GPa. Ab initio density functional theory calculations support this conclusion. The equations of state of these two phases are reported. In addition, we studied the pressure evolution of the Raman modes for the zircon and scheelite phases, showing good agreement between calculations and experiments. For the sake of completeness, we performed optical-absorption measurements up to 16 GPa, showing a band-gap collapse at the transition point. Beyo…
Lattice dynamics of zircon-type NdVO4 and scheelite-type PrVO4 under high-pressure
Abstract Zircon-type NdVO4 and scheelite-type PrVO4 have been studied by means of Raman spectroscopy up to approximately 20 GPa. In the first compound, zircon-scheelite and scheelite-fergusonite phase transitions are reported at 6.4(3) and 19.6(4) GPa, respectively. In the case of scheelite-type PrVO4, a reversible phase transition to a PbWO4-III structure is observed at 16.8(5) GPa. In both cases, a scheelite-type structure is recovered in a metastable state at low pressures. The pressure evolution of the Raman modes is also reported. Our experimental findings are supported by ab initio calculations, which allowed us to discuss the role of mechanic and dynamical instabilities in the phase …
Zircon to monazite phase transition in CeVO4: X-ray diffraction and Raman-scattering measurements
X-ray diffraction and Raman-scattering measurements on cerium vanadate have been performed up to 12 and 16 GPa, respectively. Experiments reveal at 5.3 GPa the onset of a pressure-induced irreversible phase transition from the zircon to the monazite structure. Beyond this pressure, diffraction peaks and Raman-active modes of the monazite phase are measured. The zircon-to-monazite transition in CeVO4 is distinctive among the other rare-earth orthovanadates. We also observed softening of external translational T(Eg )a nd internalν2(B2g) bending modes. We attribute it to mechanical instabilities of zircon phase against the pressure-induced distortion. We additionally report lattice-dynamical a…