Author: Julio Pellicer-porres

Stability of the fergusonite phase in GdNbO 4 by high pressure XRD and Raman experiments

Abstract We describe the results of high pressure x-ray diffraction and Raman measurements on gadolinium orthoniobate. The ambient pressure monoclinic fergusonite phase remains stable in a remarkable large pressure range. There is no significative evolution of the monoclinic distortion up to 25 GPa , the maximum pressure achieved. Instead, the anisotropic compressibility is associated to the stiffness of NbO 4 tetrahedra in respect to the GdO 8 polyhedra. The high pressure evolution of external modes parallels the wavenumber dependence on ionic radius along the lanthanide series. The chemical pressure analogy is attributed to the compression of GdO 8 polyhedra. There is no evidence of any p…

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Lattice dynamics of CuAlO2 under high pressure fromab initio calculations

The density functional perturbation theory is employed to study the vibrational properties of CuAlO 2 under pressure. The calculations are preformed using the pseudopotential wave method and the local density approximation for the exchange-correlation (XC) potential. The d electrons of Cu are treated as valence states. We present the phonon dispersion curves. Our results are in good agreement with the available experimental Raman scattering experiments. Ab initio calculations show the presence of a dynamical instability, possibly related with the experimentally observed phase transition.

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ChemInform Abstract: New Polymorph of InVO4: A High-Pressure Structure with Six-Coordinated Vanadium.

High-pressure XRD and Raman spectroscopy on orthorhombic InVO4 (space group Cmcm, Z = 4) reveal the existence of a new wolframite-type polymorph of InVO4 near 7 GPa.

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Effect of High Pressure on the Crystal Structure and Vibrational Properties of Olivine-Type LiNiPO4

In this work, we present an experimental and theoretical study of the effects of high pressure and high temperature on the structural properties of olivine-type LiNiPO4. This compound is part of an interesting class of materials primarily studied for their potential use as electrodes in lithium-ion batteries. We found that the original olivine structure (α-phase) is stable up to ∼40 GPa. Above this pressure, the onset of a new phase is observed, as put in evidence by the X-ray diffraction (XRD) experiments. The structural refinement shows that the new phase (known as β-phase) belongs to space group Cmcm. At room temperature, the two phases coexist at least up to 50 GPa. A complete conversio…

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The Evolution of the Celsius and Kelvin Temperature Scales and the State of the Art

A physical analysis is given of the evolution undergone by the Celsius and Kelvin temperature scales, from their definition to the present day. It is shown that in the temperature interval between ...

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Phase Transitions of BiVO4 under High Pressure and High Temperature

We have studied the occurrence of phase transitions in two polymorphs of BiVO4 under high-pressure and high-temperature conditions by means of X-ray diffraction measurements. The fergusonite polymorph undergoes a phase transition at 1.5(1) GPa and room temperature into a tetragonal scheelite-type structure. The same transition takes place at 523(1) K and ambient pressure. A second phase transition takes place at room temperature under compression at 16(1) GPa. The transition is from the tetragonal scheelite structure to a monoclinic structure (space group P21/c). All observed phase transitions are reversible. The zircon polymorph counterpart also transforms under compression into the scheel…

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Single crystal EXAFS at high pressure

Abstract We present a new technique for structure characterization under high pressure conditions. The use of an undulator beam of the third-generation ESRF source of synchrotron radiation has enabled the first single crystal EXAFS experiments at high pressure using a diamond anvil cell as pressure generator. Taking advantage of the linear polarization of X-rays the technique becomes an orientation-selective probe of the local structure of materials. We describe the principle of the technique and some applications.

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Monoclinic-tetragonal-monoclinic phase transitions in Eu0.1Bi0.9VO4 under pressure

The promising technological material Eu0.1Bi0.9VO4, has been studied for the first time at room-temperature under high-pressure, up to 24.9 GPa, by means of in situ angle dispersive powder x-ray diffraction (XRD). The compound undergoes two phase transitions at 1.9 and 16.1 GPa. The first transition is from the monoclinic fergusonite-type structure (space group I2/a) to a tetragonal scheelite-type structure (space group I41/a), being a ferroelastic-paraelastic transformation similar to that previously reported for isomorphic pristine BiVO4. The second phase transition is first-order in nature. The scheelite-type and the second high-pressure phase coexist in a wide pressure range. A monoclin…

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Electronic structure of CuAlO2 and CuScO2 delafossites under pressure

The electronic structure of CuAlO 2 and CuScO 2 delafossites is investigated by means of optical absorption measurements under pressure and ab initio band structure calculations. Measurements are carried out on CuAlO 2 monocrystals and pulsed laser deposited CuAlO 2 and CuScO 2 thin films up to 20 GPa. CuAlO 2 is an indirect semiconductor that is stable in the pressure range explored here. The pressure coefficients of the indirect and direct gaps are found to be 15 meV/GPa and 2 meV/GPa respectively. CuScO 2 is a direct semiconductor and the pressure coefficient of the excitonic peak energy is -5.5 meV/GPa. Two reversible phase transitions are observed in CuScO 2 . At 13 GPa the delafossite…

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Monazite-type SrCrO4 under compression

We report a high-pressure study of monoclinic monazite-type SrCrO4 up to 26 GPa. Therein we combined x-ray diffraction, Raman and optical-absorption measurements with ab initio calculations, to find a pressure-induced structural phase transition of SrCrO4 near 8-9 GPa. Evidence of a second phase transition was observed at 10-13 GPa. The crystal structures of the high-pressure phases were assigned to the tetragonal scheelite-type and monoclinic AgMnO4-type structures. Both transitions produce drastic changes in the electronic band gap and phonon spectrum of SrCrO4. We determined the pressure evolution of the band gap for the low-pressure and high-pressure phases as well as the frequencies an…

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ChemInform Abstract: Pressure-Induced Transformations in PrVO4and SmVO4and Isolation of High-Pressure Metastable Phases.

High-pressure phases of PrVO4 and SmVO4 are synthesized from the zircon-structured compounds at 12 GPa and room temperature (24 h).

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Exploring the Chemical Reactivity between Carbon Dioxide and Three Transition Metals (Au, Pt, and Re) at High-Pressure, High-Temperature Conditions

The role of carbon dioxide, CO2, as oxidizing agent at high pressures and temperatures is evaluated by studying its chemical reactivity with three transition metals: Au, Pt, and Re. We report systematic X-ray diffraction measurements up to 48 GPa and 2400 K using synchrotron radiation and laser-heating diamond-anvil cells. No evidence of reaction was found in Au and Pt samples in this pressure–temperature range. In the Re + CO2 system, however, a strongly–driven redox reaction occurs at P > 8 GPa and T > 1500 K, and orthorhombic β-ReO2 is formed. This rhenium oxide phase is stable at least up to 48 GPa and 2400 K and was recovered at ambient conditions. Raman spectroscopy data confirm graph…

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Investigation of lattice dynamical and dielectric properties of MgO under high pressure by means of mid- and far-infrared spectroscopy.

We investigate the lattice dynamical and dielectric properties of MgO single crystals and powders by measurements in the mid- and far-infrared frequency region under high pressures, ranging up to 21.7 GPa. The shift of the restrahlen region is used to determine the pressure dependence of the transverse and longitudinal optical modes. The analysis of the refractive index in the mid- and far-infrared region allowed us to obtain the pressure behavior of the static and electronic dielectric constants. The transverse effective charge slowly decreases under high pressure, reflecting the stability of MgO. As a consequence, the pressure dependence of the static and electronic dielectric constants i…

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Sixfold coordinated phosphorus by oxygen in AlPO4 quartz homeotype under high pressure.

International audience; AlPO4 belongs to the berlinite quartz homeotype family, which has been the subject of intense high pressure research triggered by the supposed existence of reversible pressure induced amorphization. New x-ray diffraction experiments, complemented with ab initio calculations, demonstrate the existence of two high pressure crystalline polymorphs and show that AlPO4 share the same two stage densification mechanism as silica. In first place a compact hexagonal sublattice of oxygen atoms is formed. In a second step the cations redistribute in the interstices giving rise to a monoclinic distorted CaCl2 phase. The most outstanding feature of the new phase is that phosphorou…

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Lattice dynamics study of scheelite tungstates under high pressure I.BaWO4

Room-temperature Raman scattering has been measured in lead tungstate up to 17 GPa. We report the pressure dependence of all the Raman modes of the tetragonal scheelite phase PbWO4-I or stolzite, space group I41 /a, which is stable at ambient conditions. Upon compression the Raman spectrum undergoes significant changes around 6.2 GPa due to the onset of a partial structural phase transition to the monoclinic PbWO4-III phase space group P21 /n. Further changes in the spectrum occur at 7.9 GPa, related to a scheelite-to-fergusonite transition. This transition is observed due to the sluggishness and kinetic hindrance of the I → III transition. Consequently, we found the coexistence of the sche…

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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…

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Infrared study of α–SiO2 single crystal under high pressure

We have measured high pressure α-quartz reflectance spectra in the mid infrared. We used single crystals, taking full profit of polarization. The quality of the spectra allows fitting the reflectance spectra. We have characterized the pressure evolution of E and A2 modes with increased precision, even in the spectral regions where they overlap. In addition, we have determined the TO-LO splitting of each mode. Some of the A2 modes show dramatic pressure variations of the LO-TO splitting, which cannot be explained only by changes in length and ionicity of individual bonds, requiring a new mechanism. We suggest that rotation of the SiO4 tetrahedra plays a fundamental role. We have also determi…

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Tetrahedral versus octahedral Mn site coordination in wurtzite and rocksalt Zn1−xMnxO investigated by means of XAS experiments under high pressure

Abstract We present the results of x-ray absorption measurements carried out in Zn 1− x Mn x O thin films under high pressure. The Mn environment remains essentially the same for nominal Mn concentrations given by x = 0.05 , 0.1, 0.15 and 0.25. Both the XANES (X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure) and EXAFS (Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure) indicate that Mn occupies the Zn site, being surrounded by four oxygen atoms at 2.02±0.01 A. The substitutional hypothesis is reinforced by comparing the differences between the ambient (wurtzite) and high pressure (rocksalt) spectra, which correspond to tetrahedral and octahedral Mn environments.

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Theoretical and experimental study of CaWO4 and SrWO4 under pressure

Abstract In this paper, we combine a theoretical study of the structural phases of CaWO 4 and SrWO 4 under high pressure along with the results of angle-dispersive X-ray diffraction (ADXRD) and X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) measurements of both tungstates up to approximately 20 GPa. The theoretical study was performed within the ab initio framework of the density functional theory (DFT) using a plane-wave basis set and the pseudopotential scheme, with the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) for the exchange and correlation contribution to the energy. Under normal conditions, CaWO 4 and SrWO 4 crystallize in the scheelite structure. Our results show that in a hydrostatic …

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Optical, X-ray absorption and photoelectron spectroscopy investigation of the Co site configuration in Zn1−xCoxO films prepared by pulsed laser deposition

Abstract In this paper, we investigate the Co site configuration in Zn1−xCoxO thin films by means of different spectroscopic techniques. Thin films were prepared by pulsed laser deposition with Co proportion from 1% to 30%. The Co 2p doublet observed in the X-ray photoelectron spectra exhibits the spin–orbit splitting and shake-up satellites typical of Co+2 ionization states. X-ray absorption spectra at the Co K-edge, taken in fluorescence mode, unambiguously show that Co atoms are in tetrahedral configuration substituting for Zn over the whole composition range. Optical absorption spectra provide further evidence of the tetrahedral coordination of Co cations, both through the internal tran…

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Donnan equilibrium of ionic drugs in pH-dependent fixed charge membranes: theoretical modeling.

Abstract We have studied theoretically the partition equilibrium of a cationic drug between an electrolyte solution and a membrane with pH-dependent fixed charges using an extended Donnan formalism. The aqueous solution within the fixed charge membrane is assumed to be in equilibrium with an external aqueous solution containing six ionic species: the cationic drug (DH + ), the salt cations (Na + and Ca 2+ ), the salt anion (Cl − ), and the hydrogen and hydroxide ions. In addition to these mobile species, the membrane solution may also contain four fixed species attached to the membrane chains: strongly acid sulfonic groups (SO 3 − ), weakly acid carboxylic groups in dissociated (COO − ) a…

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Pressure-Induced Polymerization of Polycyclic Arene-Perfluoroarene Cocrystals: Single Crystal X-ray Diffraction Studies, Reaction Kinetics, and Design of Columnar Hydrofluorocarbons

Pressure-induced polymerization of aromatic compounds leads to novel materials containing sp3 carbon-bonded networks. The choice of the molecular species and the control of their arrangement in the crystal structures via intermolecular interactions, such as the arene–perfluoroarene interaction, can enable the design of target polymers. We have investigated the crystal structure compression and pressure-induced polymerization reaction kinetics of two polycyclic 1:1 arene–perfluoroarene cocrystals, naphthalene/octafluoronaphthalene (NOFN) and anthracene/octafluoronaphthalene (AOFN), up to 25 and 30 GPa, respectively, using single-crystal synchrotron X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, a…

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Formation of nanostructures in Eu3+ doped glass-ceramics: an XAS study.

We describe the results of x-ray absorption experiments carried out to deduce structural and chemical information in Eu(3+) doped, transparent, oxyfluoride glass and nanostructured glass-ceramic samples. The spectra were measured at the Pb and Eu-L(III) edges. The Eu environment in the glass samples is observed to be similar to that of EuF(3). Complementary x-ray diffraction experiments show that thermal annealing creates β-PbF(2) type nanocrystals. X-ray absorption indicates that Eu ions act as seeds in the nanocrystal formation. There is evidence of interstitial fluorine atoms around Eu ions as well as Eu dimers. X-ray absorption at the Pb-L(III) edge shows that after the thermal treatmen…

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High-pressure x-ray-absorption study of GaSe

The III-VI layered semiconductor InSe has been studied by high-pressure single crystal x-ray absorption spectroscopy up to a maximum pressure of 14 GPa. The In-Se distance has been measured in both the low- pressure layered phase and the high-pressure NaCl phase. The bond compressibility in the layered phase is lower than the ``a'' crystallographic parameter compressibility, which implies an increase of the angle between the In-Se bond and the layer plane. Under plausible hypothesis, a description of the evolution of the whole structure with pressure is given. In particular, the intralayer distance is observed to increase with increasing pressure. A plausible precursor defect and a simple m…

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Lattice and electronic contributions to the refractive index of CuWO4

We report an investigation of the refractive index dispersion and anisotropy in CuWO4 by means of interference measurements in two extinction directions from mid infrared to the visible region of the energy spectrum. The analysis of the refractive index dispersion yields ϵ(∞) = 4.5(1) for light polarization parallel to the c-axis and ϵ(∞) = 5.3(1) with respect to the other extinction axis. In addition, we report reflectance measurements carried out from the far infrared to the near ultraviolet to study the lattice and electronic contributions to the refractive index of CuWO4. We have determined the wavenumbers of nine infrared active lattice modes and compared them with previous ab initio c…

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Cinnabar phase in ZnSe at high pressure

We have performed an energy-dispersive x-ray-diffraction experiment on ${\mathrm{ZnSe}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Te}}_{x}$ alloys under high pressure with $x=0,$ 0.05, 0.1, and 0.2. In the downstroke a hexagonal phase appears. We suggest that this phase is cinnabar, whose stability range decreases as the Te content is reduced. The analysis of the whole series of compositions enables us to establish its lattice parameters in ZnSe $(a=3.785\AA{}$ and $c=8.844\AA{}$ at 10.5 GPa). The extinction of some diffraction peaks also suggests that the internal parameters u and $v$ are close to 0.5, indicating that the cinnabar phase in ZnSe is similar to that observed in GaAs and ZnTe.

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Structural Behavior of Natural Silicate–Carbonate Spurrite Mineral, Ca5(SiO4)2(CO3), under High-Pressure, High-Temperature Conditions

We report on high-pressure and high-temperature angle-dispersive synchrotron X-ray diffraction and high-pressure Raman data up to 27 GPa and 700 K for natural silicate carbonate Ca5(SiO4)2(CO3) spurrite mineral. No phase transition was found in the studied P–T range. The room-temperature bulk modulus of spurrite using Ne as the pressure-transmitting medium is B0 = 77(1) GPa with a first-pressure derivative of B0′ = 5.9(2). The structure compression is highly anisotropic, the b axis being approximately 30% more compressible than the a and c axes. The volumetric thermal expansivity value around 8 GPa was estimated to be 4.1(3) × 10–5 K–1. A comparison with intimately related minerals CaCO3 ca…

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High-pressure study of the infrared active modes in wurtzite and rocksalt ZnO

International audience; We present a high-pressure study of ZnO carried out in the mid- to far-infrared frequency domain with the aim of characterizing the optic modes of wurtzite and rocksalt ZnO. We obtained the pressure coefficients of the E1(TO), E1(LO), A1(TO), and A1(LO) modes of the low-pressure wurtzite phase and compare them with previous Raman measurements. The optical modes of the high-pressure rocksalt phase are infrared active, so we were able to determine their wave numbers and pressure dependencies. In the wurtzite phase, high pressure induces a slight decrease in both longitudinal and transverse effective charges. The decrease is more pronounced in the rocksalt phase.

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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}_…

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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…

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Investigation of the local structure of As-related acceptor centres in InSe by means of fluorescence-detected XAS

In this paper we report on fluorescence-detected XAS measurements in arsenic-doped p-type indium selenide. Absorption spectra taken at the arsenic K-edge allow for an unambiguous determination of the bond length of the As atoms with their first neighbours that turns out to be 2.56 ± 0.02 A. The XANES spectrum and the bond length (as determined from EXAFS oscillations) exhibit weak anisotropy as the angle between the crystal c-axis and the x-ray polarization vector is changed. These results are fully compatible with the model of a single substitutional acceptor (As in Se site), with no bonds along the c-axis (that would give rise to strong linear dicroism in the XANES spectrum). The In–As bo…

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Phonons of hexagonal BN under pressure: Effects of isotopic composition

Raman scattering experiments on isotopically enriched hexagonal boron nitride have been performed under pressure up to 11 GPa at room temperature. The sublinear increase of the Raman-active E2g mode frequencies has been characterized. The pressure behavior has been analyzed by means of a bond-stiffness–bond-length scaling parameter γ which takes into consideration the vast differences in a- and c-axis compressibilities. The interlayer shear mode exhibits a γ parameter similar to that of graphite, and the mode frequency in isotopically pure samples separates faster at low pressures as a result of van der Waals interactions. Because of the extremely low a-axis compressibility, the intralayer …

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High-pressure phase transitions and compressibility of wolframite-type tungstates

This paper reports an investigation on the phase diagram and compressibility of wolframite-type tungstates by means of x-ray powder diffraction and absorption in a diamond-anvil cell and ab initio calculations. The diffraction experiments show that monoclinic wolframite-type MgWO4 suffers at least two phase transitions, the first one being to a triclinic polymorph with a structure similar to that of CuWO4 and FeMoO4-II. The onset of each transition is detected at 17.1 and 31 GPa. In ZnWO4 the onset of the monoclinic-triclinic transition has been also found at 15.1 GPa. These findings are supported by density-functional theory calculations, which predict the occurrence of additional transiti…

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Refractive index of GaTe under high pressure

In this paper we describe two experiments, in the near- and mid-infrared, designed to investigate the evolution under pressure of the GaTe refractive index for polarization parallel and perpendicular to the crystallographic c-axis (in the layer plane). The refractive index dispersion for both light polarizations has been determined up to 5.5 GPa. It is found that the refractive index increases faster in the direction perpendicular to the c-axis than along the c-axis. To find out the origin of such a difference we used a Phillips-Van Vechten model and arrived at the conclusion that it is due to the different pressure behaviour of the Penn gap for each polarization.

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High pressure EXAFS on GaTe single crystal including polarization

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XRD and XAS structural study of CuAlO2under high pressure

International audience; We present the results of x-ray diffraction and x-ray absorption spectroscopy experiments in CuAlO2 under high pressure. We discuss the polarization dependence of the x-ray absorption near-edge structure at the Cu K-edge. XRD under high pressure evidences anisotropic compression, the a-axis being more compressible than the c-axis. EXAFS yields the copper-oxygen bond length, from which the only internal parameter of the delafossite structure is deduced. The combination of anisotropic compression and the internal parameter decrease results in a regularization of the AlO6 octahedra. The anisotropic compression is related to the chemical trends observed in the lattice pa…

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Electronic structure of p-type ultraviolet-transparent conducting CuScO2 films

Abstract We investigate the electronic structure of CuScO 2 thin films grown on sapphire and mica substrates by pulsed laser deposition. X-ray diffraction and microanalysis confirm that the films have the expected delafossite crystal structure and stoichiometric proportions. The electronic structure is investigated by means of X-ray and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy. Electronic states in the range 0–1350 eV are identified, making reference to theoretical density-of-states calculations up to 80 eV. Photoelectron spectra near the Fermi energy confirm the p-character of the films. Optical absorption spectroscopy shows that the films are transparent up to 3.7 eV and exhibit an intense …

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Phase Stability of Lanthanum Orthovanadate at High Pressure

The journal of physical chemistry / C 120(25), 13749 - 13762(2016). doi:10.1021/acs.jpcc.6b04782

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Determination of the high-pressure crystal structure ofBaWO4andPbWO4

We report the results of both angle-dispersive x-ray diffraction and x-ray absorption near-edge structure studies in $\mathrm{Ba}\mathrm{W}{\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ and $\mathrm{Pb}\mathrm{W}{\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ at pressures of up to $56\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{GPa}$ and $24\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{GPa}$, respectively. $\mathrm{Ba}\mathrm{W}{\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ is found to undergo a pressure-driven phase transition at $7.1\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{GPa}$ from the tetragonal scheelite structure (which is stable under normal conditions) to the monoclinic fergusonite structure whereas the same transition takes place in $\mathrm{Pb}\mathrm{W}{\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ at $9\phantom{\rule{0…

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Pressure-induced phase transition and bandgap collapse in the wide-bandgap semiconductor InTaO4

A pressure-induced phase transition, associated with an increase of the coordination number of In and Ta, is detected beyond 13 GPa in InTaO4 by combining synchrotron x-ray diffraction and Raman measurements in a diamond-anvil cell with ab initio calculations. High-pressure optical-absorption measurements were also carried out. The high-pressure phase has a monoclinic structure that shares the same space group with the low-pressure phase (P2/c). The structure of the high-pressure phase can be considered as a slight distortion of an orthorhombic structure described by space group Pcna. The phase transition occurs together with a unit-cell volume collapse and an electronic band-gap collapse o…

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Structural evolution of theCuGaO2delafossite under high pressure

We have performed pseudopotential calculations and x-ray-diffraction and x-ray-absorption measurements on the ${\mathrm{CuGaO}}_{2}$ delafossite under high pressure. We have completely characterized the structural behavior of the low pressure phase. We have found out that the a axis is more compressible than the c axis, and as a consequence the oxygen octahedra defined by the gallium environment tend to become more regular under high pressure. We have determined the internal parameter describing the oxygen position inside the unit cell, and seen that it is nearly constant when pressure is applied. We have observed an irreversible phase transition affecting the copper environment but not the…

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Pressure effects on the vibrational properties of alpha-Bi2O3: an experimental and theoretical study

We report an experimental and theoretical high-pressure study of the vibrational properties of synthetic monoclinic bismuth oxide (alpha-Bi2O3), also known as mineral bismite. The comparison of Raman scattering measurements and theoretical lattice-dynamics ab initio calculations is key to understanding the complex vibrational properties of bismite. On one hand, calculations help in the symmetry assignment of phonons and to discover the phonon interactions taking place in this low-symmetry compound, which shows considerable phonon anticrossings; and, on the other hand, measurements help to validate the accuracy of first-principles calculations relating to this compound. We have also studied …

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Unveiling the role of the lone electron pair in sesquioxides at high pressure: compressibility of β-Sb2O3

The structural, vibrational and electronic properties of the compressed beta-Sb2O3 polymorph, a.k.a. mineral valentinite, have been investigated in a joint experimental and theoretical study up to 23 GPa. The compressibility of the lattice parameters, unit-cell volume and polyhedral unit volume as well as the behaviour of its Raman- and IR-active modes under compression have been interpreted on the basis of ab initio theoretical simulations. Valentinite shows an unusual compressibility up to 15 GPa with four different pressure ranges, whose critical pressures are 2, 4, and 10 GPa. The pressure dependence of the main structural units, the lack of soft phonons, and the electronic density char…

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Pressure-Driven Isostructural Phase Transition in InNbO4: In Situ Experimental and Theoretical Investigations

[EN] The high-pressure behavior of technologically important visible-light photocatalytic semiconductor In.NbO4, adopting a monoclinic wolframite-type structure at ambient conditions, was investigated using synchrotron-based X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopic measurements, and first-principles calculations. The experimental results indicate the occurrence of a pressure-induced isostructural phase transition in the studied compound beyond 10.8 GPa. The large volume collapse associated with the phase transition and the coexistence of two phases observed over a wide range of pressure shows the nature of transition to be first-order. There is an increase in the oxygen anion coordination num…

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pH and supporting electrolyte concentration effects on the passive transport of cationic and anionic drugs through fixed charge membranes

Abstract The effects of pH and supporting electrolyte concentration on the passive transport of an ionized (cationic or anionic) drug through a thick fixed charge membrane have been theoretically studied. This system constitutes a simplified model for the pH controlled ion transport and drug delivery through membranes of biological and pharmaceutical interest. Calculations were carried out for different values of the membrane fixed charge, supporting electrolyte and drug concentrations covering a broad range of the conditions usually found in experiments. The theoretical approach employed is based on the Nernst–Planck flux equations, and all of the species present in the system (the neutral…

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GaS and InSe equations of state from single crystal diffraction

We have performed single crystal angle dispersive X-ray diffraction at high pressure in order to investigate the GaS and InSe equations of state. We situate the transition from β-GaS to GaS-II at 2 7 0 3. ± . GPa. In the InSe experiment we locate the beginning of the phase transition at 7.6 ± 0.6 GPa. The equations of state of β-GaS ( 0 43 27 0 06V = . ± . Å 3 , 37 2 GPaB = ± , 5 2B = .¢ ), GaS-II ( 0 42 4 0 2V = . ± . Å 3 , 50 3 GPaB = ± and 4 3 0 3B = . ± .¢ ) and γ-InSe ( 0 58 4 0 2V = . ± . Å 3 , 24 3 GPaB = ± and 8 6 0 8B = . ± .¢ ) are discussed and compared with the results of an ab-initio calculation.

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Activity coefficients and Donnan coion exclusion in charged membranes with weak-acid fixed charge groups

Abstract We have studied theoretically the effects that the dissociation equilibrium of weak-acid fixed charge groups (e.g. carboxyl groups) exerts on the mean activity coefficients in charged membranes using a Donnan formalism. The model calculations indicate that unless carbon dioxide is excluded from the external aqueous solution, the pH of the membrane solution can be low enough to affect significantly the effective fixed charge concentration and the coion exclusion when the membrane fixed charge concentration is high compared with the external solution salt concentration. Although this problem was already pointed out in previous studies, the possibility that the pH and salt concentrati…

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Low-cost set-up for Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy in diamond anvil cell from 4000 to 400 cm−1

An experimental set-up for Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) studies at high pressure in the mid-IR region (400–4000 cm−1) is constructed using a compact TEO-400 FTIR interferometer module and an external microscopic optical bench with cassegrain focusing objectives. Cassegrain-type reflective objectives act as an excellent beam condenser that facilitates the interfacing between FTIR spectrometer and diamond anvil cell. This set-up is capable of recording transmission and reflection infrared spectra at high pressure. Preliminary results are reported both in the reflection (pressure dependence of polar phonons in CuWO4) and transmission configuration (polarized light absorption of polar phon…

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Effects of a macroscopic fixed charge inhomogeneity on some membrane transport properties

Abstract The effects that a macroscopic fixed charge inhomogeneity exerts on some membrane transport properties have been theoretically analyzed. To this end, we introduce two particular inhomogeneous fixed charge distributions on the basis of previous experimental work, and the transport equations are assumed to be the Nernst-Planck equations. It is found that a macroscopic redistribution of a constant quantity of fixed charge groups can modify the observed transport properties, the two inhomogeneous membranes here considered exhibiting permselectivities different from those of otherwise identical homogeneous membranes. Although the main emphasis of the study is on the basic aspects of tra…

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High-pressure x-ray absorption study of GaTe including polarization

The evolution of the local structure in GaTe under pressure is studied by x-ray absorption spectroscopy experiments at the Ga K-edge (10.368 keV) on oriented single crystals. Taking advantage of the linearly polarized character of synchrotron radiation, the pressure evolution of both the Ga-Te and the in-plane Ga-Ga bond lengths could be determined, in spite of the small amplitude of the latter. Our measurements show that both distances are much less compressible than what could be inferred from the bulk compressibility, which evidences a strong variation of Ga-Ga-Te and Te-Ga-Te angles under pressure. The Te-Te intralayer distance perpendicular to the layers is observed to increase with in…

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Specific features of the electronic structure of III–VI layered semiconductors: recent results on structural and optical measurements under pressure and electronic structure calculations

In this paper we review some recent results on the electronic structure of III-VI layered semiconductors and its dependence under pressure, stressing the specific features that differentiate their behaviour from that of tetrahedrally coordinated semiconductors. We will focus on several unexpected results that have led to changes in the image that was currently accepted a few years ago. Intralayer bond angles change under pressure and the layer thickness remains virtually constant or increases. As a consequence, models based in intra- and inter-layer deformation potentials fail in explaining the low pressure nonlinearity of the band gap. Numerical-atomic-orbital/density-functional-theory ele…

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Refractive index of the CuAlO2delafossite

The refractive index of the CuAlO2 delafossite has been determined from interference measurements in single crystals performed in the visible, near and mid infrared regions of the spectrum. The analysis of the refractive index dispersion corresponding to light polarization perpendicular to the c-axis (P ⊥ c) yields a static dielectric constant of 0 = 7.7 ± 0.8 and a low frequency electronic constant ∞ = 5.1 ± 0.1. The relevant infrared active mode is found to be at 550 ± 25 cm−1. The electronic contribution can be well described by a Penn gap at 39 000 ± 1000 cm−1. Both the refractive index and its dispersion are found to be smaller for P||c than for P ⊥ c.

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Room-temperature vibrational properties of potassium gadolinium double tungstate under compression up to 32GPa

Abstract KGd(WO 4 ) 2 has been studied by high-pressure Raman spectroscopy at room temperature up to 32.2 GPa. Evidences of two pressure-driven phase transitions have been detected. The low-pressure monoclinic phase undergoes a phase transition at 7.2(±0.9) GPa. The second transition is found at 14.2(±1.6) GPa. Both transitions are reversible. No evidence of pressure-induced amorphization is found up to 32 GPa. The pressure dependence of the Raman active modes of the low- and high-pressure phases is reported. A Raman mode is detected to exhibit a weak softening in the low-pressure phase. Three Raman modes are also observed to have a similar behavior in the second high-pressure phase. The re…

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Local structure in Ga1−xInxSe alloys

Abstract In this work we study the local structure of layered G a 1 − x I n x S e alloys by means of X-ray Absorption. We complement our research with a Raman study. The available alloys have compositions close to the host binaries. The dependence of XANES (X-ray Near Edge Structure) features with synchrotron polarization clearly establishes the substitutional character of the alloying cations. Interstitial atoms, if present, remain under the detection limit of the technique. EXAFS (Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure) demonstrates the existence of G a − I n bonds in the alloys. The cation-anion bond-lengths in the alloys remain similar to that of the pure compounds. There is no signif…

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Vibrational properties of delafossiteCuGaO2at ambient and high pressures

In this paper we investigate the vibrational properties of $\mathrm{Cu}\mathrm{Ga}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ delafossite by means of Raman experiments and ab initio calculations. Both investigations have been performed at ambient pressure and also at high pressure. The two Raman-active modes have frequencies ${w}_{{E}_{g}}=368\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ and ${w}_{{A}_{1g}}=729\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, and pressure coefficients $2.78\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.03\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}∕\mathrm{GPa}$ $({E}_{g})$ and $4.64\ifmmode\pm\else\text…

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Pressure and temperature dependence of the lattice dynamics ofCuAlO2investigated by Raman scattering experiments andab initiocalculations

We have studied the vibrational properties of $\mathrm{Cu}\mathrm{Al}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ by means of Raman scattering in ambient conditions, at low temperature, and also at high pressure. Results are discussed in the framework of an ab initio calculation. Raman active modes have wave numbers ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{{E}_{g}}=418.1\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ and ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{{A}_{1g}}=767.2\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.3\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$. Polarized measurements with single crystals have confirmed their symmetry. We present and discuss the phonon-dispersion curves. Below $200\phant…

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Correspondence: Strongly-driven Re+CO2 redox reaction at high-pressure and high-temperature.

Correspondence: Strongly-driven Re+CO 2 redox reaction at high-pressure and high-temperature

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Ordered helium trapping and bonding in compressed arsenolite: Synthesis ofAs4O6·2He

Compression of arsenolite has been studied from a joint experimental and theoretical point of view. Experiments on this molecular solid at high pressures with different pressure-transmitting media have been interpreted thanks to state-of-the-art ab initio calculations. Our results confirm arsenolite as one of the most compressible minerals and provide evidence for ordered helium trapping above 3 GPa between adamantane-type $\mathrm{A}{\mathrm{s}}_{4}{\mathrm{O}}_{6}$ cages. Our calculations indicate that, at relatively small pressures, helium establishes rather localized structural bonds with arsenic forming a compound with stoichiometry $\mathrm{A}{\mathrm{s}}_{4}{\mathrm{O}}_{6}\ifmmode\c…

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New polymorph of InVO4: A high-pressure structure with six-coordinated vanadium

A new wolframite-type polymorph of InVO4 is identified under compression near 7 GPa by in situ high-pressure (HP) X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopic investigations on the stable orthorhombic InVO4. The structural transition is accompanied by a large volume collapse (Delta V/V = -14%) and a drastic increase in bulk modulus (from 69 to 168 GPa). Both techniques also show the existence of a third phase coexisting with the low- and high-pressure phases in a limited pressure range close to the transition pressure. XRD studies revealed a highly anisotropic compression in orthorhombic InVO4. In addition, the compressibility becomes nonlinear in the HP polymorph. The volume collapse in…

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Pressure-induced instability of the fergusonite phase of EuNbO4 studied by in situ Raman spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, and photoluminescence spectroscopy

In this article, we present high-pressure experimental investigations on EuNbO4, an interesting technologically important material, using synchrotron based x-ray powder diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and europium photoluminescence measurements up to 39.2, 31.6, and 32.4 GPa, respectively. All three techniques show the stability of the ambient monoclinic phase until 20 GPa. Beyond that, a pressure-induced structural phase transition takes place with the coexistence of two phases over a wide pressure range. The structure of the high-pressure phase has been determined as orthorhombic (space group: Imma) with a volume discontinuity of nearly 9% at the transition indicating the nature of trans…

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Modeling of the Salt Permeability in Fixed Charge Multilayer Membranes

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Ion size effects on the electrokinetic flow in nanoporous membranes caused by concentration gradients

The space charge model (SCM) relies on the Poisson−Boltzmann (PB) equation, and hence on the assumption of negligible ion size effects, to calculate the radial distribution of the electrical potent...

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Bond length compressibility in hard ReB2 investigated by x-ray absorption under high pressure

International audience; This work describes x-ray absorption measurements under high pressure in ReB2 , complemented by ab initio calculations. The EXAFS analysis yields the average Re–B bond compressibility, which turns out to be χReB = 5.6(9) × 10− 4 GPa−1 . Combining this information with previous x-ray diffraction experiments we have characterized the network of covalent bonds responsible for the rigidity of the structure. The main conclusion is that the compression is anisotropic and nonhomogeneous, reflecting bonding differences between Re–B and B–B bonds and also between nonequivalent Re–B bonds. The layer defined by boron atoms tends to become flatter under high pressure. As a conse…

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Transition path to a dense efficient-packed post-delafossite phase. Crystal structure and evolution of the chemical bonding

We are thankful for the financial support received from the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación and the Agencia Estatal de Investigación under national projects PGC2018-094417-B-I00 (co-financed by EU FEDER funds), MAT2016-75586-C4-1-P/2-P, FIS2017-83295-P, PID2019-106383GB-C41/C42 and RED2018- 102612-T (MALTA Consolider), and from Generalitat Valenciana under project PROMETEO/2018/123. D.S-P, A.O.R, and J.A.S acknowledge financial support of the Spanish MINECO for the RyC-2014-15643, RyC-2016-20301, and RyC-2015-17482 Ramón y Cajal Grants, respectively.

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Structure Solution of the High-Pressure Phase of CuWO4 and Evolution of the Jahn–Teller Distortion

In this work, we have investigated the structural behavior of cuproscheelite up to 33.9 GPa by means of high-pressure single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SXRD) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS). According to EXAFS, beyond 9 GPa a phase transition takes place. On the basis of SXRD, the transition is from the triclinic (P1) structure to a monoclinic (P2/c) structure isotypic to wolframite. The transition implies abrupt changes of CuO6 and WO6 octahedra, but no coordination change. Further, we report the role played by the Jahn–Teller distortion of the CuO6 octahedra on the mechanism of the phase transition as well as the changes in the behavior of the Cu–O bonds for the tricl…

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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…

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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…

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High-pressure structural study of the scheelite tungstatesCaWO4andSrWO4

Angle-dispersive x-ray-diffraction and x-ray-absorption near-edge structure measurements have been performed on ${\mathrm{CaWO}}_{4}$ and ${\mathrm{SrWO}}_{4}$ up to pressures of approximately 20 GPa. Both materials display similar behavior in the range of pressures investigated in our experiments. As in the previously reported case of ${\mathrm{CaWO}}_{4}$, under hydrostatic conditions ${\mathrm{SrWO}}_{4}$ undergoes a pressure-induced scheelite-to-fergusonite transition around 10 GPa. Our experimental results are compared to those found in the literature and are further supported by ab initio total-energy calculations, from which we also predict the instability at larger pressures of the …

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Pressure-Induced Transformations in PrVO4 and SmVO4 and Isolation of High-Pressure Metastable Phases

Zircon-type PrVO4 and SmVO4 have been studied by high-pressure Raman spectroscopy up to 17 GPa. The occurrence of phase transitions has been detected when compression exceeds 6 GPa. The transformations are not reversible. Raman spectra of the high-pressure phases show similarities with those expected for a monazite-type phase in PrVO4 and a scheelite-type phase in SmVO4.The high-pressure phases have been also synthesized using a large-volume press and recovered at ambient conditions. X-ray diffraction measurements of the metastable products recovered after decompression confirms the monazite (PrVO4) and scheelite (SmVO4) structures of the high-pressure phases. Based upon optical properties …

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Pressure-Induced Hexagonal to Monoclinic Phase Transition of Partially Hydrated CePO4

We present a study of the pressure dependence of the structure of partially hydrated hexagonal CePO 4 up to 21 GPa using synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction. At a pressure of 10 GPa, a second-order structural phase transition is observed, associated with a novel polymorph. The previously unknown high-pressure phase has a monoclinic structure with a similar atomic arrangement as the low-pressure phase, but with reduced symmetry, belonging to space group C2. Group-subgroup relations hold for the space symmetry groups of both structures. There is no detectable volume discontinuity at the phase transition. Here we provide structural information on the new phase and determine the axial compress…

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LiCrO2 Under Pressure: In-Situ Structural and Vibrational Studies

The high-pressure behaviour of LiCrO2, a compound isostructural to the battery compound LiCoO2, has been investigated by synchrotron-based angle-dispersive X-ray powder diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and resistance measurements up to 41, 30, and 10 Gpa, respectively. The stability of the layered structured compound on a triangular lattice with R-3m space group is confirmed in all three measurements up to the highest pressure reached. The dependence of lattice parameters and unit-cell volume with pressure has been determined from the structural refinements of X-ray diffraction patterns that are used to extract the axial compressibilities and bulk modulus by means of Birch&ndash

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Pressure dependence of the interlayer and intralayer E2g Raman-active modes of hexagonal BN up to the wurtzite phase transition

We present a Raman-scattering study of the interlayer and intralayer ${E}_{2g}$ Raman-active modes of hexagonal boron nitride $(h\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{BN})$ under hydrostatic pressure for pressures up to the transition to the wurtzite phase (10.5 GPa). Pressure coefficients and Gr\"uneisen parameters are determined for both modes, and are compared to ab initio calculations based on density functional perturbation theory. The pressure coefficient of the low-energy interlayer mode is higher than that of the high-energy intralayer mode owing to the large compressibility of the $h\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{BN}$ crystal along the $c$ direction. Both modes exhibit a sublinear phonon frequency increase…

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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 …

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X-ray-absorption fine-structure study of ZnSexTe1−x alloys

X-ray-absorption fine-structure experiments at different temperatures in ZnSexTe1−x (x=0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.55, 0.81, 0.93, 0.99, and 1.0) have been performed in order to obtain information about the structural relaxation and disorder effects occurring in the alloys. First and second neighbor distance distributions have been characterized at the Se and Zn K edges, using multiple-edge and multiple-scattering data analysis. The first neighbor distance distribution was found to be bimodal. The static disorder associated with the Zn–Te distance variance did not depend appreciably on composition. On the other hand, the static disorder associated with the Zn–Se distance increased as the Se content dimi…

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Stability of FeVO4 under Pressure: An X-ray Diffraction and First-Principles Study

The high-pressure behavior of the crystalline structure FeVO4 has been studied by means of X-ray diffraction using a diamond-anvil cell and first-principles calculations. The experiments were carried out up to a pressure of 12.3 GPa, until now the highest pressure reached to study an FeVO4 compound. High-pressure X-ray diffraction measurements show that the triclinic P1 (FeVO4-I) phase remains stable up to ≈3 GPa; then a first-order phase transition to a new monoclinic polymorph of FeVO4 (FeVO4-II′) with space group C2/m is observed, having an α-MnMoO4-type structure. A second first-order phase transition is observed around 5 GPa toward the monoclinic (P2/c) wolframite-type FeVO4-IV structu…

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Buildup and structure of theInSe∕Ptinterface studied by angle-resolved photoemission and x-ray absorption spectroscopy

The atomic structure and the electronic nature of the $\mathrm{In}\mathrm{Se}∕\mathrm{Pt}$ interface have been studied by x-ray absorption spectroscopy and angle-resolved photoemission, respectively. By these measurements, it has been found that Pt atoms equally incorporate into two trigonal-prismatic intralayer positions existing within the InSe layer, although, at low Pt coverage, Pt atoms seem to prefer one of these sites, where they have a lower interaction with Se atoms. The atomic structure of the $\mathrm{In}\mathrm{Se}∕\mathrm{Pt}$ interface appears to determine its electronic behavior as Pt deposition increases. At initial stages of Pt diffusion, isolated Pt atoms act as a surface …

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