Phase Transition Lowering in Dynamically Compressed Silicon

Emma E. McBride; A. Krygier; A Ehnes; Eric Galtier; M. Harmand; Z Konôpková; H. J. Lee; H. P. Liermann; Bob Nagler; Alexander Pelka; M. Rödel; Andreas Schropp; R. F. Smith; C. Spindloe; D. C. Swift; F. Tavella; S. Toleikis; T. Tschentscher; Justin S Wark; Andrew Higginbotham

doi:10.1038/s41567-018-0290-x

Phase Transition Lowering in Dynamically Compressed Silicon

Emma E. McBride, A. Krygier, A Ehnes, Eric Galtier, M. Harmand, Z Konôpková, H. J. Lee, H. P. Liermann, Bob Nagler, Alexander Pelka, M. Rödel, Andreas Schropp, R. F. Smith, C. Spindloe, D. C. Swift, F. Tavella, S. Toleikis, T. Tschentscher, Justin S Wark, Andrew Higginbotham

Physics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Silicon, being one of the most abundant elements in nature, attracts wide-ranging scientific and technological interest. Specifically, in its elemental form, crystals of remarkable purity can be produced. One may assume that this would lead to silicon being well understood, and indeed, this is the case for many ambient properties, as well as for higher-pressure behaviour under quasi-static loading. However, despite many decades of study, a detailed understanding of the response of silicon to rapid compression—such as that experienced under shock impact—remains elusive. Here, we combine a novel free-electron laser-based X-ray diffraction geometry with laser-driven compression to elucidate the importance of shear generated during shock compression on the occurrence of phase transitions. We observe lowering of the hydrostatic phase boundary in elemental silicon, an ideal model system for investigating high-strength materials, analogous to planetary constituents. Moreover, we unambiguously determine the onset of melting above 14 GPa, previously ascribed to a solid–solid phase transition, undetectable in the now conventional shocked diffraction geometry; transitions to the liquid state are expected to be ubiquitous in all systems at sufficiently high pressures and temperatures.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	89–94
Number of pages	6
Journal	Nature Physics
Volume	15
Issue number	1
Early online date	24 Sep 2018
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-018-0290-x
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 2019

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McBride, E. E., Krygier, A., Ehnes, A., Galtier, E., Harmand, M., Konôpková, Z., Lee, H. J., Liermann, H. P., Nagler, B., Pelka, A., Rödel, M., Schropp, A., Smith, R. F., Spindloe, C., Swift, D. C., Tavella, F., Toleikis, S., Tschentscher, T., Wark, J. S., & Higginbotham, A. (2019). Phase Transition Lowering in Dynamically Compressed Silicon. Nature Physics, 15(1), 89–94. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-018-0290-x

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abstract = "Silicon, being one of the most abundant elements in nature, attracts wide-ranging scientific and technological interest. Specifically, in its elemental form, crystals of remarkable purity can be produced. One may assume that this would lead to silicon being well understood, and indeed, this is the case for many ambient properties, as well as for higher-pressure behaviour under quasi-static loading. However, despite many decades of study, a detailed understanding of the response of silicon to rapid compression—such as that experienced under shock impact—remains elusive. Here, we combine a novel free-electron laser-based X-ray diffraction geometry with laser-driven compression to elucidate the importance of shear generated during shock compression on the occurrence of phase transitions. We observe lowering of the hydrostatic phase boundary in elemental silicon, an ideal model system for investigating high-strength materials, analogous to planetary constituents. Moreover, we unambiguously determine the onset of melting above 14 GPa, previously ascribed to a solid–solid phase transition, undetectable in the now conventional shocked diffraction geometry; transitions to the liquid state are expected to be ubiquitous in all systems at sufficiently high pressures and temperatures.",

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McBride, EE, Krygier, A, Ehnes, A, Galtier, E, Harmand, M, Konôpková, Z, Lee, HJ, Liermann, HP, Nagler, B, Pelka, A, Rödel, M, Schropp, A, Smith, RF, Spindloe, C, Swift, DC, Tavella, F, Toleikis, S, Tschentscher, T, Wark, JS & Higginbotham, A 2019, 'Phase Transition Lowering in Dynamically Compressed Silicon', Nature Physics, vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 89–94. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-018-0290-x

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AU - McBride, Emma E.

AU - Krygier, A.

AU - Ehnes, A

AU - Galtier, Eric

AU - Harmand, M.

AU - Konôpková, Z

AU - Lee, H. J.

AU - Liermann, H. P.

AU - Nagler, Bob

AU - Pelka, Alexander

AU - Rödel, M.

AU - Schropp, Andreas

AU - Smith, R. F.

AU - Spindloe, C.

AU - Swift, D. C.

AU - Tavella, F.

AU - Toleikis, S.

AU - Tschentscher, T.

AU - Wark, Justin S

AU - Higginbotham, Andrew

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N2 - Silicon, being one of the most abundant elements in nature, attracts wide-ranging scientific and technological interest. Specifically, in its elemental form, crystals of remarkable purity can be produced. One may assume that this would lead to silicon being well understood, and indeed, this is the case for many ambient properties, as well as for higher-pressure behaviour under quasi-static loading. However, despite many decades of study, a detailed understanding of the response of silicon to rapid compression—such as that experienced under shock impact—remains elusive. Here, we combine a novel free-electron laser-based X-ray diffraction geometry with laser-driven compression to elucidate the importance of shear generated during shock compression on the occurrence of phase transitions. We observe lowering of the hydrostatic phase boundary in elemental silicon, an ideal model system for investigating high-strength materials, analogous to planetary constituents. Moreover, we unambiguously determine the onset of melting above 14 GPa, previously ascribed to a solid–solid phase transition, undetectable in the now conventional shocked diffraction geometry; transitions to the liquid state are expected to be ubiquitous in all systems at sufficiently high pressures and temperatures.

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JO - Nature Physics

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SN - 1745-2473

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Phase Transition Lowering in Dynamically Compressed Silicon

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Andrew Higginbotham

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