Time-of-flight single-crystal neutron diffraction to 10 GPa and above

Abstract

Single-crystal diffraction techniques offer significant advantages over powder diffraction methods, but until recently high-resolution neutron single-crystal studies at high pressure have been restricted to pressures below 2 GPa. We present technical developments which now allow accurate single-crystal studies up to 10 GPa and at temperatures down to 10 K using time-of-flight Laue diffraction and the Paris-Edinburgh press. Prospects for work above 10 GPa are discussed, and some data from a successful test at 12 GPa are shown.

Keywords:

• neutron diffraction
• large volume press
• single crystals
• hydrogen-bonded ferroelectrics

View correction statement:

Erratum

Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge helpful discussions of the techniques with Stefan Klotz, technical assistance from Duncan Francis with the experiments, and the work of Ian Bailey, Rob Done, Mike Dudman and Richard Down in the design and assembly of the cryostat. The work was supported by the Engineering and Physical Science Research Council, the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science through a fellowship to KK and resources made available by the Science and Technology Facilities Council.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

M. Guthrie

Present address: Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, South Cass Ave, Argonne, Il, USA.

K. Komatsu

Present address: Geochemical Laboratory, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.