New techniques for high-pressure neutron and X-ray studies

Abstract

Compact anvil cells with diamond, sapphire or cubic boron nitride (cBN) anvils provide unprecedented range of thermodynamical parameters in neutron studies: pressures up to 50 GPa, temperatures down to 0.05 K, and magnetic fields up to 8 T. The extended range of thermodynamical parameters is especially important in studies of magnetic or quantum phenomena. The most efficient way to examine microscopic properties of solids under pressure is to combine X-ray and neutron probes. New pressure cells, allowing to study X-ray and neutron scattering on the same sample in the same thermodynamical conditions, are described.

Keywords:

• Neutron diffraction
• Synchrotron radiation
• Pressure cells

Acknowledgements

The author thanks Paul Loubeyre for his contribution to the development of the common neutron & X-ray studies and Xavier Guillou for his help in fabrication of the pressure cells.