Nishant N. Patel

High pressure structural and vibrational properties of the spin-gap system Cu2PO4(OH)

The structural and vibrational properties of the spin-gapped system Cu(2)PO(4)(OH) have been investigated at room temperature under high pressure up to ~20 GPa by Raman scattering and synchrotron-based x-ray diffraction and infrared (IR) spectroscopic measurements. The orthorhombic phase (space group Pnnm, z = 4) remains stable up to at least 7 GPa where it undergoes a weakly first order structural transition (with negligible volume drop) to a monoclinic phase (space group P2(1)/n, z = 4) with an abrupt monoclinic distortion. Refinement of atomic positions has been performed for the low pressure phase. The conspicuous changes in the vibrational spectra (Raman as well as far-IR) confirm this phase transition. At further higher pressures the monoclinic angle increases rapidly and the system transforms irreversibly into a disordered phase. Detailed vibrational analyses have been performed in the orthorhombic phase and pressure-induced structural evolution has been correlated with the vibrational modes corresponding to the Cu-O bonds. A strong negative pressure dependence of hydroxyl mode frequencies (as observed from the mid-IR absorption spectra) supports the pressure-induced structural disordering at higher pressures.

Structural and optical investigations of Fe1.03Se0.5Te0.5 under high pressure

Optimally doped iron-chalcogenide superconductor Fe1.03Se0.5Te0.5 has been investigated under high pressures using synchrotron-based x-ray diffraction and mid-infrared reflectance measurements at room temperature. The superconducting transition temperature (Tc) of the same sample has been determined by temperature-dependent resistance measurements up to 10 GPa. The tetragonal phase (P4/nmm) is found to exist in phase-separated states where both the phases have remarkably high compressibility. A first-order structural transition to the orthorhombic phase (Pbnm) is reported above 10 GPa. For the tetragonal phase, a strong correlation is observed between the Fe(Se,Te)4 tetrahedral deformation and the sharp rise of Tc up to ∼ 4 GPa, above which Tc shows marginal pressure dependence at least up to 10 GPa. The evolution with pressure of the optical conductivity shows that with increasing pressure the tetragonal phase approaches towards a conventional metallic state. Above ∼ 6 GPa, the Drude term reduces drastically, indicating poor metallic character of the high-pressure orthorhombic phase.

High Pressure Raman Scattering Study on the Phase Stability of DyVO4

High pressure Raman spectroscopic investigations have been carried out on rare earth orthovanadate DyVO4 upto 22 GPa. Abrupt changes and appearance of new modes were noted in Raman spectrum above 8 GPa with two phase coexistence over a pressure range of about 8–13 GPa The phase transition was found to be irreversible when pressure is released.

Pressure Induced Phase Transitions In SmVO4: An In‐Situ Raman Study

High pressure room temperature Raman investigation on SmVO4 was carried out up to 19 GPa. The ambient zircon phase was observed to remain stable up to 5.8 GPa. At higher pressure two structural phase transitions were observed at 6.8 GPa and 15.9 GPa respectively. The second phase transition was found to be reversible whereas the intermediate phase was retained on complete pressure release.

LHDAC setup for high temperature and high pressure studies

A ytterbium fibre laser (λ = 1.07 μm) based laser heated diamond anvil cell (LHDAC) facility has been recently set up at HP&SRPD, BARC for simultaneous high temperature and high pressure investigation of material properties. Synthesis of GaN was carried out at pressure of ∼9 GPa and temperature of ∼1925 K in a Mao-Bell type diamond anvil cell (DAC) using the LHDAC facility. The retrieved sample has been characterized using our laboratory based micro Raman setup.

High pressure infrared reflectivity measurements on copper doped Ru1212

Ruthenium based cuprate compound Ru1212 was synthesized with 10% substitution of copper for ruthenium. The resulting Ru0.9Sr2GdCu2.1O8 compound was investigated at room temperature by infrared reflectance measurements at high pressure. A high reflectivity at lower frequencies and relatively low reflectivity above 2000 cm−1 have been observed. Reflectivity was used to calculate real part of optical conductivity of the sample in measured frequency range.