Abstract
MANY technological and scientific applications of diamond arise from its unique properties, which include optical transparency in the ultraviolet to infrared, electrical insulation, thermodynamic stability, and unsurpassed strength and hardness1. Here we describe optical studies on diamond at ultrahigh pressures (to above 300 GPa) which show that these properties are affected by such stresses. Our spectroscopic measurements show that the optical absorption edge shifts from ultraviolet to red with increasing pressures, and Raman scattering measurements show evidence for new structural transitions, associated with large macroscopic deformation, beginning at a pressure of approximately 150 GPa. The changes are reversible and are associated with intense luminescence peaks at 2.0–2.2 eV under 458–514-nm radiation. Our results may be related to the onset of band-gap closure in the approach to a new high-pressure phase. These spectral features must also be taken into account when diamond is used as optical windows for ultrahigh-pressure investigations2–5.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Davies, G. Diamond (Hilger, Bristol, 1984).
Jayaraman, A. Rev. mod. Phys. 55, 65–108 (1983).
Seal, M. High Temp.-High Pressures 16, 573–579 (1984).
Mao, H. K. in Simple Molecular Systems at Very High Densities (eds Polian, A., Loubeyre, P. & Bocarra, N.) 221–236 (Plenum, New York, 1989).
Jeanloz, R. Ann. Rev. phys. Chem. 40, 237–259 (1989).
Yin, M. T. & Cohen, M. Phys. Rev. Lett. 50, 2006–2009 (1983).
Yin, M. T. Phys. Rev. B30, 1773–1776 (1984).
Biswas, R. Martin, R. M., Needs, R. J. & Nielsen, O. H. Phys. Rev. B30, 3210–3213 (1984).
Nielsen, O. H. Phys. Rev. B34, 5808–5819 (1986).
Mao, H. K., Bell, P. M., Dunn, K. J., Chrenko, R. M. & Devries, R. C. J. appl. Phys. 50, 1002–1009 (1979).
Adams D. M. & Sharma, S. K. J. Phys. E: Sci. Instrum. 10, 680–682 (1977).
Hemley, R. J., Bell, P. M. & Mao, H. K. Science 237, 605–612 (1987).
Sharma, S. K., Mao, H. K., Bell, P. M. & Xu, J. A. J. Raman Spectrosc. 16, 350–352 (1985).
Hanfland, M., Syassen, K., Fahy, S., Louie, S. G. & Cohen, M. L. Phys. Rev. B31, 6896–6899 (1985).
Boppart, H., van Straaten, J. & Silvera, I. F. Phys. Rev. B32, 1423–1425 (1985).
Goncharov, A. F., Makarenko, I. F. & Stishov, S. M. JETP Lett. 41, 184–187 (1985).
Knight, D. S. & White, W. B. J. Mater. Res. 4, 385–393 (1989).
Mao, H. K., Wu, Y., Hemley, R. J., Chen, L. C., Shu, J. & Finger, L. W. Science 246, 649–651 (1989).
Orlov, Y. L. The Mineralogy of Diamond (Wiley, New York, 1977).
Goettal, K. A., Mao, H. K. & Bell, P. M. Rev. Sci. Instrum. 56, 1420–1427 (1985).
Hemley, R. J. & Mao, H. K. Ann. Report Director Geophys. Lab. 1988–1989, 105–108 (1989).
Vohra, Y. Xia, H., Luo, H. & Ruoff, A. F. Appl. Phys. Lett 57, 1007–1009 (1990).
Davies, G. & Hamer, M. F. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. A348, 285–298 (1976).
Dolling, G. & Cowley, R. A. Proc. Phys. Soc. (Lond.) 88, 463–494 (1966).
Hemley, R. J. & Mao, H. K. Phys. Rev. Lett. 61, 857–860 (1988).
Mao, H. K. & Hemley, R. J. Science 244, 1462–1465 (1989).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mao, H., Hemley, R. Optical transitions in diamond at ultrahigh pressures. Nature 351, 721–724 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1038/351721a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/351721a0
This article is cited by
-
Single crystal toroidal diamond anvils for high pressure experiments beyond 5 megabar
Nature Communications (2018)
-
Phase and stress evolution in diamond microparticles during diamond-coated wire sawing of Si ingots
The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology (2016)
-
Constitutive Law and Flow Mechanism in Diamond Deformation
Scientific Reports (2012)
-
Properties of diamond under hydrostatic pressures up to 140 GPa
Nature Materials (2003)
-
Transformation of diamond to graphite
Nature (1999)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.