Evidence of maximum in the melting curve of hydrogen at megabar pressures

Abstract

Hydrogen at high pressures of ∼400 GPa might be in a zero-temperature liquid ground state (N. Ashcroft, J. Phys.: Condens. Matter A 12, 129 (2000), E. G. Brovrnan et al., Sov. Phys. JETP 35, 783 (1972)). If metallic hydrogen is liquid, the melting Tmelt(P) line should possess a maximum. Here we report on the experimental evaluation of the melting curve of hydrogen in the megabar pressure range. The melting curve of hydrogen has been shown to reach a maximum with Tmelt = 1050 ± 60 K at P = 106 GPa and the melting temperature of hydrogen decreases at higher pressures so that Tmelt = 880 ± 50 K at P = 146 GPa. The data were acquired with the aid of a laser heating technique where diamond anvils were not deteriorated by the hot hydrogen. Our experimental observations are in agreement with the theoretical prediction of unusual behavior of the melted hydrogen [S. Bonev et al., Nature 481, 669 (2004)].