Investigation of the solid–liquid phase transition of carbon at 150 GPa with spectrally resolved X-ray scattering

Abstract

We have resolved the solid–liquid phase transition of carbon at pressures around 150 GPa. High-pressure samples of different temperatures were created by laser-driven shock compression of graphite and varying the initial density from 1.30 g/cm3 to 2.25 g/cm3. In this way, temperatures from 5700 K to 14,500 K could be achieved for relatively constant pressure according to hydrodynamic simulations. From measuring the elastic X-ray scattering intensity of vanadium K-alpha radiation at 4.95 keV at a scattering angle of 126°, which is very sensitive to the solid–liquid transition, we can determine whether the sample had transitioned to the fluid phase. We find that samples of initial density 1.3 g/cm3 and 1.85 g/cm3 are liquid in the compressed states, whereas samples close to the ideal graphite crystal density of 2.25 g/cm3 remain solid, probably in a diamond-like state.