Ultrasound pulse-echo measurements in a large-volume press at the High-Pressure Collaborative Access Team (HPCAT)

Abstract

The large-volume press at beamline 16-BM-B, at the High-Pressure Collaborative Access Team (HPCAT) facility at the Advanced Photon Source (APS), Argonne National Laboratory, offers a comprehensive platform for in-situ characterization of materials' atomic structure and bulk properties under high pressure and/or high-temperature (HP-T) conditions. The beamline is equipped with a Paris-Edinburgh type press with in-situ X-ray, electrical, optical, and ultrasound probes. The ultrasound pulse-echo technique, in conjunction with other techniques, such as energy-dispersive X-ray diffraction, X-ray radiography, and thermal/electric measurements, provides relevant data on material properties, including elastic constants, equation of state, and phase transitions, at HP-T conditions. The beamline is currently undergoing a major redesign to coincide with the APS upgrade. Among other developments, the ultrasound measurements at the upgraded beamline will be optimized with the addition of rotational X-ray tomography, as well as new capabilities for online data analysis. These advancements, together with the improved beamline optics, will improve accuracy and significantly reduce the time needed for data collection, allowing for faster experiments and higher throughput. The presentation will provide an overview of beamline 16-BM-B with a specific focus on acoustic measurements using the ultrasound pulse-echo technique and relevant applications. The beamline's expanded capabilities and scientific examples will be presented.