High pressure physics research at BARC

Abstract

High pressure physics research at BARC spans a period of more than two decades and covers the area of both static and dynamic pressures on the one hand and both theoretical and experimental aspects on the other. The experimental facilities available include Diamond Anvil Cells for X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy and a light gas gun. Phase transformations investigated in metallic systems includethose in Cd-Hg, transition metals, rare earths and actinides and these investigations have been supported by detailed band structure calculations and studies of the mechanismof phase transformations. Extensive equation of state studies over a wide range of pressures include a new model for the intermediate pressure range between 0.5 and 10 TPa and interpretation of experimental shock Hugoniots.