Scientists from BFU suggested accessible methodology that is an alternative to synchrotron researches

Researchers from the International Science and Research Center “Coherent X-ray Optics for Megascience facilities” at the Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University jointly with colleagues studied the structure of diamond anvils – components of cells for creating the high pressures. Such kind of work is usually conducted on synchrotron, however, the authors managed to reproduce them on more accessible laboratory machine. Although the experiment took more time, the resolution turned out to be comparable to the previous one. The results can be found in the journal of Review of Scientific Instruments. This research was supported from the Russian Federal Academic Leadership Program Priority 2030 at the Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University.

High pressures are of great interest for physics. On the one hand, exactly in such conditions, the matter exists inside various space objects, and studies in this direction enable to find out more about fundamental processes in the Universe. On the other hand, with the help of high pressures it is possible to create new materials with interesting characteristics, for example, with unusual structure and possessing excellent mechanical characteristics.

In the high-pressure physics, people use different installations from gigantic diamond anvils, the crystal structure of which has to be very close to the ideal one. With the help of such cells, it is possible to achieve pressures surpassing the atmospheric one in 10 million times. And not only the sample is under the colossal load, but it can worsen the experiment, that’s why it is so important to check their quality.

“Anvils are usually studied on synchrotrons with the help of X-ray tomography: the defective anvil can’t stand the pressure. Russian physics lead active researches in the field of high pressures, that enables our country to gain one of the leading positions in the world. Earlier we conducted this work on foreign synchrotrons, however, now we face certain restrictions. In was not that easy to get to the installation before: you have to wait the decision on your request for several months, and it can probably end with refusal, if the “experimental time” was given to more preferred researches”- tells Alexander Barannikov, postgraduate of the International Science and Research Center “Coherent X-ray Optics for Megascience facilities”.

The staff members of the International Science and Research Center “Coherent X-ray Optics for Megascience facilities” of the Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University jointly with colleagues from Institute of Crystallography named after A. Shubnikov (IC RAS) and European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) found the exit from this difficult situation and decided to produce the experiment on the more simple laboratory machine «SynchrotronLike». This unique academic technological complex for testing of X-ray optics and conducting synchrotron researches. The system is equipped with the X-ray source of high brightness with liquid gallium-indium anode, and also X-ray camera with high resolution.

With the help of X-ray topography, the authors managed to attain the images of different defects of diamond anvils – stripes of growth (impurity stripes) and dislocations (when in some parts of crystal, there are more or less atoms, and as a result, the thickening or rarefaction areas appear). The resolution of the images turned to be comparable to those of synchrotron and was about 1.5-5 micrometers.

“Our results show the ability to conduct at least preparatory synchrotron works on laboratory equipment. With the consideration of restrictions, it is very important and gives base for successful researches on home equipment: nowadays we have access to Kurchatov synchrotron radiation source, and in the future – to the Siberian Ring Photon Source (SKIF). It is planned to install on the last one the equipment, providing multilateral compression of volume samples”, – sums up Anatoly Snigirev Ph.D. in Physics and Mathematics, Director of International Science and Research Center “Coherent X-ray Optics for Megascience facilities”.