X-ray diffraction from high pressure Ge using synchrotron radiation

Abstract

The high pressure structural phase transition in Ge has been studied using the energy dispersive x- ray diffraction technique and a synchrotron radiation source. Ge was observed to transform to the β-Sn tetragonal structure in agreement with the earlier results of Jamieson, but the phase transition began at 80±5 kilobars, a somewhat lower value than generally reported. These experimental diffraction results are compared with the recent self-consistent pseudopotential calculations of Yin and Cohen and with the observed transition pressure for shock wave loaded Ge.