Shock-Wave Exploration of the High-Pressure Phases of Carbon
M. D. Knudson,*
M. P. Desjarlais,
D. H. Dolan
The high–energy density behavior of carbon, particularly
in the vicinity of the melt boundary, is of broad scientific
interest and of particular interest to those studying planetary
astrophysics and inertial confinement fusion. Previous experimental
data in the several hundred gigapascal pressure range, particularly
near the melt boundary, have only been able to provide data
with accuracy capable of qualitative comparison with theory.
Here we present shock-wave experiments on carbon (using a magnetically
driven flyer-plate technique with an order of magnitude improvement
in accuracy) that enable quantitative comparison with theory.
This work provides evidence for the existence of a diamond-bc8-liquid
triple point on the melt boundary.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: mdknuds{at}sandia.gov
