High Pressure Transport Measurements

In condensed matter physics, high-pressure piston-cylinder pressure cells are essential tools for studying the behavior of materials under extreme pressure. By subjecting a sample to high pressures, we can explore how atomic and electronic structures evolve, leading to discoveries of new material phases, changes in electrical conductivity, magnetism, and even superconductivity.

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We will use Guertin Piston Cylinder Cells to investigate the following: 

• Phase Transitions: Many materials undergo phase transitions under high pressure, such as from insulating to metallic states or from one crystalline structure to another. High-pressure cells allow precise control over these transitions, enabling the study of phenomena like metal-insulator transitions or the appearance of novel phases.

• Superconductivity Research: High pressure can induce or enhance superconductivity in certain materials. By tuning the pressure, researchers can map out superconducting phase diagrams and explore how critical temperature and other properties change under varying conditions.

• Magnetic Properties: Pressure can influence the magnetic ordering of materials, such as switching between ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic states or suppressing magnetism altogether. Piston-cylinder cells allow for detailed investigations of these magnetic changes at the atomic level.

• Electronic Band Structures: Pressure alters the interatomic distances, leading to changes in the electronic band structure. This allows scientists to study changes in electrical properties like resistivity, semiconducting behavior, and the appearance of topologically protected states.