Some recent investigations of materials under high pressures

SURINDER M SHARMA

Synchrotron Radiation Section, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400 085,

India

E-mail: smsharma@magnum.barc.ernet.in

Abstract. By subjecting materials to high pressures one can

significantly reduce inter-atomic and intermolecular distances. This

causes drastic changes in the nature of electronic and vibrational

states and also in bonding, bringing about several unusual

structural, electronic and magnetic phase transitions. In addition,

these studies provide a very useful data about the equation of state

of the materials of interest. Several examples from our work are

presented which elucidate the richness of physics under these

conditions.

Keywords. High pressure; phase transitions; nanotubes.

PACS Nos 62.50.+p; 64.70.Nd