Shock compressing diamond to a conducting fluid.
Laser generated shock reflectance data show that diamond undergoes a continuous transition from optically absorbing to reflecting between Hugoniot pressures 600<P(H)<1000 GPa. The data are consistent with diamond having a thermal population of carriers at P(H) approximately 600 GPa, undergoing band overlap metallization at P(H) approximately 1000 GPa and melting at 800<P(H)<1000 GPa. The results agree well with an equation of state model that predicts that elemental carbon remains solid throughout the interior of Neptune.
Bradley
D K
DK
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94551, USA.
Eggert
J H
JH
Hicks
D G
DG
Celliers
P M
PM
Moon
S J
SJ
Cauble
R C
RC
Collins
G W
GW