title: Nanoscale manipulation of the properties of solids at high pressure with relativistic heavy ions.
abstract: High-pressure and high-temperature phases show unusual physical and chemical properties, but they are often difficult to 'quench' to ambient conditions. Here, we present a new approach, using bombardment with very high-energy, heavy ions accelerated to relativistic velocities, to stabilize a high-pressure phase. In this case, Gd(2)Zr(2)O(7), pressurized in a diamond-anvil cell up to 40 GPa, was irradiated with 20 GeV xenon or 45 GeV uranium ions, and the (previously unquenchable) cubic high-pressure phase was recovered after release of pressure. Transmission electron microscopy revealed a radiation-induced, nanocrystalline texture. Quantum-mechanical calculations confirm that the surface energy at the nanoscale is the cause of the remarkable stabilization of the high-pressure phase. The combined use of high pressure and high-energy ion irradiation provides a new means for manipulating and stabilizing new materials to ambient conditions that otherwise could not be recovered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geological Sciences, University of Michigan, 1100 N University Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1005, USA.
authors.forename: Maik
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.forename: Fuxiang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jiaming
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jianwei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Beatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schuster
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Trautmann
authors.forename: Reinhard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Neumann
authors.forename: Udo
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: Rodney C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Ewing