title: Novel phase of solid oxygen induced by ultrahigh magnetic fields.
abstract: Magnetization measurements and magnetotransmission spectroscopy of the solid oxygen α phase were performed in ultrahigh magnetic fields of up to 193 T. An abrupt increase in magnetization with large hysteresis was observed when pulsed magnetic fields greater than 120 T were applied. Moreover, the transmission of light significantly increased in the visible range. These experimental findings indicate that a first-order phase transition occurs in solid oxygen in ultrahigh magnetic fields, and that it is not just a magnetic transition. Considering the molecular rearrangement mechanism found in the O(2)-O(2) dimer system, we conclude that the observed field-induced transition is caused by the antiferromagnetic phase collapsing and a change in the crystal structure.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Solid State Physics, University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8581, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nomura
authors.affiliation: Institute for Solid State Physics, University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8581, Japan.
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Matsuda
authors.affiliation: Institute for Solid State Physics, University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8581, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takeyama
authors.affiliation: Institute for Solid State Physics, University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8581, Japan.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matsuo
authors.affiliation: Institute for Solid State Physics, University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8581, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kindo
authors.affiliation: Division of Natural Science, Center for General Education, Chang Gung University, Kwei-Shan, Tao-Yuan 333, Taiwan.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Her
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8530, Japan.
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Kobayashi