High Pressure Studies of Magnesium at the National Ignition Facility

Lead Research Organisation: University of Edinburgh
Department Name: Sch of Physics and Astronomy

Abstract

The structural behaviour of magnesium is being studied using dynamic compression techniques at the National Ignition Facility
(NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, with further work being carried out at the LCLS x-ray free electron laser (XFEL).
Magnesium is a relatively simple metal, which is predicted to transform to so-called electride phases, where the valence electrons localise to from a sub-lattice, at multi-megabar pressures. We can attain such pressures on the NIF. Several different techniques will be employed to study these high-pressure phases, including x-ray
diffraction to infer the structural characteristics of the system.
The results of this study will provide detailed information as to how simple metals behave when compressed to ultra-high pressures.

Publications

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Studentship Projects

Project Reference Relationship Related To Start End Student Name
EP/N509644/1 01/10/2016 30/09/2021
1861530 Studentship EP/N509644/1 01/10/2016 31/03/2020 Michael Stevenson