Fundamental understanding of electronic transitions in platinum group metals and alloys from high-pressure experiment and ab initio theory

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Natalia Dubrovinskaia
• Subject Area: Experimental Condensed Matter Physics
• Term: from 2017 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 338621729

The behavior of matter at extreme conditions is fascinating. Compression gives rise to a qualitative modification of properties of matter, such as structural and magnetic phase transitions, transformation from ferromagnetism to superconductivity, forming new super-states of matter, and other phenomena. The ultimate goal of the project is to study the phase relations, structures, and thermoelastic properties of platinum group metals (PGMs) and their alloys at multimegabar pressure, 200 GPa and above, and variable temperatures by means of in situ powder and single crystal X-ray diffraction in externally and laser heated DACs (and dsDACs) combined with advanced theoretical simulations. We will establish regularities in the high-pressure behavior of PGMs and their alloys with focus on the detection of electronic transitions, including a novel pressure induced core-level crossing transition.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Co-Investigator: Professor Dr. Leonid Dubrovinsky