CRC Press High-Pressure Physics (Scottish Graduate Series)

High-pressure science has undergone a revolution in the last 15 years. The development of intense new x-ray and neutron sources, improved detectors, new instrumentation, greatly increased computation power, and advanced computational algorithms have enabled researchers to determine the behavior of matter at static pressures in excess of 400 GPa. Shock-wave techniques have allowed access to the experimental pressure-temperature range beyond 1 TPa and 10,000 K. High-Pressure Physics introduces the current state of the art in this field. Based on lectures presented by leading researchers at the 63rd Scottish Universities Summer School in Physics, the book summarizes the latest experimental and theoretical techniques. Highlighting applications in a range of physics disciplines―from novel materials synthesis to planetary interiors―this book cuts across many areas and supplies a solid grounding in high-pressure physics. Chapters cover a wide array of topics and techniques, including: High-pressure devices The design of pressure cells Electrical transport experiments The fabrication process for customizing diamond anvils Equations of state (EOS) for solids in a range of pressures and temperatures Crystallography, optical spectroscopy, and inelastic x-ray scattering (IXS) techniques Magnetism in solids The internal structure of Earth and other planets Measurement and control of temperature in high-pressure experiments Solid state chemistry and materials research at high pressure Liquids and glasses The study of hydrogen at high density A resource for graduate students and young researchers, this accessible reference provides an overview of key research areas and applications in high-pressure physics. Review "… an excellent background and literature review for each topic. The topics themselves are a good mix of experimental and theoretical … viewed as an introductory text, this is an excellent book, with something for anyone about to start working in the general area of high pressure science. I can strongly recommend it to all new Ph.D. students who should be encouraged to read it all … as there are many useful insights to be gained by studying a subject like this ‘in the round.’"―Matt Probert, Contemporary Physics, 2013 "… a very readable book. containing very good technical descriptions, data, graphs on material properties, and some theory with a focus on providing the reader with useful and relevant information on high·pressure physics. This is an outstanding book for someone new to this research area."―IEEE Electrical Insulation Magazine