Experimental Techniques

Diamond anvils aligned in the diamond-anvil cell. The two anvils compress a sample loaded in a rhenium gasket (metal plate at the center of the image) [full size].

Symmetric-type diamond-anvil cells [full size].

Diamond anvils aligned in the diamond-anvil cell [full size].

A diamond anvil broken after experiments performed over 150 GPa [full size].

Micro-photograph of the post-perovskite sample in the diamond-anvil cell at 135 GPa, which is the pressure expected at the core-mantle boundary [full size].

Laser-heated diamond-anvil cell combined with angle-dispersive X-ray diffraction setup [full size].

Thermal gradients in the double-sided laser heating. The disc at the center represents the sample in the diamond-anvil cell. The orange circle represents a hot spot in the sample. The red arrows indicate thermal radiation. The curves above the red arrows show radial thermal gradients [full size].

Symmetric-type diamond-anvil cell [full size].

Schematic diagram of the sample in the laser-heated diamond-anvil cell. Micro-photographs of the samples in the laser-heated diamond-anvil cell are shown below. For related descriptions, see K. Catalli, S.-H. Shim, and V. B. Prakapenka (2009) Thickness and Clapeyron slope of the post-perovskite boundary. Nature 462, 782-785 [full size].

Control units for the synchrotron setup at 13BMD beamline of the GSECARS sector at the Advanced Photon Source. Thanks Sergio Speziale for allowing me to take picture of his back together with the monitors [full size].

Nuclear forward scattering setup (right)for diamond-anvil cell (left) at Sector 3 of the Advanced Photon Source. This technique allows scientists to measure electronic structure of iron at high pressure and high temperature. For detail, read B. Grocholski, S.-H. Shim, J. Zhao, W. Sturhahn, Y. Xiao, P. Chow, and V. B. Prakapenka (2009) Spin and valence states of iron in (Mg0.8Fe0.2)SiO3 perovskite. Geophysical Research Letters 36, L24303 [full size].

Last updated: 08/05/2010 3:50 PM