Incommensurate Phase in Λ-cobalt (III) Sepulchrate Trinitrate Governed by Highly Competitive N-H⋅⋅⋅O and C-H⋅⋅⋅O Hydrogen Bond Networks.

Phase transitions in molecular crystals are often determined by intermolecular interactions. The cage complex of [Co(C H N )]  ⋅ 3 NO is reported to undergo a disorder-order phase transition at T ≈133 K upon cooling. Temperature-dependent neutron and synchrotron diffraction experiments revealed satellite reflections in addition to main reflections in the diffraction patterns below T .

Laser heating system at the Extreme Conditions Beamline, P02.2, PETRA III.

A laser heating system for samples confined in diamond anvil cells paired with in situ X-ray diffraction measurements at the Extreme Conditions Beamline of PETRA III is presented. The system features two independent laser configurations (on-axis and off-axis of the X-ray path) allowing for a broad range of experiments using different designs of diamond anvil cells. The power of the continuous laser source can be modulated for use in various pulsed laser heating or flash heating applications.

Hexagonal Si-Ge Class of Semiconducting Alloys Prepared by Using Pressure and Temperature.

Multi-anvil and laser-heated diamond anvil methods have been used to subject Ge and Si mixtures to pressures and temperatures of between 12 and 17 GPa and 1500-1800 K, respectively. Synchrotron angle dispersive X-ray diffraction, precession electron diffraction and chemical analysis using electron microscopy, reveal recovery at ambient pressure of hexagonal Ge-Si solid solutions (P6 /mmc). Taken together, the multi-anvil and diamond anvil results reveal that hexagonal solid solutions can be prepared for all Ge-Si compositions.

Elastic stiffness coefficients of thiourea from thermal diffuse scattering.

The complete elastic stiffness tensor of thiourea has been determined from thermal diffuse scattering (TDS) using high-energy photons (100 keV). Comparison with earlier data confirms a very good agreement of the tensor coefficients. In contrast with established methods to obtain elastic stiffness coefficients ( Brillouin spectroscopy, inelastic X-ray or neutron scattering, ultrasound spectroscopy), their determination from TDS is faster, does not require large samples or intricate sample preparation, and is applicable to opaque crystals.