Ultra high-pressure generation and material science
We aim to generate ultra-high pressures up to 1 TPa, exceeding the pressure at the center of the Earth (365 GPa), by the static compression realized by diamond anvil cells with the microfabrication technology and physical property measurement equipment available at GRC. Such pressure generation technology enables us to investigate the internal structure of planets larger than the Earth, such as gas and ice planets like Jupiter and Uranus, and extrasolar planets like super-Earths. We also explore novel physical properties observed under ultra-high pressures, not only to elucidate their scientific origins, but also to innovate new materials useful for our daily life. Under ultra-high pressure, most materials change to a different state from the state at ambient pressure. For example, novel magnetic structures and superconducting transition near room temperature are known as phenomena induced by the dense hydrogenation under high pressure conditions. It is noted that the pressure scale and measurement techniques for physical properties under ultra-high pressure conditions are not fully developed. Therefore, the developments of pressure calibration and measurement techniques using synchrotron radiation X-rays are also our important mission.
Ultra-high Pressure Synthesis
Using high-pressure technologies and devices developed at GRC, syntheses of novel functional materials are being performed. One such example is ultrahard sintered nano-polycrystalline diamond (NPD or Hime-diamond), originally synthesized by GRC. NPD rods with dimensions up to 1 cm (~15 carats) can now be produced with a 6000-ton multianvil apparatus (BOTCHAN-6000) on a routine basis, which are used for various studies in high-pressure sciences. This group is intensively making international collaborations with groups not only in geosciences but also in other research fields, such as physics, chemistry, and materials science.
Members
| Name | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| Naoki Ishimatsu | Professor | HP CV |
| Takeshi Sakai | Associate professor | CV |