Permanent densification of silica glass for pressure calibration between 9 and 20 GPa at ambient temperature

Permanent density increase of silica glass was used to calibrate pressure generation delivered by cupped sintered diamond anvils ('dimple anvils') [Haberl B, Molaison JJ, Neuefeind JC, et al. Simple modified Bridgman anvil design for high pressure synthesis and neutron scattering. High Press. Res. submitted] within the Paris-Edinburgh press between approximately 9 and 20 GPa. Raman spectral changes of recovered silica glass with increased density were used to determine the maximum pressure reached by following an established calibration curve [Deschamps T, Kassir-Bodon A, Sonneville C, et al. Permanent densification of compressed silica glass: a Raman-density calibration curve. J. Phys. Condens. Matter. 2013;25:025402]. The monotonic Raman shift of the Main Band spectral region (similar to 200-700 cm(-1)) of silica glass recovered from 9 to 20 GPa allows for continuous pressure calibration and is applicable to all presses that operate within this pressure range. Radial & axial Raman profiles were conducted to determine the pressure distribution within the sample chamber. This technique has been verified by in situ resistance measurements of the insulator-to-metal phase transition of ZnS near 15 GPa.