Advanced flat top laser heating system for high pressure research at GSECARS: application to the melting behavior of germanium

Laser heating plays an essential role for in-situ high pressure high temperature studies into the physical and chemical properties of materials in the diamond anvil cell (DAC) and minerals at conditions relevant to the Earth's deep interior. High temperature experiments in the multi-Mbar (over 100 GPa) pressure range require the use of very small samples and consequently the utmost stability and controllability of the laser heating is crucial. To accomplish this, we have modified the laser heating system at GSECARS employing newly developed beam shaping optics combined with two diode-pumped, single mode fiber lasers. Varying the settings of the laser heating system, we were able to shape the beam to almost any desired intensity profile and size on the surface of the sample in the DAC, including tight focus, flat top, trident and doughnut types. The advantages and excellent performance of the flat top laser heating (FTLH) technique were demonstrated in melting experiments on germanium in the DAC at pressures up to 40 GPa.