In-situ X-ray diffraction measurements of the γ-ε transition boundary of iron in an internally-heated diamond anvil cell

The phase transition boundary between the γ (face-centered cubic structure) and ε (hexagonal close-packed structure) iron phases was determined up to 69 GPa by using a newly developed internally-heated diamond anvil cell, combined with in-situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction measurements. The improved experimental configuration provides stable heating with reliable temperature and pressure determination and phase identification. A simultaneous laser- and internal-heating system was also used to produce further higher temperature at higher pressures. The sample pressure at any given temperature was calculated using an established thermal equation of state for ε iron. The γ-ε transition boundary was bracketed with the normal and reversal directions and it is linear from 21 to 69 GPa with a dP/dT slope of 0.0394 GPa/K. There is no evidence for the existence of additional iron solid phase other than the γ and ε phases over the P-T range of this study. We inferred that the γ-ε-liquid triple point of iron should occur at 88 GPa and 2800 K.