Phase transitions and amorphization of KH2PO4 at high pressure

Investigation of the changes in hydrogen bonding accompanying the structural reorganization at 103 K in ammonium iodate

Neutron powder diffraction has been used to observe the changes in hydrogen bonding that occur as a function of temperature in ND₄IO₃ and, thus, determine the structural features that occur during the low-temperature (103 K) phase transition. It is shown that in the deuterated material the change is not a phase change per se but rather a structural reorganization in which the hydrogen bonding becomes firmly locked in at the phase transition temperature, and stays in this configuration upon further cooling to 4.2 K. In addition, both the differences and changes in the axial thermal expansion coefficients in the region 100-290 K can be explained by the changes involving both the hydrogen bonding and the secondary I...O halogen bonds.

Structure of the high-pressure phase IV of KH2PO4 (KDP)

The high-pressure phase IV of potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KH(2)PO(4), KDP) has been determined at 1.62 GPa/296 K. It is monoclinic, space group P2(1)/c, Z = 12, and on decompression transforms into monoclinic phase I. The interplay of OH···O bonding networks and K(+) coordination types leads to an exceptionally large number of KDP polymorphs, at least 13 according to the literature.

Dynamics of transient absorption in bulk DKDP crystals following laser energy deposition

The transient changes in the optical properties of bulk DKDP material arising from its exposure to high temperatures and pressures associated with localized laser energy deposition are investigated. Two methods for initiation of laser-induced breakdown are used, intrinsic, involving relatively large energy deposition brought about by focusing of the laser beam to high intensities, and extrinsic, arising from more localized deposition due to the presence of pre-existing absorbing damage initiating defects. Each method leads to a very different volume of material being affected, which provides for different material thermal relaxation times to help better understand the processes involved.

Simple models for laser-induced damage and conditioning of potassium dihydrogen phosphate crystals by nanosecond pulses

When potassium dihydrogen phosphate crystals (KH(2)PO(4) or KDP) are illuminated by multi-gigawatt nanosecond pulses, damages may appear in the crystal bulk. One can increase damage resistance through a conditioning that consists in carrying out a laser pre-exposure of the crystal. The present paper addresses the modeling of laser-induced damage and conditioning of KDP crystals. The method is based on heating a distribution of defects, the cooperation of which may lead to a dramatic temperature rise. In a previous investigation [Opt. Express 15, 4557-4576 (2007)], calculations were performed for cases where the heat diffusion was permitted in one and three spatial dimensions, corresponding respectively to planar and point defects. For the sake of completeness, the present study involves the 2D heat diffusion that is associated with linear defects. A comparison to experimental data leads to the conclusion that 1D calculations are the most appropriate for describing the laser-induced damage in KDP. Within this framework, the evolution of the damage density is given as a function of the laser energy density and an in-depth analysis of the results is provided based on simple analytical expressions that can be used for experimental design. Regarding the conditioning, assuming that it is due to a decrease in the defect absorption efficiency, two scenarios associated with various defect natures are proposed and these account for certain of the observed experimental facts. For instance, in order to improve the crystal resistance to damage, one needs to use a conditioning pulse duration shorter than the testing pulse. Also, a conditioning scenario based on the migration of point (atomic-size) defects allows the reproduction of a logarithmic-like evolution of the conditioning gain with respect to the number of laser pre-exposures. Moreover, this study aims at refining the knowledge regarding the precursor defects responsible for the laser-induced damage in KDP crystals. Within the presented modeling, the best candidate permitting the reproduction of major experimental facts is comprised of a collection of one-hundred-nanometer structural defects associated with point defects as for instance cracks and couples of oxygen interstitials and vacancies.