Metallic hydrogen: the question of metastability

ORAL

Abstract

We have studied the properties of MH under pressure in a diamond anvil cell. The reflectance was measured at five wavelengths in the near infrared, using narrow band light emitting diodes (LEDs) to establish that the sample was in the metallic phase at 480-500 GPa. MH has been predicted to possibly be metastable, i.e., it might remain in the metallic phase when the pressure is lifted. Theoretical predictions have scattered results, one predicting that the metastability pressure is ~ 200 GPa, and another that it is as low as 10-20 GPa. We have observed that MH is not metastable at zero pressure and possibly remains metallic until pressure was reduced below ~100 GPa. We shall discuss the techniques that were used for this determination.

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Presenters

  • Isaac F Silvera

    • Harvard University

Authors

  • William Ferreira

    • Lyman Laboratory of Physics Harvard University

  • Morten Moeller

    • Lyman Laboratory of Physics, Harvard University

  • Kiran Linsuain

    • Lyman Laboratory of Physics, Harvard University

  • Jing Song

    • Washington University, St. Louis

  • Ashal Salamat

    • Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, University of Las Vegas, Nevada

  • Ranga P Dias

    • University of Rochester

  • Isaac F Silvera

    • Harvard University