High pressure melting curve of Tellurium


  Yevgeni Estrin  ,  Mark Nikoloyevski  ,  Aviva Melchior  ,  Ran Salem  
Physics Department, Nuclear Research Center Negev, P.O. Box 3001, Beer Sheva 84190, Israel

The high pressure melting curve of Tellurium was measured in a laser heated diamond anvil cell (LHDAC). The precision of melting curve measurements in a LHDAC is largely limited by a correct and reliable determination of the onset of melting. We have implemented image analysis techniques for speckle interference patterns of the sample surface, as a way to define quantitative measures, which enable an objective determination of the melting transition. Temperatures were measured using our customized low light pyrometer, allowing the temperature measurement ranging from 500 K and up to thousands of Kelvin. Our setup allows studying the melting curve of materials with low melting temperatures and relatively high precision. Melting curve of Te was measured up to 35GPa and was consistent with previous results measured up to 10 GPa.