Formation of NaCl-type lanthanum monohydride under high pressure; Discovery of novel rare-earth metal hydride using synchrotron radiation X-ray and neutron

Machida, Akihiko; Honda, Mitsunori*; Hattori, Takanori   ; Sano, Asami   ; Watanuki, Tetsu; Katayama, Yoshinori; Aoki, Katsutoshi; Oshita, Hidetoshi*; Ikeda, Kazutaka*; Otomo, Toshiya*

Recently, we have revealed formation of NaCl-type LaD using synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction and neutron diffraction measurements under high pressure. Previously, we have found that LaH decomposes into two phases, which have different hydrogen compositions, the H-poor and H-rich phases, at 11 GPa at room temperature by synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction. Recent neutron diffraction measurements on LaD confirmed the formation of a NaCl-type LaD as the D-poor phase. This is the first observation of a formation of the rare-earth metal monodeuteride. Present result indicates that that rare-earth metal can form a series of stoichiometric hydrides, such as mono-, di-, and trihydride with the fcc metal lattice.