Six-axis multi-anvil press for high-pressure, high-temperature neutron diffraction experiments

Sano, Asami   ; Hattori, Takanori   ; Arima, Hiroshi*; Yamada, Akihiro*; Tabata, Satoshi*; Kondo, Masahiro*; Nakamura, Akihiro*; Kagi, Hiroyuki*; Yagi, Takehiko*

We developed a six-axis multi-anvil press, ATSUHIME, for high-pressure and high-temperature in situ time-of-flight neutron powder diffraction experiments. The press has six orthogonally oriented hydraulic rams that operate individually to compress a cubic sample assembly. Experiments indicate that the press can generate pressures up to 9.3 GPa and temperatures up to 2000 K using a 6-6-type cell assembly, with available sample volume of about 50 mm . Using a 6-8-type cell assembly, the available conditions expand to 16 GPa and 1273 K. Combination of the six-axis press and the collimation devices realized high-quality diffraction pattern with no contamination from the heater or the sample container surrounding the sample. This press constitutes a new tool for using neutron diffraction to study the structures of crystals and liquids under high pressures and temperatures.