α-boron at very high pressure: Structural and vibrational properties

Abstract

Boron is an atomic species at the origin of the hardest materials. It has one of the most complicated chemistry among the elements. The simplest member of the family, α-boron, is based on an arrangement of slightly distorted B12 icosahedron in a rhombohedral unit cell. It has been studied by x-ray diffraction and Raman scattering up to 100 GPa, showing no sign of phase transformation. © 2008 IOP Publishing Ltd.