High pressure techniques at low temperatures

Abstract

The article reviews the experimental techniques used in high pressure-low temperature investigations to study a variety of physicochcmical phenomena. The general principles of producing high pressures at low temperatures, the methods of measuring P and T, the materials used for construction and the diamond anvil all (DAC) are briefly given first. Specific pieces of apparatus to measure the mechanical properties, phase quilibria, thermal properties, electrical properties, magnetic phenomena, optical and Raman/IR spectroscopic behaviour as well as MBssbauer spectra are then discussed. While instrumentation is the main emphasis of the article, a few illustrative examples of interesting observations arc also indicated. Over 250 current papers are cited.