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arXiv:1610.01634cond-mat.mtrl-sci

Observation of the Wigner-Huntington Transition to Solid Metallic Hydrogen

Ranga Dias, Isaac F. Silvera

Abstract

We have studied solid hydrogen under pressure at low temperatures. With increasing pressure we observe changes in the sample, going from transparent, to black, to a reflective metal, the latter studied at a pressure of 495 GPa. We have measured the reflectance as a function of wavelength in the visible spectrum finding values as high as 0.90 from the metallic hydrogen. We have fit the reflectance using a Drude free electron model to determine the plasma frequency of 30.1 eV at T= 5.5 K, with a corresponding electron carrier density of 6.7x1023 particles/cm3, consistent with theoretical estimates. The properties are those of a metal. Solid metallic hydrogen has been produced in the laboratory.

arXiv comments
11 pages plus supplementary information
Journal reference
DOI
doi:10.1126/science.aal1579
Subjects
cond-mat.mtrl-sciMaterials Science cond-mat.otherOther Condensed Matter

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Linked by 2 identifiable commenters in 2 comments across 2 threads, from Jan 2017 to Jan 2017. Found in 1 HN submission from Nov 2016 to Nov 2016. Open submission discussions.

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Discussed in comments2 threads

  1. Hydrogen turned into metal in stunning act of alchemy 1 comment

    • Looks like it'll be a few months before we know if it's metastable at ambient pressure; they're planning to do the pressure release experiments at one of the national labs [0]. Here's the preprint [1] of the Science paper [2], and the HN discussion [3]. [0]…

      rsfernView on HNParent context

  2. A Breakthrough in High-Pressure Physics 1 comment

    • Apparently, this was pre-published in October. Previous discussion here[0], ArXiv link here[1]. The news today is the peer-reviewed version in Science of the same paper, as I understand it. [0]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12875868 [1]: https://arxiv.org/abs/1610.01634

      NoGravitasView on HNParent context

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