Pressure-induced crystallization and phase transformation of amorphous selenium: Raman spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction studies

High-pressure Raman spectroscopy studies have been carried out on amorphous Se (a-Se) at room temperature in a diamond anvil cell with an 830 nm exciting line. Raman evidence for the pressure-induced crystallization of a-Se and the coexistence of the unknown high-pressure phase with the hexagonal phase is presented for the first time. Further experimental proof of high-pressure angle-dispersive x-ray diffraction studies for a-Se indicates that the unknown high-pressure phase is also a mixture phase of the tetragonal I 4 1 / acd and Se IV structure. Our Raman and x-ray diffraction results suggest that hexagonal Se I undergoes a direct transition to triclinic Se III at about 19 GPa, which is in good agreement with the theoretical prediction.