Ultrahigh-pressure structural evolution of holmium to 327 GPa
Phys. Rev. B 113, 214107 – Published 15 June, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/lzlp-zwnn
Abstract
Synchrotron X-ray diffraction measurements of holmium were conducted up to 327 GPa using toroidal diamond-anvil cells, revealing a complete structural sequence of . The transition initiates around 257 GPa, approximately 60 GPa higher than that in dysprosium, and these two phases coexist up to the highest pressure studied. The transition proceeds sluggishly without a measurable volume discontinuity, indicating an anisotropic lattice rearrangement rather than abrupt electron delocalization. The phase exhibits the highest incompressibility among the observed phases, completing the systematic evolution of the heavy lanthanides and underscoring the unified sequence in and metals. First-principles calculations of phonon dispersion and enthalpy indicate that both and are dynamically stable at 325 GPa and remain nearly degenerate over a broad pressure range, consistent with the experimentally observed phase coexistence. Based on comparative analysis, this work also discusses potential method optimizations for high-pressure structural studies of rare-earth metals using toroidal diamond-anvil cells, including calibrant and gasket configurations that could improve data quality in future multi-megabar investigations.