Pressure-induced Phase Transition Sequence of the Group VB Elements and the Structure Change Seen from a New Point of View

Abstract

On the basis of the results of the diffraction studies by the present authors and those published in the literature, new structural systematics of the high pressure phases of the Group VB elements are proposed, in which the general transition sequence is expressed as rhombohedral A7 - (distorted) primitive simple cubic- distorted body-centered-cubic-body-centered-cubic. Investigation of the atomic arrangements of the high pressure phases shows that the network of the densest atomic planes changes gradually through the transition sequence.