P. Link et al., RESISTIVITY AND SUPERCONDUCTIVITY OF AMERICIUM METAL UNDER PRESSURE UP TO 25-GPA, Journal of alloys and compounds, 213, 1994, pp. 148-152
We report resistance data for americium metal under pressure up to 25
GPa and at temperatures down to 1.3 K. Samples of Am-243 with the doub
le-hexagonal-closed-packed (d.h.c.p.) structure and also with the f.c.
c. structure at ambient pressure were studied. The superconducting tra
nsition temperature of americium is shown to increase in both cases co
nsiderably with pressure, reaching a maximum value of 2.3 K at 6.6 GPa
in the case of d.h.c.p. americium. The pressure variation of the supe
rconducting critical temperature and the normal state properties of am
ericium metal exhibit several anomalies, which are discussed with resp
ect to phase transitions established by high pressure X-ray crystallog
raphy.