Single-crystal X-ray diffraction of BC8 carbon near terapascal pressures
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arXiv: 2611.06045v1 · Summary page
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Carbon beyond diamond, caught in a crystal pattern
A long-predicted form of carbon now has direct crystallographic evidence, according to a new preprint. The researchers report producing BC8 carbon, a structure denser than diamond, by first driving diamond into a molten state with laser-induced shock compression. As the shock weakened, carbon crystallized into the new structure.
The decisive measurement was not simply a collection of diffraction peaks at plausible positions. Orientation-resolved X-ray diffraction revealed separate bright spots whose spacings and relative angles fit a consistent crystal orientation within each indexed group. That provides stronger structural constraints than matching peaks from a powder. Beyond carbon, the result illustrates how a carefully chosen route through melting and compression can make predicted materials accessible, even when ordinary synthesis cannot.
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