Pressure-induced bcc-rhombohedral phase transition in vanadium metal

Vanadium is reported to undergo a pressure-induced bcc-rhombohedral phase transition at 30--70 GPa, with pressure that sensitive the hydrostaticity of sample environment. However, experimental evidence for structure high-pressure being rhombohedral surprisingly weak. We have restudied vanadium under 154 GPa using both polycrystalline and single-crystal samples, variety different transmitting media (PTM). find only when samples does one observe phase; diffraction profiles from do not fit lattice, irrespective PTM used. The reveal two phases, continuous between them, distortions cubic symmetry are much smaller than previously calculated.