Observation of the Wigner-Huntington Transition to Solid Metallic Hydrogen

2016/10/05 by Ranga Dias, Isaac F. Silvera · 1 voice · 581 citations
Chemistry · Earth and Planetary Sciences · Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Chemical Physics Studies #Ambient pressure #Analytical Chemistry (journal) #Atomic physics #Chemistry #Condensed matter physics #Drude model #Electron #Electron density #High-pressure geophysics and materials #Hydrogen #Materials science #Metal #Metallic hydrogen #Metallurgy #Optics #Optoelectronics #Physics #Plasma #Quantum, superfluid, helium dynamics #Reflectivity #Solid hydrogen #Thermodynamics #Visible spectrum #Wavelength #cond-mat.mtrl-sci #cond-mat.other

paper · pdf · doi:10.1126/science.aal1579

published in Science 355(6326), 715-718 (American Association for the Advancement of Science) · 11 pages plus supplementary information

arxiv created 2016/10/05 · openalex publication_date 2017/01/27 · arxiv updated 2017/03/08 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05

Abstract

We have studied solid hydrogen under pressure at low temperatures. With increasing pressure we observe changes in the sample, going from transparent, to black, to a reflective metal, the latter studied at a pressure of 495 GPa. We have measured the reflectance as a function of wavelength in the visible spectrum finding values as high as 0.90 from the metallic hydrogen. We have fit the reflectance using a Drude free electron model to determine the plasma frequency of 30.1 eV at T= 5.5 K, with a corresponding electron carrier density of 6.7x1023 particles/cm3, consistent with theoretical estimates. The properties are those of a metal. Solid metallic hydrogen has been produced in the laboratory.

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Discussions

• Solid metallic hydrogen has been produced in the laboratory [hn, 242 points, 61 comments]

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