Insulator-to-metal transition in Krypton

This experiment aims at investigating the insulator-to-metal transition in the noble gas Krypton. Total energy calculations predict that this transition in Krypton should occur around 310 GPa. Such high pressures are not easily achievable using static compression techniques. We aim to perform laser induced shock compression on pre-compressed Krypton, and use velocity interferometry (VISAR) to detect the insulator-to-metal transition. The insulator-to-metal transition in rare-gas solids is predicted to occur in the vicinity of the hcp phase interval. This experiment will serve as the base for our future x-ray experiments where structural phase transitions will be probed alongside the insulator-to-metal transition.