Isentropic compression of argon [using pulsed power]

The authors study the transition of argon from an insulator to a conductor by compressing the frozen gas isentropically to pressures at which neighboring atomic orbitals overlap sufficiently to allow some electron motion between atoms. Argon and the other rare gases have closed electron shells and therefore remain monatomic, even when they solidify. Their simple structure makes it likely that any measured change in conductivity is due to changes in the atomic structure, not in molecular configuration. As the crystal is compressed, the band gap closes, allowing increased conductivity. The authors have begun research to determine the conductivity at high pressures, and it is their intention to determine the compression at which the crystal becomes a metal. Here, they describe the experimental techniques of the pulsed power-based compression using an MC-1 magnetic flux compression generator.