X-RAY-DIFFRACTION MEASUREMENTS FOR EXPANDED LIQUID GALLIUM

Changes in the atomic arrangement of liquid Ga when it is expanded by increasing temperature were studied. Density measurements were carried out for expanded liquid Ga in the temperature-pressure ranges up to 1600-degrees-C and 700 bar. and X-ray diffraction measurements up to 1200-degrees-C. The structure factors and the pair distribution functions were obtained as a function of density. The density of liquid Ga decreases almost linearly with increasing temperature, and the value at 1600-degrees-C is about 15% smaller than that at the melting point. From the detailed analysis of the pair distribution functions, it was revealed that the nearest neighbor distance remains almost constant, whereas coordination number decreases.