High-pressure Raman and infrared study of $ZrV_2O_7$

The room-temperature Raman and infrared spectra of zirconium vanadate $(ZrV_2O_7)$ were observed up to pressures of 12 GPa and 5.7 GPa, respectively. The frequencies of the optically active modes at ambient pressure were calculated using direct methods and compared with experimental values. Average mode Grüneisen parameters were calculated for the Raman and infrared active modes. Changes in the spectra under pressure indicate a phase transition at not, vert, similar \sim 1.6 GPa, which is consistent with the previously observed \alpha (cubic) to $_\beta$ (pseudo-tetragonal) phase transition, and changes in the spectra at not, vert, similar \sim 4 GPa are consistent with an irreversible transformation to an amorphous structure