EXAFS Evidence of a Phase Transition in Icosahedral AlLiCu Quasicrystals under High Pressure

In situ EXAFS studies, performed at the Cu K absorption edge, are reported for icosahedral Al6Li3Cu quasicrystals frorn ambient pressure up to 33 GPa. The increase in the average distance of first neighbours around Cu atoms above 20 GPa is interpreted as the finger-print of a phase transition, while the evolution of the disorder parameter could be the signature of phason disorder