Anomalous electric conductivity of lithium under quasi-isentropic compression to 60 GPa (0.6 Mbar). Transition into a molecular phase?

Abstract

The electric conductivity of lithium compressed by dynamic methods by a factor of ~3 to 60 GPa pressure is measured. It is shown that the anomalous, by more than an order of magnitude with respect to the value under normal condition, decrease of electric conductivity under the experimental conditions is due primarily to the change in the interatomic distance. The results obtained can be explained on the basis of the hypothesis that a molecular structure is formed in the lithium at high pressure.