Observation of Electrical Conductivity of Isentropically Compressed Hydrogen at Megabar Pressures

Abstract

Electrical conductivities of hydrogen and neon were measured during isentropic compression in a magnetic-flux compression device. Hydrogen becomes conducting at a density of about 1.06 g/${\mathrm{cm}}^3$ and a calculated pressure of about 200 GPa (2 Mbar). Neon remained an insulator to an estimated pressure of more than 500 GPa.