How does a metal gasket improve a diamond-anvil cell?

The use of a metal gasket significantly enhances the utility of a diamond-anvil cell by allowing for the confinement of liquids and other fluid samples within a defined cylindrical chamber.1

By placing a thin metal foil gasket between the two diamond-anvil faces, researchers can create a sample chamber bounded by the gasket wall and the flat ends of the diamonds. This configuration provides several key advantages:1

• Sample Containment: It enables the study of fluids that would otherwise be difficult to hold under extreme force.1
• Hydrostatic Pressure: It allows for the hydrostatic pressurization of samples, which is essential for conducting accurate X-ray diffraction and optical studies.1
• Observation: It facilitates the study of uncrushed single crystals, allowing scientists to observe phenomena such as crystallization at high pressures.1

This innovation, introduced by Alvin Van Valkenburg, was a critical development that expanded the experimental capabilities of the diamond-anvil cell, building upon earlier principles of sample confinement established by Percy Williams Bridgman.12