Raman Scattering under Hydrostatic Pressure in Layered AsI3 Crystals

The pressure dependence of Raman spectra of AsI 3 single crystals has been studied under hydrostatic pressure up to 2.23 GPa at 77 K by using a diamond anvil cell. The number of Raman lines increased abruptly at a pressure of 1.66 GPa indicating a structural phase transition. Further analysis of the Raman spectra in the high-pressure phase suggests that the new unit cell is made of two nearly identical unit cells of the low-pressure phase.