Comparative structural evolution under pressure of powder and single crystals of the layered antiferromagnet FePS$_3$

Abstract

The layered antiferromagnet FePS$_3$ has been shown to undergo a structural transition under pressure linked to an insulator-metal transition, with two incompatible models previously proposed for the highest-pressure structure. We present a study of the high-pressure crystal structures of FePS$_3$ using both single-crystal and powder x-ray diffraction. We show that the highest pressure transition involves a collapse of the inter-planar spacing of this material, along with an increase in symmetry from a monoclinic to a trigonal structure, to the exclusion of other models. The extent of this volume collapse is shown to be sensitive to the presence of a helium pressure medium in the sample environment, indicating that consideration of such experimental factors is important for understanding high-pressure behaviours in this material.