High pressure Raman and visible absorption study of AlH3

Raman and visible absorption spectra of AlH3 were measured at high pressures in order to clarify the structural and electronic phase transitions. For the Raman results, abrupt decrease in Raman intensity was found at 30 GPa, implying that there exists a structural transition from the α phase to higher pressure phase. Correspondingly, the spectral change in the optical absorption was observed at almost the same pressure of 30 GPa. From the absorption measurements, the band gap is expected to close at the pressure higher than 50 GPa.