Pressure-induced structural transformation in ${\mathrm{SiO}}_2$ glass is investigated with molecular dynamics. At high densities, the height of the first sharp diffraction peak is considerably diminished, its position changes from 1.6 to 2.2 A${\mathrm{̊}}^{\mathrm{-}1}$, and a new peak appears at 2.85 A${\mathrm{̊}}^{\mathrm{-}1}$. At twice the normal density, the Si-O bond length increases, the Si-O coordination changes from 4 to 6, and the O-Si-O band angle changes from 109° to 90°. This is a tetrahedral to octahedral transformation, which was reported recently by Meade, Hemley, and Mao [Phys. Rev. Lett. 69, 1387 (1992)]. Results for phonon density of states also reveal significant changes at high pressures.

• Received 23 November 1992

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.71.3146