  X-ray diffraction and Raman-scattering measurements on cerium vanadate have
been performed up to 12 and 16 GPa, respectively. Experiments reveal that at
5.3 GPa the onset of a pressure-induced irreversible phase transition from the
zircon to the monazite structure. Beyond this pressure, diffraction peaks and
Raman-active modes of the monazite phase are measured. The zircon to monazite
transition in CeVO4 is distinctive among the other rare-earth orthovanadates.
We also observed softening of external translational Eg and internal B2g
bending modes. We attributed it to mechanical instabilities of zircon phase
against the pressure-induced distortion. We additionally report
lattice-dynamical and total-energy calculations which are in agreement with the
experimental results. Finally, the effect of non-hydrostatic stresses on the
structural sequence is studied and the equations of state of different phases
are reported.
