Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Electron Channeling Contrast Imaging for Rapid III-V Heteroepitaxial Characterization
Published on: July 17, 2015
Planar versus puckered nets in the polar intermetallic series EuGaTt (Tt = Si, Ge, Sn)
Tae-Soo You1, Yuri Grin, Gordon J Miller
1Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50010, USA.
Abstract:
The ternary polar intermetallic compounds EuGaTt (Tt = Si, Ge, Sn) have been synthesized and characterized experimentally, as well as theoretically. EuGaSi crystallizes in the hexagonal AlB(2)-type structure (space group P6/mmm, Z = 1, Pearson symbol hP3) with randomly distributed Ga and Si atoms on the graphite-type planes: a = 4.1687(6) A, c = 4.5543(9) A. On the other hand, EuGaGe and EuGaSn adopt the hexagonal YPtAs-type structure (space group P6(3)/mmc, Z = 4, Pearson symbol hP12): a = 4.2646(6) A and c = 18.041(5) A for EuGaGe; a = 4.5243(5) A and c = 18.067(3) A for EuGaSn. The three crystal structures contain formally [GaTt](2-) polyanionic 3-bonded, hexagonal networks, which change from planar to puckered and exhibit a significant decrease in interlayer Ga-Ga distances as the size of Tt increases. Magnetic susceptibility measurements of this series of compounds show Curie-Weiss behavior above 86(5), 95(5), and 116(5) K with magnetic moments of 7.93, 7.97, and 7.99 mu(B) for EuGaSi, EuGaGe, and EuGaSn, respectively, indicating a 4f(7) electronic configuration (Eu(2+)) for Eu atoms. X-ray absorption spectra (XAS) are also consistent with these magnetic properties. Electronic structure calculations supplemented by a crystal orbital Hamilton population (COHP) analysis identifies the synergy between atomic sizes, from both Eu and Tt atoms, and the orbital contributions from Eu toward influencing the structural features of EuGaTt. A multicentered interaction between planes of Eu atoms and the [GaTt](2-) layers rather than through-space Ga-Ga bonding is seen in ELF distributions.
Related Concept Videos
Metallic Solids
All metallic solids exhibit high thermal and electrical conductivity, metallic luster, and malleability. Many...
Crystal Field Theory - Tetrahedral and Square Planar Complexes
Crystal field theory (CFT) is applicable to molecules in geometries other than octahedral. In octahedral complexes, the lobes of the dx2−y2 and dz2 orbitals point directly at the ligands. For tetrahedral complexes, the d orbitals remain in place, but with only four ligands located between the axes. None of the orbitals points directly at the tetrahedral ligands. However, the dx2−y2 and dz2 orbitals (along the Cartesian axes) overlap with the ligands less than the dxy,...
Aromatic Hydrocarbon Cations: Structural Overview
Removing one hydrogen from the intervening CH2 group with both...
Imperfections in Crystal Structure: Stoichiometric Point Defects
Crystal Field Theory - Octahedral Complexes
To explain the observed behavior of transition metal complexes (such as colors), a model involving electrostatic interactions between the electrons from the ligands and the electrons in the unhybridized d orbitals of the central metal atom has been developed. This electrostatic model is crystal field theory (CFT). It helps to understand, interpret, and predict the colors, magnetic behavior, and some structures of coordination compounds of transition metals.
CFT focuses on...

