Cd4Cu7As, the first representative of a fully ordered, orthorhombically distorted MgCu2 Laves phase

The ternary Laves phase Cd(4)Cu(7)As is the first intermetallic compound in the system Cu-Cd-As and a representative of a new substitution variant for Laves phases. It crystallizes orthorhombically in the space group Pnnm (No. 58) with lattice parameters a = 9.8833(7) Å; b = 7.1251(3) Å; c = 5.0895(4) Å. All sites are fully occupied within the standard deviations. The structure can be described as typical Laves phase, where Cu and As are forming vertex-linked tetrahedra and Cd adopts the structure motive of a distorted diamond network. Cd(4)Cu(7)As was prepared from stoichiometric mixtures of the elements in a solid state reaction at 1000 °C. Magnetic measurements are showing a Pauli paramagnetic behavior. During our systematical investigations within the ternary phase triangle Cd-Cu-As the cubic C15-type Laves phase Cd(4)Cu(6.9(1))As(1.1(1)) was structurally characterized. It crystallizes cubic in the space group Fd3m with lattice parameter a = 7.0779(8) Å. Typically for quasi-binary Laves phases Cu and As are both occupying the 16c site. Chemical bonding, charge transfer and atomic properties of Cd(4)Cu(7)As were analyzed by band structure, ELF, and AIM calculations. On the basis of the general formula for Laves phases AB(2), Cd is slightly positively charged forming the A substructure, whereas Cu and As represent the negatively charged B substructure in both cases. The crystal structure distortion is thus related to local effects caused by Arsenic that exhibits a larger atomic volume (18 Å(3) compared to 13 Å(3) for Cu) and higher ionicity in bonding.