Eu(10)Mn(6)Sb(13): A new ternary rare-earth transition-metal

Abstract

A new transition-metal-containing Zintl compound, Eu(10)Mn(6)Sb(13), was prepared by a high-temperature Sn-flux synthesis. The structure was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Eu(10)Mn(6)Sb(13) crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/m with a = 15.1791(6) Angstrom, b = 19.1919(7) Angstrom, c = 12.2679(4) Angstrom, beta = 108.078(1)degrees, Z = 4 (R1 = 0.0410, wR2 = 0.0920), and T = 90(2) K. The structure of Eu(10)Mn(6)Sb(13) is composed of double layers of Mn-centered tetrahedra separated by Eu(2+) cations. The double layers are composed of edge- and corner-sharing Mn-centered tetrahedra which form cavities occupied by Eu(2+) cations and [Sb(2)](4-) dumbbells. Linear [Sb(3)](5-) trimers bridging two tetrahedra across the cavity are also present. Bulk susceptibility data indicate paramagnetic behavior with a ferromagnetic component present below 60 K. Temperature-dependent electrical resistivity measurements show semiconducting behavior above 60 K (E(a) = 0.115(2) eV), a large and unusually sharp maximum in the resistivity at similar to40 K, and metallic behavior below 40 K. (151)Eu Mossbauer spectra confirm that the europium is divalent with an average isomer shift of -11.2(1) mm/s at 100 K; the spectra obtained below 40 K reveal magnetic ordering of six of the seven europium sublattices and, at 4.2 K, complete ordering of the seven europium sublattices.