Evidence for differentiation in the iron-helicoidal chain in GdFe3(BO3)4.
A single-crystal X-ray structure study of gadolinium triiron tetraborate, GdFe3(BO3)4, at room temperature and at 90 K is reported. At room temperature GdFe3(BO3)4 crystallizes in a trigonal space group, R32 (No. 155), the same as found for other members of the iron borate family RFe3(BO3)4. At 90 K the structure of GdFe3(BO3)4 transforms to the space group P3(1)21 (No. 152). The low-temperature structure determination gives new insight into the weakly first-order structural phase transition at 156 K and into the related Raman phonon anomalies. The presence of two inequivalent iron chains in the low-temperature structure provides a new perspective on the interpretation of the low-temperature magnetic properties.
Klimin
S A
SA
Material Science Center, University of Groningen, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands.
Fausti
D
D
Meetsma
A
A
Bezmaternykh
L N
LN
van Loosdrecht
P H M
PH
Palstra
T T M
TT
D001881:Borates / Q000737:chemistry*; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D005682:Gadolinium / Q000737:chemistry*; D007501:Iron / Q000737:chemistry*; D008024:Ligands; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry; D044367:Phase Transition; D012984:Software; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman; D013696:Temperature
D001881:Borates; D008024:Ligands; C506608:gadolinium triiron tetraborate; D005682:Gadolinium; D007501:Iron; D010100:Oxygen