title: Crystal structure and optical and magnetic properties of Pr(2)(MoO(4))(3).
abstract: Praseodymium molybdate Pr(2)(MoO(4))(3) was synthesized using the standard ceramic route. The crystal structure of the material has been successfully solved in superspace group I2/b(alphabeta0)00 with lattice constants a = 5.30284(4), b = 5.32699(3), c = 11.7935(1) A, gamma = 90.163(1) degrees , and the modulation vector q = 2/3a* + 0.88810(2)b*. The deviation of the q vector from a rational value allows a description of the structure in terms of nanosize domains with the La(2)(MoO(4))(3)-like structure separated by stacking faults. Under 450 nm excitation, ((3)P(0) level) Pr(2)(MoO(4))(3) exhibits the characteristic red emission, with the most intense band at 649 nm corresponding to a (3)P(0) --> (3)F(2) transition. Magnetic susceptibility measurements reveal Curie-Weiss paramagnetism with predominating antiferromagnetic interactions between Pr(3+)-magnetic moments and no evidence of magnetic transitions down to T = 5 K.
authors.affiliation: Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Laboratoire de Cristallographie, BSP-Cubotron, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland. dmitry.logvinovich@epfl.ch
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Logvinovich
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arakcheeva
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pattison
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eliseeva
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tomes
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Marozau
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chapuis