Tin‐rich Phases RE₂Au₃Sn₆ with RE = La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm – Synthesis, Structure, Magnetic Properties, and ¹¹⁹Sn Mössbauer Spectra

Abstract

The stannides RE 2 Au 3 Sn 6 (RE = La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm) were synthesized from the elements by arc-melting. Small single crystals were grown by annealing samples in sealed tantalum tubes in an induction furnace with a special annealing sequence. The polycrystalline phases were characterized through their X-ray powder diffraction pattern. The structures of Ce 2 Au 3 Sn 6 , Pr 2 Au 3 Sn 6 , and Nd 2 Au 3 Sn 6 were refined from single-crystal X-ray diffractometer data. The RE 2 Au 3 Sn 6 stannides crystallize with the orthorhombic La 2 Zn 3 Ge 6 type, space group Cmcm. The basic structural building units are Au1@Sn 4 tetrahedra and Au2@Sn 5 square pyramids. These units are condensed to layers and the structure can be described by a simple stacking of tetrahedral and pyramidal layers with the rare earth cations in between. Tem