Single crystal x-ray diffraction studies on magnetic Yb₅Co₄Ge₁₀*

Abstract

The high quality single crystals of Yb₅Co₄Ge₁₀ have been grown by the indium metal flux method and characterized by means of single crystal X-ray diffraction data. Yb₅Co₄Ge₁₀ crystallizes in the Sc₅Co₄Si₁₀ structure type, tetragonal space group P4/mbm and lattice constants are a = b = 12.6369(18) Å and c = 4.1378(8) Å. Crystal structure of Yb₅Co₄Ge₁₀ composed of three-dimensional [Co₄Ge₁₂] network having five, six and eight membered rings. The three non-equivalent Yb atoms are sandwiched in three different channels created by the [Co₄Ge₁₂] network. Based on the bond length analysis from the crystallographic information, we confirmed that Yb1 and Yb2 atoms are in the trivalent magnetic state and Yb3 is in the divalent non-magnetic state.