High-pressure synthesis, structure, and photoluminescence of a new KSbO3-type bismuth germanate Bi3Ge3O10.5.

ABSTRACT

A new Bi(3)Ge(3)O(10.5) compound has been synthesized under high pressure, P = 7 GPa, and 700 °C. Instead of the pyrochlore that is normally stabilized under high pressure, the Bi(3)Ge(3)O(10.5) crystallizes in a KSbO(3)-ype crystal structure. The crystal structure has been refined by the Rietveld method from synchrotron X-ray diffraction data. Moreover, we have also characterized the Bi(3)Ge(3)O(10.5) by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, photoluminescence, and specific heat.