Crystal structures of Cr-based magnetic pyroxenes

Crystal structures of the Cr-based germanates: ACrGe2O6 (A = Li and Na) which show the specific magnetic properties, are solved using synchrotron powder-diffraction data at room temperature. Both compounds have isostructure which belongs to monoclinic C2/c with pyroxene-type structure. In both ACrGe2O6 structures, chromium atom forms the magnetic one-dimensional edge-shared CrO6 chain. In the NaCrGe2O6 structure, the shortest Cr⋯Cr distance and Cr–O–Cr angle are both longer and wider compared to those in the LiCrGe2O6 structure. This behavior may give strong influence to the difference of their magnetic properties.

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