Synthesis of new Ga7Ge3Te11—One-dimensional phase in Ga–Ge–Te ternary system: Crystal structure and physical properties

•We prepared and characterized novel compound Ga7Ge3Te11in single crystalline form.•Ga7Ge3Te11 is one-dimensional structure; orthorhombic lattice; space group Pnma.•Ga7Ge3Te11 is an intrinsic semiconductor; Eg≅0.7 eV.•Ga7Ge3Te11 is paramagnetic with an effective magnetic moment of peff=0.06 μB per atom.•Crossover from para – to diamagnetism is observed in field dependence of susceptibility.

Ga7Ge3Te11 single crystals were grown using transport in a temperature gradient. The prepared single crystals have a needle-like appearance, 1 to 40 μm in diameter and 2 to 20 mm in length. The Ga7Ge3Te11 single crystals were characterized by both single crystalline and powder X-ray diffraction. The structure consists of one-dimensional molecular strings bonded together through tellurium atoms by a weak bond of the van der Waals type. A large unit cell volume indicates the complexity of the structure. The room temperature theoretical density is 5.73 g cm−3. The compound shows semiconducting properties and possesses peculiar magnetic properties.

Graphical abstract1D Ga7Ge3Te11 - cross-view of the molecular string.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide