2015/04/22 by Kristen Baroudi, B. D. Gaulin, Baroudi, Kristen +5
Materials Science · Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Condensed Matter Physics #FOS: Physical sciences #Materials Science (cond-mat.mtrl-sci) #Nuclear Materials and Properties #Nuclear materials and radiation effects
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1504.05977
openalex publication_date 2015/04/22 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
The Ho2Ti2O7, Er2Ti2O7 and Yb2Ti2O7 pyrochlores were studied by synchrotron X-ray diffraction to determine whether the (002) peak, forbidden in the pyrochlore space group Fd-3m but observed in single crystal neutron scattering measurements, is present due to a deviation of their pyrochlore structure from Fd-3m symmetry. Synchrotron diffraction measurements on precisely synthesized stoichiometric and non-stoichiometric powders and a crushed floating zone crystal of Ho2Ti2O7 revealed that the (002) reflection is absent in all cases to a sensitivity of approximately one part in 30,000 of the strongest X-ray diffraction peak. This indicates to high sensitivity that the structural space group of these rare earth titanate pyrochlores is Fd-3m, and that thus the (002) peak observed in the neutron scattering experiments has a non-structural origin. The cell parameters and internal strain for lightly stuffed Ho2+xTi2-xO7 are also presented.