Crystal structure of Mn3Si2Te6

The synthesis, magnetic, and electrical properties of a new silicon manganese telluride, semiconducting and ferrimagnetic, has been previously reported. The X-ray determination of the crystal structure of this compound was achieved by means of direct methods and three-dimensional Fourier syntheses. The final least-squares R w factor of the refinement is R w = 0.035. According to this study the chemical formula is Mn 3 Si 2 Te 6 with Z = 2, the trigonal unit cell is a = 7.029(2), c = 14.255(3) Å, the space group is P 3 1c . The crystal structure can be described as one of a layer-type compound. Along the c -axis direction, we observe a fully occupied layer of Mn or Si pairs octahedra, then a partially occupied layer of ordered Mn octahedra, and so on. The surroundings of Si atoms are similar to the one found in Si 2 Te 3 , and the fully occupied layer of octahedra may be compared to the one found in Fe 2 P 2 Se 6 .