Powder Neutron Diffraction studies of

Oxide and Oxynitride Materials

J. Paul Attfield

Department of Chemistry and

Centre for Science at Extreme Conditions (CSEC),

University of Edinburgh

X-rays Neutrons

Photons, constant velocity c

E = hn = hc/l

Particles, variable velocity v

l = h/mv; E = mv2/2

l = 1 Å; E ≈ 10 keV

core electron ionisation

l = 1 Å; E ≈ 100 meV

rotational, vibrational excitations

Charge>>Magnetic>Nuclear scattering

measure electron density

Nuclear ≈ Magnetic >> Charge

measure nuclear and magnetic densities

All elements accessible

but heavy >> light

Most elements scatter equally

a few incoherent (H) or absorbing (B, Gd)

sinl

Norm

ali

sed

Scat

teri

ng F

acto

r

b

fx

fm

Powder Neutron Diffraction Reactor Source

e.g. Institut Laue Langevin (ILL),

Grenoble, France

Pulsed Source

e.g. ISIS spallation facility, Rutherford

Appleton Laboratory, UK

Good for angle-dispersive diffraction, cf x-

ray diffraction

Good for wavelength-dispersive Time-of-

Flight neutron diffraction ;

l = h/mv and l = 2dsin ht/mL = 2dsin

Detector

Sample

Monochromator

Monochromatic X-rays/Neutrons

'White ' X-rays/Neutrons

Fixed detector

2White neutron pulse

Proton Pulse

Target

Moderator

L1

L2

L = L1 + L2

1 d(Å ) 3

2.5 d(Å ) 4.5

High 2

detector

Low 2

detector

t1 t2 (same time window)

Fixed detector

2White neutron pulse

Proton Pulse

Target

Moderator

L1

L2

L = L1 + L2

Fixed detector

2White neutron pulse

Proton Pulse

Target

Moderator

L1

L2

L = L1 + L2

1 d(Å ) 31 d(Å ) 3

2.5 d(Å ) 4.5

High 2

detector

Low 2

detector

t1 t2 (same time window)

Outline – examples of

energy/electronic materials

Q-range

Neutron flux/

Sample size

2. MnTiO3

and MnVO3

Contrast

4. Oxynitrides

Analysis

software

Competitive/complementary

methods; neutron + X-rays

1. Fe3O4

Sample

environments

3. BiNiO3

Powder

Neutron

Diffraction

1. The Verwey structure of magnetite

(Fe3O4) – a brief history

• 1939 - Fe3+[Fe2+Fe3+]O4 charge ordering at 125 K

transition proposed by Verwey.

• 1975 - monoclinic 2a x 2a x 2a Cc supercell

with 16 independent B-sites (Iizumi & Shirane).

• 1982 - Pmca subcell neutron refinement from

partially detwinned single crystal (Iizumi et al)

CO not seen.

• 2001 - Pmca subcell refinement used high

resolution powder neutron (HRPD@ISIS) and X-

ray (BM16@ESRF) data (Wright et al, 2001)

CO over 4 averaged sites.

• 2012 - full Cc structure from synchrotron

microcrystal (40 μm grain, 2 twin domains)

CO, OO, trimeron order

Mark Senn, Jon Wright & JPA, Nature (2012)

10

102

103

104

105

2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0

90

K I

nte

nsi

ty (

Co

un

ts)

d-spacing (?

*

**

-20

-10

0

10

20

Dif

f/e

sd

10

102

103

104

105

1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0

90

K I

nte

nsi

ty (

Co

un

ts)

d-spacing (?

***

*

-20

-10

0

10

20

Dif

f/e

sd

10

102

103

104

105

0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0

90

K I

nte

nsi

ty (

Co

un

ts)

d-spacing (?

-20

-10

0

10

20

Dif

f/e

sd

10-2

10-1

100

101

102

2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0

Inte

nsi

ty (

arb

.un

its)

d-spacing (?

*

*

-40

-20

0

20

Dif

f/e

sd

10-2

10-1

100

101

102

1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0

Inte

nsi

ty (

arb

.un

its)

d-spacing (?

***

-20

-10

0

10

20

Dif

f/e

sd

10-2

10-1

100

101

102

0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1

Inte

nsi

ty (

arb

.un

its)

d-spacing (?

-20

-10

0

10

20

Dif

f/e

sd

AB2O4 spinel

structure

130 K

90 K

High P-T large volume synthesis

High Pressure Materials SrCrO3

Orbitally driven phase separation

Ortega San Martin et al, PRL 2007

PbRuO3 Symmetry-reversing orbital transition

Kimber et al, PRL 2009

RFeAs(O,F)

New arsenide superconductors

Bos et al, Chem. Comm. 2008

MnVO3 Helimagnetic A site spin order

Markkula et al, PRB 2011

Also UK-Japan (EPSRC/JST)

collaboration with Kyoto/TIT/ISSP

2. MnTiO3 High pressure (8 GPa, 1000 °C) LiNbO3-type R3c polymorph

Spin order at Tc = 28 K – is it consistent with multiferroicity?

Neutron study of 70 mg sample on D20@ILL:

Antiferromagnetic order in xy-plane observed

Weak ferromagnetic component is symmetry allowed

Perpendicular coupling and switching of M(b) with P(c)

predicted (Fennie et al, PRL 2008)

Angel Arévalo-López and JPA, in preparation

MnVO3 A2+VO3 perovskites of 3d1 V4+ :

• A = Ca and Sr, and Cd(HP) - good metals.

• A = Pb(HP) - antiferromagnetic, ferroelectric insulator - cf PbTiO3.

• A = Mn(HP) (Y. Syono et al, J. Phys. Chem. Solids (1971)). Mn2+ is smaller

and has S = 5/2 3d5 Mn2+ moments. Physical properties unclear.

• Synthesis: Mn2V2O7 precursor reduced to MnVO3

perovskite at 1100 ºC under 8 GPa pressure for 30 min.

• SXRD (ID31@ESRF): orthorhombic Pnma perovskite

tilted superstructure 4-300 K, no structural transitions.

• Susceptibility (cf Syono et al):TN = 50 K; Curie-Weiss

moment of 5.80 μB, ( cf 5.91 μB for S = 5/2 Mn2+) = -154

K; partly frustrated antiferromagnet (||/TN ≈ 3).

• HP conductivity: metallic up to 67 kbar, small (Lorentz

force) magnetoresistance

localized Mn2+ 3d5 and itinerant B-site V4+ 3d1 electrons

MnVO3 Neutron Studies:

• PND (k 0 0) spin order (cf TbMnO3, but rare in metallic perovskites), D3(mz) and

D4(my) vectors two solutions:

– D3(mz) ± iD4(my) helical (non-polar point group 222, so not ferroelectric) 3.5 μB

– D3(mz) ± D4(my) SDW 4.9 μB

• Either/both of two exchange mechanisms possible:

– Superexchange (inequivalent Mn-O-Mn)

– RKKY (Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida)

Mn – V3d - Mn

Unusual system with localised and itinerant 3d channels

- interesting ambiguities

D20@ILL 1.7K

LDA band structure

with (000) spin order.

(kx 0 0) Fermi vectors

have kx = 0.15(↑) and

0.45(↓) .

Clemens Ritter Hua Wu

3. BiNiO3

• Made at 60 kbar, 1000 °C by Azuma et al, Kyoto, 2001

• Unexpectedly distorted structure, not ferroelectric

• High pressure neutron diffraction study (Paris-Edinburgh

cell) at ISIS.

(M. Azuma, Y. Shimakawa, M. Takano;

Kyoto; EPSRC-JST project)

Bi3+0.5Bi5+

0.5Ni2+O3

P-1 Bi3+Ni3+O3

Pnma

JACS, 2007

BiNiO3 and CNTE Large DV ≈ -3% at intervalence/M-I transition:

• 5% La substitution stabilises transition to ambient P,T

Useful NTE (Negative Thermal Expansion) materials for zero or

controlled expansion composites have smooth contraction over a

wide temperature range. Two types:

• Framework types such as ZrW2O8 and Cd(CN)2 contract over

very wide ranges, typical magnitude:

DL/L ≈ -1% over DT ≈ 1000 K aL = DL/(L.DT) = -10 x 10-6 K-1

e.g. ZrW2O8 has aL = -7 x 10-6 K over 0.3-1050 K.

• Electronic/magnetic transitions strongly coupled to the lattice;

e.g. previous record dilatometric aL = -25 10-6 K-1 for

(Mn0.96Fe0.04)3(Zn0.5Ge0.5)N anti-perovskite at 316-386 K. (Miller

et al, APL, 2005).

Colossal NTE (CNTE) paradigm; broaden

DL/L ≈ -1% transition to DT ≈ 100 K aL = -100 x 10-6 K-1 .

Bi0.95La0.05NiO3 provides proof-of-concept;

Crystallography aL = -137 x 10-6 K-1 and DT =70 K

Dilatometry aL = -82 x 10-6 K-1 and DT =60 K

Azuma et al, Nature Comm, 2011.

Bi0.95La0.05NiO3

High pressure synthesis R2O3 + Zr2ON2 → 2RZrO2N

Inorg Chem 2009

Oxynitrides (M. Yang, with ICMAB, Barcelona and NTU, Taiwan)

Eu Perovskites CMR in EuNbO2N and EuWON2

JACS 2008,2010; APL 2009

S = ½ Pyrochlores

R2Mo2O7 (Mo4+) R2Mo2O5N2 (Mo5+)

Chem Mater 2010

White-LED phosphors Cation tuning of (M,Eu)Si5-xAlxN8-xOx

JACS 2012

-8 -6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 8

0

20

40

60

80

100

15K

10K

5K

D

R/R

H=

0(%

)

H (T)

2K

-0.2 -0.1 0.0 0.1 0.2

-900

-600

-300

0

300

600

900

x = 0.25

x = 0.50

x = 0.75

x = 1.00

Δr (Å )

1/λ

x-

1/λ 0

(cm

-1) Ca

Sr

Ba

Perovskite Oxynitrides

• AMO2N or AMON2 mostly of high valent d0 transition metals (A = Ca-Ba2+, R3+; M = Ti4+, Zr4+, Hf4+, Nb5+, Ta5+, Mo6+, W6+)

• Usually prepared by ammonolysis, e.g.

NH3, 950 oC

EuNbO4 EuNbO2N

• Useful properties mainly from large bandgaps (e.g. BaTaO2N photocatalysis, dielectrics; CaTaO2N-LaTaON2 red-yellow

pigments)

• O/N order in ABX3 perovskite lattice unclear ‘…The origin of the different ordering degrees therefore remains a

puzzling question.’ Ebbinghaus et al, Prog. Solid State Chem. (2009).

Powder neutron diffraction study of SrMO2N (M = Nb,Ta)

i. ‘Cubic’ high temperature structure

Neutron diffraction (D2B@ILL, l = 1.5943 Å ) exploits

high scattering contrast; bO= 0.581, bN= 0.936 fm.

Appears cubic but SrMO(O0.5N0.5)2 anion

distribution has tetragonal P4/mmm symmetry

with very small distortion (c/a = 0.9993).

Robust anion order up to >1100 C (~synthesis

temperatures).

Atom x y z Uiso (Å2) O/N

occupancy

Sr 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.0170(5)

0.0130(5)

Nb

Ta

0 0 0 0.0082(4)

0.0052(4)

X1 0 0 0.5 0.0225(4)

0.0187(3)

0.99(4)/0.01

0.96(4)/0.04

X2 (x2) 0.5 0 0 0.0225

0.0187

0.54(3)/0.46

0.51(3)/0.49

Nb a = 4.0541(2) Å c = 4.0511(4) Å

Ta 4.0442(3) Å 4.0421(5) Å

SrNbO2N

500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100

0.96

0.98

1.00

1.02

1.04

1.06

1.08

1.10

1.12

O1

Site

Occup

an

cy

Temperature (C)

• Apparent I4/mcm (ordered octahedral rotations) superstructure at 300 K.

Powder neutron diffraction study of SrMO2N (M = Nb,Ta)

ii. ‘Tetragonal’ room temperature structure

ii. ‘I4/mcm’ rotational superstructure at RT √2 x √2 x 2 superstructure from frozen rotations

Inequivalent anion sites Y1 and Y2 (x2).

Two possible orientations for anion and

rotational order.

Anion order directs rotational order

Lowers symmetry I4/mcm I112/m (≡ C2/m)

Predict loss of c-glide (observed by ED, Judith

Oro - ICMAB)

can

crot

can

Predicted

O/N

Y1 1/0 0.5/0.5

Y2 (x2) 0.5/0.5 0.75/0.25

Refined

(SrTaO2N)

Y1 0.48(4)/0.52

Y2 (x2) 0.76/0.24

Same distribution in refinements of SrTaO2N

(Clarke et al, Chem Mat, 2002) and Pnma

CaTaO2N (Gunther et al ZAAC, 2000).

[100]

b*

c*

[010]

c*

a*

SrNbO2N

What favours the SrMO(O0.5N0.5)2 anion distribution?

• difficult to rationalize from O2-/N3- electrostatic

repulsions.

• M-O/N covalency provides consistent model:

Structural Principles for Oxynitride Perovskites

Model for SrMO2N local structure

M(dp)-X(pp) covalency favours cis- (90º) configuration

in d0 complexes, e.g. L4MoX22+ (X2- = O, NR), MoF3O3

3-.

well-defined local structure of cis-MN2O4 octahedra

disordered -M-N- cis-chains (cf organic polymers)

chains segregate into layers (also CaTaO2N, EuTaO2N;

NdV4+O2N (3d1); not BaTaO2N)

X L

X

L L

L

F F

F

O O

O

M. Yang et al, Nature Chem, 2011

= M – N – M = M – O – M

• Increasing polymerisation of M-N-M units in MO3 matrix; for x = 0 1.5;

monomers oligomers chains crosslinked chains

• Symmetric polymerisation of M-O-M units in MN3 matrix for x = 3 1.5

evidence:

Structural Principles for AMO3-xNx Perovskites

O/N occs. SrTaO2N

LaNbON2

Pnma

Y1 0.48(4)/0.52

0.44(3)/0.56

Y2 (x2) 0.76/0.24 0.28/0.72

[010]

c*

a*

c*

b*

[100] EuWON2

All O/N local

coordinations

acentric

enhanced

dielectric

susceptibility and

optical transitions

Logvinovich et al, ZAAC 2010

SrMO2N – anion order or disorder?

= M – N – M = M – O – M

• Pauling (1935) estimates of configurational entropy:

S =R.lnZ; Z = w/22 w = number of local configurations

• Water (and spin) ices; n = 6 configurations per H2O molecule

Z = 1.5 S = 0.4R (zero-point entropy)

• SrMO2N (cis-square ice); n = 4 per MO2N2

Z = 1 S = 0 (ordered state??)

O

H

H O

H

H

O

H

H O

H

H

O H H O

H

H

‘Ice rules’ order in perovskite planes

(M-N x2, M-O x2 cf O-H x2, O…H x2)

Oxynitride Perovskite Entropies

Pauling ice rules configurational entropy for AMO3-zNz;

S ≈ NkBln[wffn/2(1-f)(1-f)n/2] ;

w = local configs, f = 2z/n where n = 4 (2D) or n = 6 (3D)

S = 0 for specific cases (e.g. SrTaO2N) despite structural

disorder - why?

Bonding rules- alternating M-N-M and M-O-M bridges along all rows.

only two possible sequences per row.

LLL lattice has configurations: W = 22L2

S = 2N2/3kBln2 S/N 0 as N ∞ (Pauling limit)

Entropy is ‘sub-extensive’, depends on particle size:

S≈ 10-7R as one mole single crystal

S≈ 0.1R per mole 40 nm nanoparticles (N≈ 106)

SrMO2N has ultra-highly correlated anion order

(cis-square ice, no spin analogues)

– crystallographically disordered on atomic scale

but with no macroscopic configurational entropy.

‘Open order’ (based on closure of correlation

vector sets) – first atomistic example.

Phil Camp, A Fuertes, JPA, JACS 2012.

↑

BaTaO2N

SrTaO2N LaNbON2

EuWO1.5N1.5

↓ ↓ ↓

Perovskite O/N Summary

• SrMO2N etc. structures have well-defined local anion

order - disordered cis –M-N- chains in xy planes – an

‘open order’ with sub-extensive entropy.

• Anion order controls the rotation/tilt order axis of

octahedra – new aspect of perovskite tilting.

• Anion order is robust but the resultant lattice distortions

are very small so that high resolution neutron diffraction

is needed to determine such structures.

• A wealth of similar local structures is expected across

the range of AMO3-xNx perovskites

• Challenge to control chains and tune physical properties,

including magnetism, orbital order in d1 V4+.

Local O/N tuning of WLED phosphors

Cation size tuning of (M,Eu)Si5-xAlxN8-xOx (M =

Ca,Sr,Ba) photoluminescence energy observed.

Structural mechanism;

1. Neutron diffraction (HRPD@ISIS) shows that O

substitute only for 2SiN (not 3SiN)

O’s coordinated to M/Eu

2. Size difference between Eu and host cation

controls local O-distribution

WT Chen, HS Sheu, RS Liu and JPA, JACS 2012

-0.2 -0.1 0.0 0.1 0.2

-900

-600

-300

0

300

600

900

x = 0.25

x = 0.50

x = 0.75

x = 1.00

Δr (Å )

1/λ

x-

1/λ 0

(cm

-1) Ca

Sr

Ba

400 450 500 550 600 650 700 750

Wavelength (nm)

x = 0.00

x = 0.25

x = 0.50

x = 0.75

x = 1.00

Rel

ati

ve

inte

nsi

ty (

a.u

.)

Ba

Sr

Ca

0.8 1.2 1.6 2.0 2.4

d

Observed

Calculated

Background

Inte

nsit

y (a

.u.)

Si4+/Al3+

O2-/N3-

N3-

M2+

(Å )

Ba Eu CaN O SiAlBaSi4AlN7O

Powder neutron diffraction

• Precise location of light atoms; H(D)/Li ion conductors, metal

carbides, nitrides, oxides and fluorides.

• Distinguishing neighbouring elements ordered over different

structural sites, e.g. O/N.

• Use combined X-ray+neutron data for precise refinements e.g Fe3O4

• Magnetic order e.g. MnVO3.

• Multiple powder patterns are easily recorded as a function of

temperature (decomposition, phase transitions, reactions), pressure

or time (solid state kinetics experiments) e.g. BiNiO3.

Thanks Wei-Tin Chen

Lucy Clark

Shigeto Hirai

Andrea Marcinkova

Mikael Markkula

George Penny

Marek Senn

Alex Sinclair

Congling Yin

Minghui Yang

Angel Arevalo-Lopez

Anna Kusmartseva

Jenny Rodgers

Amparo Fuertes, Judith Oro-Sole and

colleagues, ICMAB Barcelona

Jon Wright, ESRF

EPSRC

Leverhulme

STFC

Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad