New Vanadium Germanium Garnets

Abstract

New vanadatogermanates Ca_3–xMe_{2 + x}V₂GeO₁₂, Ca₃Mе₂VGe₂O₁₂, and Ca₃Me₂Ge₃O₁₂, where Me = Mg, Mn, Co, Ni, Fe, Zn, and x = 0–1, have been synthesized through coupled substitutions of cations in the initial garnets Ca_2.5Mn₂V₃O₁₂ or Ca₃Fe₂Ge₃O₁₂. The unit cell parameters of the synthesized samples have been determined. Probability analysis of the cation distribution in the octahedral positions of the crystal lattice as a function of crystallographic radii has been performed taking into account the spin state of the cations.