Accurate structural study of langasite-family Ca3TaGa3Si2O14 crystal

Abstract

An accurate X-ray diffraction study of Ca₃TaGa₃Si₂O₁₄ single crystal has been performed using two datasets obtained on a diffractometer equipped with a CCD area detector (a = 8.1056(2) Å, c = 4.9800(1) Å, sp. gr. P321, Z = 1, R/wR = 0.486/0.488%). A model structure is determined which is characterized by a high degree of reproducibility of structural parameters. Each site in Ca₃TaGa₃Si₂O₁₄ is occupied by atoms of only one type. Nevertheless, its structural feature is asymmetric disordering of sites of Ca, Ta, Ga, and two out of three oxygen atoms occupying special and general sites. A transition of some part of Ca atoms (~3%) from 3e sites on the twofold symmetry axis to general 6g sites is revealed.