Single crystal X-ray structure analysis of the spin ladder compounds SrCu2O3 and Sr2Cu3O5 between 300 K and 100 K

Abstract

This work presents room temperature single crystal X-ray diffraction measurements of the spin ladder compounds SrCu2O3 (Cmmm, a = 3.948(2) Å, b = 11.626(4) Å, c = 3.509(1) Å, Z = 2) and Sr2Cu3O5 (Immm, a = 3.395(2) Å, b = 3.941(1) Å, c = 18.662(5) Å, Z = 2), and the evolution of their structures from room temperature down to 100 K. We confirm the structure of SrCu2O3 previously described in the literature from X-ray powder and electron diffraction measurements, and report a new modification for Sr2Cu3O5 with an unusual CuO5 trigonal bipyramidal coordination.