Depth-dependent atomic valence determination by synchrotron techniques

The properties of many materials can be strongly affected by the atomic valence of the contained individual elements, which may vary at surfaces and other interfaces. These variations can have a critical impact on material performance in applications. A non-destructive method for the determination of layer-by-layer atomic valence as a function of material thickness is presented for La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO) thin films. The method utilizes a combination of bulk- and surface-sensitive X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) detection modes; here, the modes are fluorescence yield and surface-sensitive total electron yield. The weighted-average Mn atomic valence as measured from the two modes are simultaneously fitted using a model for the layer-by-layer variation of valence based on theoretical model Hamiltonian calculations. Using this model, the Mn valence profile in LSMO thin film is extracted and the valence within each layer is determined to within an uncertainty of a few percent. The approach presented here could be used to study the layer-dependent valence in other systems or extended to different properties of materials such as magnetism.

The Lattice Compatibility Theory: Arguments for Recorded I-III-O2 Ternary Oxide Ceramics Instability at Low Temperatures beside Ternary Telluride and Sulphide Ceramics

Some recorded behaviours differences between chalcopyrite ternary oxide ceramics and telluride and sulphides are investigated in the framework of the recently proposed Lattice Compatibility Theory (LCT). Alterations have been evaluated in terms of Urbach tailing and atomic valence shell electrons orbital eigenvalues, which were calculated through several approximations. The aim of the study was mainly an attempt to explain the intriguing problem of difficulties of elaborating chalcopyrite ternary oxide ceramics (I-III-O2) at relatively low temperatures under conditions which allowed crystallization of ternary telluride and sulphides.

On the valences of bonds in the oxycomplexes of Sn2+

The differences between Wang and Liebau's [Wang & Liebau (2007). Acta Cryst. B63, 216–228] stoichiometric valence (atomic valence) and structural valence (bond-valence sum) observed in Sn2+ and other lone-pair cation oxycomplexes arises from their use of the Brese & O'Keeffe bond-valence parameters which are based on the assumption that the bond-valence parameter b = 0.37 Å applies to all bond types. According to the theory of the bond-valence model, the bond-valence sum is necessarily equal to the ionic charge, implying that in the Wang and Liebau model the ionic charges are equal to the structural valence. If charges are chosen equal to the stoichiometric valence, the bond-valence parameters for Sn2+—O bonds are R 0 = 1.859 Å, b = 0.55 Å. While both models are theoretically valid, only the standard model relates bond valences to the concept of atomic valence. Wang and Liebau's suggestion that cation–lone-pair bonds make a significant contribution to the valence sums is confirmed, but such bonds cannot account for the full difference between the stoichiometric and structural valences because they are present in only a few compounds.