DOE OSTI2020
Yb3B5O12 crystallizes in the orthorhombic Pmna space group. The structure is three-dimensional. there are two inequivalent Yb3+ sites. In the first Yb3+ site, Yb3+ is bonded in a 8-coordinate geometry to eight O2- atoms. There are a spread of Yb–O bond distances ranging from 2.27–2.67 Å. In the second Yb3+ site, Yb3+ is bonded in a 8-coordinate geometry to eight O2- atoms. There are a spread of Yb–O bond distances ranging from 2.34–2.53 Å. There are four inequivalent B3+ sites. In the first B3+ site, B3+ is bonded to four O2- atoms to form corner-sharing BO4 tetrahedra. There are a spread of B–O bond distances ranging from 1.41–1.53 Å. In the second B3+ site, B3+ is bonded to four O2- atoms to form corner-sharing BO4 tetrahedra. There is two shorter (1.48 Å) and two longer (1.49 Å) B–O bond length. In the third B3+ site, B3+ is bonded to four O2- atoms to form corner-sharing BO4 tetrahedra. There are a spread of B–O bond distances ranging from 1.42–1.53 Å. In the fourth B3+ site, B3+ is bonded to four O2- atoms to form corner-sharing BO4 tetrahedra. There are a spread of B–O bond distances ranging from 1.45–1.51 Å. There are eight inequivalent O2- sites. In the first O2- site, O2- is bonded in a 4-coordinate geometry to two equivalent Yb3+ and two equivalent B3+ atoms. In the second O2- site, O2- is bonded in a distorted bent 120 degrees geometry to one Yb3+ and two B3+ atoms. In the third O2- site, O2- is bonded in a 2-coordinate geometry to two equivalent Yb3+ and two B3+ atoms. In the fourth O2- site, O2- is bonded in a distorted bent 120 degrees geometry to two Yb3+ and two B3+ atoms. In the fifth O2- site, O2- is bonded in a distorted single-bond geometry to three Yb3+ and one B3+ atom. In the sixth O2- site, O2- is bonded in a distorted single-bond geometry to two equivalent Yb3+ and one B3+ atom. In the seventh O2- site, O2- is bonded in a distorted trigonal planar geometry to two equivalent Yb3+ and one B3+ atom. In the eighth O2- site, O2- is bonded in a distorted bent 120 degrees geometry to two Yb3+ and two B3+ atoms.