DOE OSTI2020
EuZn2Sn2 crystallizes in the monoclinic P2_1 space group. The structure is three-dimensional. Eu is bonded in a 4-coordinate geometry to eight Zn and eight Sn atoms. There are a spread of Eu–Zn bond distances ranging from 3.44–3.77 Å. There are a spread of Eu–Sn bond distances ranging from 3.45–3.72 Å. There are two inequivalent Zn sites. In the first Zn site, Zn is bonded in a 9-coordinate geometry to four equivalent Eu and five Sn atoms. There are a spread of Zn–Sn bond distances ranging from 2.59–2.83 Å. In the second Zn site, Zn is bonded to four equivalent Eu and four equivalent Sn atoms to form distorted ZnEu4Sn4 tetrahedra that share corners with twelve equivalent SnEu4Zn4 tetrahedra, edges with two equivalent SnEu4Zn4 tetrahedra, edges with four equivalent ZnEu4Sn4 tetrahedra, and faces with four equivalent ZnEu4Sn4 tetrahedra. There are a spread of Zn–Sn bond distances ranging from 2.74–2.77 Å. There are two inequivalent Sn sites. In the first Sn site, Sn is bonded in a 9-coordinate geometry to four equivalent Eu and five Zn atoms. In the second Sn site, Sn is bonded to four equivalent Eu and four equivalent Zn atoms to form distorted SnEu4Zn4 tetrahedra that share corners with twelve equivalent ZnEu4Sn4 tetrahedra, edges with two equivalent ZnEu4Sn4 tetrahedra, edges with four equivalent SnEu4Zn4 tetrahedra, and faces with four equivalent SnEu4Zn4 tetrahedra.