DOE OSTI2020
Yb3Pd2Ga9 crystallizes in the orthorhombic Immm space group. The structure is three-dimensional. there are two inequivalent Yb sites. In the first Yb site, Yb is bonded to twelve Ga atoms to form YbGa12 cuboctahedra that share edges with two equivalent GaYb4Ga4Pd4 cuboctahedra and faces with two equivalent YbGa12 cuboctahedra. There are eight shorter (3.18 Å) and four longer (3.20 Å) Yb–Ga bond lengths. In the second Yb site, Yb is bonded in a 10-coordinate geometry to two equivalent Pd and twelve Ga atoms. Both Yb–Pd bond lengths are 3.05 Å. There are a spread of Yb–Ga bond distances ranging from 3.08–3.38 Å. Pd is bonded in a distorted q6 geometry to two equivalent Yb and eight Ga atoms. There are two shorter (2.65 Å) and six longer (2.77 Å) Pd–Ga bond lengths. There are three inequivalent Ga sites. In the first Ga site, Ga is bonded in a 10-coordinate geometry to four Yb, two equivalent Pd, and four Ga atoms. There are a spread of Ga–Ga bond distances ranging from 2.59–2.73 Å. In the second Ga site, Ga is bonded in a 1-coordinate geometry to four Yb, one Pd, and four Ga atoms. The Ga–Ga bond length is 2.60 Å. In the third Ga site, Ga is bonded to four equivalent Yb, four equivalent Pd, and four equivalent Ga atoms to form distorted GaYb4Ga4Pd4 cuboctahedra that share edges with two equivalent YbGa12 cuboctahedra and faces with two equivalent GaYb4Ga4Pd4 cuboctahedra.