DOE OSTI2020
Tb2Mn3Si5 crystallizes in the tetragonal P4/mnc space group. The structure is three-dimensional. Tb3+ is bonded in a 9-coordinate geometry to nine Si+2.40- atoms. There are a spread of Tb–Si bond distances ranging from 2.80–3.12 Å. There are two inequivalent Mn2+ sites. In the first Mn2+ site, Mn2+ is bonded to six Si+2.40- atoms to form a mixture of distorted corner, edge, and face-sharing MnSi6 octahedra. The corner-sharing octahedral tilt angles are 46°. There are a spread of Mn–Si bond distances ranging from 2.37–2.43 Å. In the second Mn2+ site, Mn2+ is bonded in a distorted hexagonal planar geometry to six Si+2.40- atoms. There are four shorter (2.39 Å) and two longer (2.62 Å) Mn–Si bond lengths. There are three inequivalent Si+2.40- sites. In the first Si+2.40- site, Si+2.40- is bonded in a 10-coordinate geometry to four equivalent Tb3+ and four equivalent Mn2+ atoms. In the second Si+2.40- site, Si+2.40- is bonded in a 11-coordinate geometry to four equivalent Tb3+, three Mn2+, and four Si+2.40- atoms. There are two shorter (2.51 Å) and two longer (2.73 Å) Si–Si bond lengths. In the third Si+2.40- site, Si+2.40- is bonded in a 7-coordinate geometry to three equivalent Tb3+, four Mn2+, and two equivalent Si+2.40- atoms.