New Data on the Crystal Structures of Colusites and Arsenosulvanites

The crystal structures of three minerals (arsenosulvanite, V,As-germanite, and colusite) of the general crystal chemical formula (As, Ge, Sn, Sb, V)₆S₃₂, where Cu^M, V^M are cations at interstitial positions, 0.2 x 2.0, 2.7 y 0, (space group , a = 10.527; 10.600; 10.653 ; R = 0.066; 0.046; 0.033) have been determined using single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. The minerals are the two structural modifications of the compound with the ideal formula V₂Cu₂₄As₆S₃₂; they differ from each other in the occupancy of the interstitial position 2a. In colusite, this position is occupied by the V⁵⁺ cations; in arsenosulvanite and V,As-germanite, by Cu²⁺. A characteristic feature of the structures is the presence of octahedral [ S₄]Cu₆ ( = V, Cu) complexes not directly interacting with each other and lying inside the Laves polyhedra. In the structures of arsenosulvanite and V,As-germanite, a sulvanite framework consisting of interpenetrating Laves polyhedra T₃S₄ ( = V, Cu; T = Cu, As, Ge) has been found. The sulvanite framework is statistically distributed over the sphalerite matrix. The variable composition of the minerals is due to heterovalent isomorphism in the sphalerite position 6c. Charge disbalance arising from substitution of the pentavalent arsenic cations by cations of lower valence is compensated by the appearance of additional Cu²⁺ cations. The nonstoichiometry of the compositions is explained by the presence of vacancies in the interstitial and sphalerite positions.     

Triclinic Structure of Birefringent Crystals of K(Al0.95Cr0.05)(SO4)2⋅12H2O

The crystal structure of alum K(Al_0.95Cr_0.05)(SO₄)₂12H₂O possessing anomalous birefringence was refined in space groups Pa3 and P1 (a = b = c = 12.165(2) , R = 0.0587). The distortions of cubic symmetry are attributed to the peculiarities of the orientational disorder in the distribution of SO₄ tetrahedra and to the different degrees of distortion of the aluminum octahedra.     

Refinement of the crystal structure of calcium-lithium-aluminum tourmaline from the pegmatite vein in the Sangilen Upland (Tuva Republic)

The crystal structure of a natural calcium-lithium-aluminum tourmaline, which has the unique composition (Ca_0.62Na_0.32□_0.06)(Al_1.08Li_0.99Fe _0.66 ²⁺ Mg_0.24Ti_0.03)Al₆[Si₆O₁₈](BO₃)₃(OH_2.28O_0.72) · (F_0.84O_0.16), is refined (R = 0.019, R _w = 0.022, S = 1.47). It is found that the O(1)(W) site is split into two sites, O(1) and O(11), which are incompletely occupied by fluorine and oxygen anions, respectively, and that the O(3)(V) site contains bivalent oxygen anions. The solid solution studied is close in composition to the liddicoatite mineral species and differs from the latter one by the Li: Al ratio in the Y octahedra and the presence of bivalent oxygen anions in the O(3) site. The tourmaline studied differs from the hypothetical oxyliddicoatite by the population of the O(1)(W) site by fluorine and accommodation of additional oxygen anions in the O(3)(V) site.     

The Influence of Inorganic and Organic Components of Biofilms with Microscopic Fungi on the Phase Composition and Morphology of Crystallizing Calcium Oxalates

Crystallography Reports - The influence of organic and inorganic components of biofilms with microscopic fungi on the phase composition and morphology of precipitating calcium oxalates has been...     

Refinement of the crystal structures of biomimetic weddellites produced by microscopic fungus Aspergillus niger

The single-crystal structures of four biomimetic weddellites CaC₂O₄ · (2 + x)H₂O with different contents of zeolitic water (x = 0.10–0.24 formula units) produced by the microscopic fungus Aspergillus niger were refined from X-ray diffraction data (R = 0.029–0.038). The effect of zeolitic water content on the structural stability of weddellite was analyzed. The parameter a was shown to increase with increasing x due to the increase in the distance between water molecules along this direction. The water content and structural parameters of the synthesized weddellites are similar to those of weddellites from biofilms and kidney stones.     

Electronic structure and adsorption properties of the system Cs/O/W(110)

Comparative studies are carried out of the Cs/O/W(110) and Cs/W(110) adsorption systems. The method of threshold photoemission spectroscopy is used to study the work function and electronic structure in the energy region near the Fermi level as functions of the sub-monolayer cesium coverage. A significant increase of the saturation cesium coverage is observed on the O/W(110) surface. A new adsorption-induced surface band is observed in the electronic spectrum of the system Cs/O/W(110) with a binding energy ∼0.7 eV. For coverages of about one monolayer metallization of the adsorbed layer is observed. It is shown that the electronic structures of the systems Cs/O/W(110) and Cs/W(110) are similar for low coverages. A difference in the adsorption properties for these two systems occurs for coverages close to one monolayer, which is explained by the creation of new interaction centers of the Cs adatoms on the W(110) surface in the presence of oxygen. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 39, 1683–1686 (September 1997)     

Oscillations in the threshold photoemission spectra of GaN(0001) with submonolayer Cs coverages

It is found that Cs adsorption on the n-type GaN(0001) surface generates an unusual change in the electronic properties of the surface and the near-surface space-charge layer, which leads to the appearance of photoelectron emission upon excitation in the transparent region of GaN. It is established that the photoemission is due to the formation of quasimetallic states induced by Cs adsorption in the band-bending region near the surface. The behavior of the photoemission threshold upon excitation by s-polarized light is studied as a function of the Cs coverage. It is found that the minimum value of the threshold corresponds to ～1.4 eV at a concentration of Cs atoms of ～4.5×10¹⁴ atom/cm² in the submonolayer coverage. A new effect is revealed, namely, the appearance of oscillations in the spectral curves of threshold photoemission. A model is proposed for photocurrent oscillations that takes into account the formation of quasimetallic states in the near-surface layer of GaN band bending and the occurrence of interference in the GaN slab upon light irradiation in the transparent region.