Infrared and Raman spectroscopy of mullite‐type Bi2Ga4O9

Mullite‐type Bi₂Ga₄O₉ single‐crystals were grown by the top‐seeded solution growth (TSSG) method and investigated by vibrational spectroscopy. Polarised IR specular reflectance and attenuated total reflectance (ATR) spectra, as well as polarised micro‐Raman spectra were acquired at room temperature. Powder IR spectra of sol‐gel‐derived samples were also recorded. Using model calculations and comparison to other mullite‐type compounds, bands at ∼ 850 – 400 cm^‐1 could be assigned to stretching and bending vibrations of the structural GaO₄ and GaO₆ units. Low‐energetic modes were attributed to motions involving Bi atoms. The IR spectra of Bi₂Ga₄O₉ display close similarities to those of the mullite‐type alkali gallates (9Ga₂O₃ · Rb₂O), while their differences to those of mullite sensu stricto (3Al₂O₃ · 2SiO₂ and 2Al₂O₃ · SiO₂, repectively) are assigned to Si‐O stretching vibrations of the corresponding tetrahedral units. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)