Infrared spectroscopy of europium borates EuM3(BO3)4 (M = Al, Cr, Fe, Ga) with a huntite mineral type of structure

Resumo

Huntite-like EuM₃(BO₃)₄ crystals (M = Al, Cr, Fe, or Ga) are synthesized by means of spontaneous crystallization from a solution in a melt. The infrared spectra of the compounds are measured. The experimental data and the results from ab initio DFT calculations are compared. The comparison shows that the compounds have a primarily noncentrosymmetric rhomboherdal structure with the R32 space group. This indicates these compounds could exhibit magnetoelectric and nonlinear optical properties.