Quasi-two-dimensional metallic character of Sm[sub 2]Te[sub 5] and SmTe[sub 3]

Journal Article · Sat Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1994 · Chemistry of Materials; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/cm00046a049· OSTI ID:6493430

DiMasi, E; Foran, B; Aronson, M C; Lee, S ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)

The authors demonstrate that the rare-earth polychalcogenides Sm[sub 2]Te[sub 5] and SmTe[sub 3] are metals and despite optimal Fermi surface nesting contain undistorted tellurium square lattice sheets. Resistivity measurements reveal an extremely large electrical anisotropy for both Sm polytellurides. Single-crystal X-ray structure refinements of both phases show highly isotropic metallic tellurium atoms. Magnetic susceptibility measurements reveal that the Sm valence is close to 3. For SmTe[sub 3] and Sm[sub 2]Te[sub 5] the resistivity perpendicular to the plane of the layers is quadratic in temperature, with T[sup 2] coefficients which are 5-6 orders of magnitude larger than those of simple metals. These results firmly establish that the rare-earth polychalcogenides as a family span the metal-insulator boundary. 30 refs., 11 figs., 7 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 6493430
• Journal Information: Chemistry of Materials; (United States), Journal Name: Chemistry of Materials; (United States) Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 6:10; ISSN CMATEX; ISSN 0897-4756
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360606* -- Other Materials-- Physical Properties-- (1992-)
CHALCOGENIDES
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
MAGNETIC PROPERTIES
MAGNETIC SUSCEPTIBILITY
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RARE EARTH COMPOUNDS
SAMARIUM COMPOUNDS
SAMARIUM TELLURIDES
STOICHIOMETRY
TELLURIDES
TELLURIUM COMPOUNDS
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
TEMPERATURE RANGE
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0000-0013 K
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0013-0065 K
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0065-0273 K
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0273-0400 K