Synthesis and structure of La14V6CuO36.5: a transparent Cu(i) vanadate containing [OCuO]3− sticks

Abstract

The title compound, La₁₄V₆CuO_36.5, was prepared from a stoichiometric mixture of La₂O₃, V₂O₅, and CuO at 1050–1080 °C. The compound forms transparent, pale green crystals and was characterized by wavelength dispersive spectroscopy and single crystal X-ray diffraction. The structure contains isolated VO₄³⁻ tetrahedra and [OCuO]³⁻ sticks dispersed in a lanthanum oxide network. Films of La₁₄V₆CuO_36.5 were grown on R-plane sapphire by using pulsed laser deposition. Rutherford backscattering spectroscopic and X-ray diffraction analyses of the films showed oriented growth of the title phase, a ∼5 eV optical band gap and n-type conductivity. The compound is an example of a transparent copper(I) oxide.