Preparation and characterization of compounds of the system Fe(Sb 1− xTe x) 2 (0 ⩽ x ⩽ 1.0)

Abstract

The complete solid solution of Fe(Sb 1− x Te x ) 2 with the marcasite structure was synthesized. Electrical and magnetic measurements showed that the substitution of tellurium for antimony in the diamagnetic semiconductor FeSb 2 resulted in metallic and paramagnetic behavior in the composition range 0.1 ⩽ x ⩽ 0.3, but in 0.4 ⩽ x ⩽ 0.6 the products belonged to the arsenopyrite structure and were diamagnetic and semiconductive. The samples whose compositions were in the range 0.7 ⩽ x ⩽ 1.0 were semiconductors. Mössbauer effect measurements showed that the isomer shift did not change, but the quadrupole splitting changed significantly from 1.28 mm/sec for FeSb 2 to 0.50 mm/sec for FeTe 2 in this solid solution.