Spectroscopic investigation of lattice vacancies in hexaborides

Abstract

Abstract Raman microprobe and diffuse‐reflectance Fourier transform IR spectra of a series of seven metal hexaborides show that the basic cubic symmetry of these systems is lowered owing to lattice vacancies. The resulting wave vector is oriented along the C 4 axis of the first Brillouin zone. Studies of enriched boron samples indicate that the vacancies in the B 6 structure are located at boron sites.