Crystal Structure of Yttrium and Other Rare‐Earth Borates

Abstract

The crystal structures of YBO 3 and several isomorphous rare‐earth borates have been determined from X‐ray diffraction powder patterns. The unit cell is hexagonal with the borate groups parallel to c , and each rare‐earth ion is coordinated to a distorted cube of eight oxygens. Magnetic‐susceptibility measurements on ErBO 3 show only slight deviations from ideal paramagnetic behavior at low temperatures.