Single Crystals of Cubic Rare-Earth Pyrochlore Germanates: RE₂Ge₂O₇ (RE = Yb and Lu) Grown by a High-Temperature Hydrothermal Technique

Abstract

in the cubic Fd3̅ m space group, are synthesized and characterized from a high-temperature hydrothermal method (650°C/200 MPa in 1 M KF). The cubic phase displays spin frustration and possibly nonclassical quantum-spin behavior at low temperature. This is the first report of single crystals of this important phase of size and quality suitable for single-crystal neutron diffraction.