MATERIALS WITH LAYERED STRUCTURES .6. MNGAINS4, CRYSTAL-STRUCTURE AND PHASE WIDTH IN THE SYSTEM MNS-GA2S3-IN2S3

The crystal structure of MnGaInS4 has been determined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data and refined to R = 0.029 (R(w) = 0.033). It crystallizes rhombohedrally in the ZnIn2S4(IIIa)-type (space group R3m). Manganese and indium are distributed nearly statistically over the octahedral sites and one tetrahedral site. The second tetrahedral site is occupied by gallium. In the quasiternary system MnS-Ga2S3-In2S3, MnGaInS4 exhibits a large region of homogeneity with regard to the ratio Ga:In as well as to the ratio Mn:(Ga + In).