CAVITIES AND CHANNELS IN ELECTRIDES

The three-dimensional geometries of cavities and channels in four elec trides are determined in detail with the aid of computer graphics meth ods. Previous theoretical and experimental studies support the view th at electrons are trapped in cavities and interact through connecting c hannels. The magnetic coupling constants and the dimensionalities of t he magnetic interactions are consistent in all cases with the cavity a nd channel structures of electrides. By combining structural informati on and theory, it may be possible to describe the overall electronic p roperties of electrides with a model of an electron gas in a complex ' 'plumber's nightmare box'' whose geometry is given by the cavity and c hannel structures.