MICRO-PROBED RAMAN-SCATTERING STUDY OF TERNARY RUTHENIUM PHOSPHIDES WITH FILLED SKUTTERUDITE-TYPE STRUCTURE

LnRu(4)P(12) (Ln = La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd and Tb) with a filled skutte rudite-type structure has been studied by using a micro-probed Raman s cattering technique. Raman spectra have been observed and analyzed in terms of the phosphide-based filled skutterudite-type structure. The m ode at around 380 cm(-1) is assigned to the motion of P atoms. Another mode at around 440 cm(-1) is related to the vibrations involving Ln a toms. Apart from CeRu2P12, the shifts of each mode are well scaled by cell volume or rare earth mass. This fact suggests that LnRu(4)P(12), not including CeRu4P12, are isostructural and have the same electric p roperties at room temperature. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All righ ts reserved.