Structure and physical properties of CeSbTe

The structure of CeSbTe was determined by the Rietveld refinement method us ing powder X-ray diffraction (R-p = 6.22% and wR(p) = 8.74%). CeSbTe adopts the PbFCl structure type and crystallizes in the space group Pnma (No. 62) of the orthorhombic system with Z = 4 and a = 19.0404(6) Angstrom, b = 4.3 520(1) Angstrom, c = 4.3660(2) Angstrom, V = 361.78(2) Angstrom (3). It can be viewed as a layered compound which contains an Sb-1 layer distorted fro m a perfect square net into zig-zag chains. Both its crystallographic and e lectronic structure indicate a 2-D character. Based on transport properties and band structure calculations, CeSbTe is a metal with a low carrier conc entration. Additionally, it exhibits paramagnetic behavior typical of C3+. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.