CuMn2O4: properties and the high-pressure induced Jahn-Teller phase transition

Single crystal x-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and magn etic susceptibility measurements at normal pressure have shown that, in spi te of two Jahn-Teller active ions in CuMn2O4, the crystal is cubic with par tly inverse spinel structure, the inversion parameter being x = 0.8. The ca tion configuration at normal pressure was determined as Cu0.2+Mn0.82+[Cu0.8 2+Mn0.23+Mn1.04+]O-4. The high-pressure behaviour of the crystal was invest igated up to 30 GPa using the energy dispersive x-ray diffraction technique and synchrotron radiation. A first-order phase transition connected with a tetragonal distortion takes place at P-c = 12.5 GPa, the c/a ratio being 0 .94 at P = 30 GPa, The high-pressure phase has been described in terms of l igand held theory and explained by the changes to the valence and electroni c configuration of the metal ions, leading to the formula Cu0.22+Mn0.83+ [C u0.82+Mn1.23+]O-4. The electron configuration of the tetrahedrally coordina ted Cu0.2+Mn3+ is (e(4))t(5) and e(2)t(2), respectively. On the other hand, the electron configuration of Cu2+ located at octahedral sites is (t(2g)(6 ))e(g)(3). While six electrons with antiparallely aligned spins occupy the triplet (t(2g)(6)), three electrons on the orbital e(g) can be distributed in two ways (double degeneracy): (d(x2-y2))(1)(d(z2))(2) and (d(x2-y2))(2)( d(z2))(1), The first alternative leads to an axially elongated octahedron; the second one causes flattening of the octahedron. The contraction of the c axis indicates, that in the high-pressure phase the second configuration with unpaired electron on the d,p orbital occurs. A similar effect of the o ctahedral contraction brings the orbital degeneracy of Mn3+ with the t(2g)( 3)e(g)(1) distribution. It fellows that at high pressure the ligand field f orces the two metals to take the valences that they show in the parent oxid es CuO and Mn2O3.