Crystal structure of BiMgPO.

compound with the general formula BiMgPO was obtained by a solid-state reaction method. Its composition was confirmed using EDAX. The compound belongs to the cubic crystal system (space group I23, no. 197) and has a sillenite-type structure. The lattice parameter a is 10.15704(12) Å. The Rietveld refinement of the crystallographic data revealed mixed tetrahedral sites (2 a) occupied by Mg, P, and Bi in a ratio of 32: 63: 5. The resulting lattice strains are compensated by vacancies in the cationic (2 a) and anionic sites (24 f) and by distortion of the Bi-O framework detected by IR and Raman spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]