A Structural Investigation of Ga_3-xIn_5+xSn₂O₁₆

The structure of the recently reported transparent conductor, Ga_3-xIn_5+xSn₂O₁₆(0.3<x<1.6), was established by a combination of high-resolution electron microscopy, convergent-beam electron diffraction, and Rietveld analysis of powder diffraction data (X-ray and time-of-flight neutron methods). This "T-phase" compound has an anion-deficient fluorite-derivative structure whose space group isI4₁/a. Although there are similarities to the parent oxide structures, the T-phase lacks one of the distorted InO₆octahedra observed in In₂O₃, which may account for its inability to be donor-doped by Sn.