Synthesis, structural and vibrational properties of microcrystalline β-RbSm(MoO4)2

Abstract Low-temperature rubidium samarium dimolybdate, β-RbSm(MoO 4 ) 2 , microplates have been prepared by solid state synthesis at 723 K by 70 h and 893 K by 150 h. The crystal structure of β-RbSm(MoO 4 ) 2 has been first refined by the Rietveld method in the space group Pbcn with unit cell parameters a =5.1431(2) A, b =18.8195(7) A, and c =8.1641(3) A ( R B =4.82%). The crystal structure of β-RbSm(MoO 4 ) 2 consists of the layers of MoO 4 tetrahedrons corner-sharing with SmO 8 square antiprisms. About 20 narrow Raman lines have been observed in Raman spectra recorded for the β-RbSm(MoO 4 ) 2 powder sample.