High Pressure Synthesis of InP₃

Abstract

A new indium phospiiicte, InP₃, was prepared by the reaction between two elements under high temperature and pressure conditions. Its X-ray powder diffraction pattern was completely indexed with, heiagonal lattice constants of a = 0.7449 and c =0.9885 (nm). The structure of InP₃ is considered to be closely related to those of GeP₃, and SnP₃. The c/a ratios for N b element phosphides are about 1.4, while that of InP₃ is 1.3. This may indicate that the environment of In in the structure is different somewhat from those of Ge and Sn. InP3 is a metallic conductor and diamagnetic.