DOE OSTI2020
La2CuGe6 crystallizes in the orthorhombic Amm2 space group. The structure is three-dimensional. there are two inequivalent La sites. In the first La site, La is bonded in a 10-coordinate geometry to ten Ge atoms. There are a spread of La–Ge bond distances ranging from 3.16–3.36 Å. In the second La site, La is bonded in a 4-coordinate geometry to four equivalent Cu and ten Ge atoms. All La–Cu bond lengths are 3.23 Å. There are a spread of La–Ge bond distances ranging from 3.19–3.37 Å. Cu is bonded in a 9-coordinate geometry to four equivalent La and five Ge atoms. There are a spread of Cu–Ge bond distances ranging from 2.42–2.45 Å. There are six inequivalent Ge sites. In the first Ge site, Ge is bonded in a 2-coordinate geometry to two equivalent La, two equivalent Cu, and five Ge atoms. There are one shorter (2.47 Å) and four longer (2.97 Å) Ge–Ge bond lengths. In the second Ge site, Ge is bonded in a 7-coordinate geometry to two equivalent La and five Ge atoms. All Ge–Ge bond lengths are 2.97 Å. In the third Ge site, Ge is bonded in a 8-coordinate geometry to six La and two equivalent Ge atoms. Both Ge–Ge bond lengths are 2.55 Å. In the fourth Ge site, Ge is bonded in a 1-coordinate geometry to six La, one Cu, and two equivalent Ge atoms. In the fifth Ge site, Ge is bonded in a 7-coordinate geometry to two equivalent La and five Ge atoms. The Ge–Ge bond length is 2.49 Å. In the sixth Ge site, Ge is bonded in a 2-coordinate geometry to two equivalent La, two equivalent Cu, and five Ge atoms.