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Notes: Abstract The special properties of spin-allowed transitions of Fe2+, exchanged-coupled in pairs with Fe3+, (ECP-effect) are studied in single crystals of vivianite, phlogopite, biotite, elbaite and schörl under changing temperature and pressure in the ranges 79≤T[K]≤597 and 10-4≤P[GPa]≤8. The two Fe2+ dd-transitions, known to be subject to ECP-effects, occur at 11000 to 14000 (II) and 8400 to 9150 cm-1 (III), depending on the structural matrix. With pressure, band energies shift to higher values, while temperature has the opposite effect. Δv is nearly the same in all cases, decrease on temperature, and increase with pressure. Δα/ΔT or Δα/ΔP have similar values for bands II and III in all minerals studied. These observations are interpreted in terms of geometrical and vibrational changes of the octahedra, involved in the pair effects, on changing P and T. They clearly separate the ECP-bands from ordinary dd-transitions and also from IVCT-bands. A unique pressure effect in the spectral range of 17000 to 26000 cm-1 was found in schörl: a band system that immensly gains intensity on pressure. Two explanations are suggested: (a) traces of Ti3+, exchange-coupled to Fe2+ show the above pressure effect typical of ECP, (b) there occurs pressureinduced reduction of Ti4+ in Y-positions, induced by Fe2+ in connected Y-octahedra, whereby OH in trans-configuration of Y-octahedra promote this process.

Notes: Abstract  Polarized absorption spectra, σ and π, in the spectral range 30000–400 cm−1 (3.71–0.05 eV) were obtained on crystal slabs // [001] of deep blue rutile at various temperatures from 88 to 773 K. The rutile crystals were grown in Pt-capsules from carefully dried 99.999% TiO2 rutile powder at 50 kbar/1500 °C using graphite heating cells in a belt-type apparatus. Impurities were below the detection limits of the electron microprobe (about 0.005 wt% for elements with Z≥13). The spectra are characterized by an unpolarized absorption edge at 24300 cm−1, two weak and relatively narrow (Δν1/2≈3500–4000 cm−1), slightly σ-polarized bands ν1 at 23500 cm−1 and ν2 at 18500 cm−1, and a complex, strong band system in the NIR (near infra red) with sharp weak peaks in the region of the OH stretching fundamentals superimposed on the NIR system in the σ-spectra. The NIR band system and the UV edge produce an absorption minimum in both spectra, σ and π, at 21000 cm−1, i.e. in the blue, which explains the colour of the crystals. Bands ν1 and ν2 are assigned to dd transitions to the Jahn-Teller split upper Eg state of octahedral Ti3+. The NIR band system can be fitted as a sum of three components. Two of them are partly π-polarized, nearly Gaussian bands, both with large half widths 6000–7000 cm−1, ν3 at 12000 cm–1 and the most intense ν4 at 6500 cm−1. The third NIR band ν5 of a mixed Lorentz-Gaussian shape with a maximum at 3000 cm−1 forms a shoulder on the low-energy wing of ν4. Energy positions, half band widths and temperature behaviour of these bands are consistent with a small polaron type of Ti3+Ti4+ charge transfer (CT). Polarization dependence of CT bands can be explained on the basis of the structural model of defect rutile by Bursill and Blanchin (1983) involving interstitial titanium. Two OH bands at 3322 and 3279 cm−1 in σ-spectra show different stability during annealing, indicating two different positions of proton in the rutile structure, one of them probably connected with Ti3+ impurity. Total water concentration in blue rutile determined by IR spectroscopy is 0.10 wt-% OH. The EPR spectra measured in the temperature interval 20–295 K show the presence of an electron centre at temperatures above 100 K and Ti3+ ions in more than one structural position, but predominantly in compressed interstitial octahedral sites, at lower temperatures. These results are in good agreement with the conclusions based on the electronic absorption data.

Notes: Abstract  Polarized electronic absorption spectra, E∥a(∥X), E∥b(∥Y) and E∥c(∥Z), in the energy range 3000–5000 cm–1 were obtained for the orthorhombic thenardite-type phase Cr2SiO4, unique in its Cr2+-allocation suggesting some metal-metal bonding in Cr2+Cr2+ pairs with Cr-Cr distance 2.75 Å along [001]. The spectra were scanned at 273 and 120 K on single crystal platelets ∥(100), containing optical Y and Z, and ∥(010), containing optical X and Z, with thicknesses 12.3 and 15.6 μm, respectively. Microscope-spectrometric techniques with a spatial resolution of 20 μm and 1 nm spectral resolution were used. The orientations were obtained by means of X-ray precession photographs. The xenomorphic, strongly pleochroic crystal fragments (X deeply greenish-blue, Y faint blue almost colourless, Z deeply purple almost opaque) were extracted from polycrystalline Cr2SiO4, synthesized at 35 kbar, above 1440 °C from high purity Cr2O3, Cr (10% excess) and SiO2 in chromium capsules. The Cr2SiO4-phase was identified by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Four strongly polarized bands, at about 13500 (I), 15700 (II), 18700 (III) and 19700 (IV) cm–1, in the absorption spectra of Cr2SiO4 single crystals show properties (temperature behaviour of linear and integral absorption coefficients, polarization behaviour, molar absorptivities) which are compatible with an assignment to localized spin-allowed transitions of Cr2+ in a distorted square planar coordination of point symmetry C2. The crystal field parameter of Cr2+ is estimated to be 10 Dq≃10700 cm–1. A relatively intense, sharp band at 18400 cm–1 and three other minor features can, from their small half widths, be assigned to spin-forbidden dd-transitions of Cr2+. The intensity of such bands strongly decreases on decreasing temperature. The large half widths, near 5000 cm–1 of band III are indicative of some Cr-Cr interactions, i.e. δ-δ* transitions of Cr2 4+, whereas the latter alone would be in conflict with the strong polarization of bands I and II parallel [100]. Therefore, it is concluded that the spectra obtained can best be interpreted assuming both dd-transitions of localized d-electrons at Cr2+ as well as δ-δ* transitions of Cr2 4+ pairs with metal-metal interaction. To explain this, a dynamic exchange process 2 Crloc 2+⇔Cr2, cpl 4+ is suggested wherein the half life times of the ground states of both exchanging species are significantly longer than those of the respective optically excited states, such that the spectra show both dd- and δ-δ*-transitions.

Notes: Abstract  High-pressure electronic absorption spectra at room temperature and at pressures 10−4〈P[GPa]〈8 were measured in the spectral range 380〈λ[nm] 〈780(26218〉ν˜[cm−1]〉12820) on analysed single crystal slabs, about 20 μm thick, of Cr3+-bearing spinel (I), kyanite (II), corundum (III), pyrope (IV) and uvarovite (V) using DAC-cell techniques in combination with single-beam microscopespectrometry. Ligand field theoretical evaluation of the spectra yielded following results: (i) the octahedral crystal field parameter, 10DqCr3+[6], linearly shifts on increasing pressure to higher energies with slopes, (δ10DqCr3+[6]/δP), of 103.1 (I), 99.5 (II), 104.0 (III), 111.7 (IV) and 110.3 [cm−1/GPa] (V) (reliability parameters r≥0.92), (ii) The Racah-parameter BCr3+[6], reflecting the covalency of the Cr–O bonds, does not significantly change with pressure up to 8 GPa, in those cases where it could be evaluated from the spectra (III, IV, V). This result is contrary to the behaviour of BCr3+[6] with increasing temperature (Taran et al. 1994) and shows that P and T are not inversely correlated parameters with respect to BCr3+[6], a decrease of which reflects an increase in covalency. (iii) This result enabled to extract octahedral compression moduli, kCr3+[6], from the pressure slopes of 10DqCr3+[6]: 312+48 (I), 297+70 (II), 298+44 (III), 275+35 (IV), 257+32 GPa (V). Quotients kcr3+[6]/kbulk,phase are nearly the same (ca. 1.6) for I, II, IV and V but significantly lower (ca. 1.1) for III. Deviations between spectroscopically determined kCr3+[6] and published kAl[6], obtained by HP-XRD on ruby and pyrope, are interpreted by lattice strain induced by [Cr3+, Al3+−1][6] substitution.

Notes: Abstract A suite of more than 200 garnet single crystals, extracted from 150 xenoliths, covering the whole range of types of garnet parageneses in mantle xenoliths so far known from kimberlites of the Siberian platform and collected from nearly all the kimberlite pipes known in that tectonic unit, as well as some garnets found as inclusions in diamonds and olivine megacrysts from such kimberlites, were studied by means of electron microprobe analysis and single-crystal IR absorption spectroscopy in the v OH vibrational range in search of the occurrence, energy and intensity of the v OH bands of hydroxyl defects in such garnets and its potential use in an elucidation of the nature of the fluid phase in the mantle beneath the Siberian platform. The v OH single-crystal spectra show either one or a combination of two or more of the following major v OH bands, I 3645–3662 cm−1, II 3561–3583 cm−1, III 3515–3527 cm−1, and minor bands, Ia 3623–3631 cm−1, IIa 3593–3607 cm−1. The type of combination of such bands in the spectrum of a specific garnet depends on the type of the rock series of the host xenolith, Mg, Mg-Ca, Ca, Mg-Fe, or alkremite, on the xenolith type as well as on the chemical composition of the respective garnet. Nearly all garnets contain band systems I and II. Band system III occurs in Ti-rich garnets, with wt% TiO2 〉 ca. 0.4, from xenoliths of the Mg-Ca and Mg-Fe series, only. The v OH spectra do not correspond to those of OH− defects in synthetic pyropes or natural ultra-high pressure garnets from diamondiferous metamorphics. There were no indications of v OH from inclusions of other minerals within the selected 60 × 60 μm measuring areas in the garnets. The v OH spectra of pyrope-knorringite- and pyrope-knorringite-uvarovite-rich garnets included in diamonds do not show band systems I to III. Instead, they exhibit one weak, broad band (Δv OH 200–460 cm−1) near 3570 cm−1, a result that was also obtained on pyrope-knorringite-rich garnets extracted from two olivine megacrysts. The quantitative evaluation, on the basis of relevant existing calibrational data (Bell et al. 1995), of the sum of integral intensities of all v OH bonds of the garnets studied yielded a wide range of “water” concentrations within the set of the different garnets, between values below the detection limit of our single-crystal IR method, near 2 × 10−4 wt%, up to 163 × 10−4 wt%. The “water” contents vary in a complex manner in garnets from different xenolith types, obviously depending on a large number of constraints, inherent in the crystal chemistry as well as the formation conditions of the garnets during the crystallization of their mantle host rocks. Secondary alteration effects during uplift of the kimberlite, play, if any, only a minor role. Despite the very complex pattern of the “water” contents of the garnets, preventing an evaluation of a straightforward correlation between “water” contents of the garnets and the composition of the mantle's fluid phase during garnet formation, at least two general conclusions could be drawn: (1) the wide variation of “water” contents in garnets is not indicative of regional or local differences in the composition of the mantle's fluid phase; (2) garnets formed in the high-pressure/high-temperature diamond-pyrope facies invariably contain significantly lower amounts of “water” than garnets formed under the conditions of the graphite-pyrope facies. This latter result (2) may point to significantly lower f H2O and f O2 in the former as compared to the latter facies.

Notes: Abstract  A selected set of five different kyanite samples was analysed by electron microprobe and found to contain chromium between 〈0.001 and 0.055 per formula unit (pfu). Polarized electronic absorption spectroscopy on oriented single crystals, R1, R2-sharp line luminescence and spectra of excitation of λ3- and λ4-components of R1-line of Cr3+-emission had the following results: (1) The Fe2+–Ti4+ charge transfer in c-parallel chains of edge connected M(1) and M(2) octahedra shows up in the electronic absorption spectra as an almost exclusively c(||Z′)-polarized, very strong and broad band at 16000 cm−1 if 〈 , in this case the only band in the spectrum, and at an invariably lower energy of 15400 cm−1 in crystals with  ≥  . The energy difference is explained by an expansion of the Of–Ok, and Ob–Om edges, by which the M(1) and M(2) octahedra are interconnected (Burnham 1963), when Cr3+ substitutes for Al compared to the chromium-free case. (2) The Cr3+ is proven in two greatly differing crystal fields a and b, giving rise to two sets of bands, derived from the well known dd transitions of Cr3+ 4A2g→4T2g(F)(I), →4T1g(F)(II), and →4T1g(P)(III). Band energies in the two sets a and b, as obtained by absorption, A, and excitation, E, agree well: I: 17300(a, A), 17200(a, E), 16000(b, A), 16200(b, E); II: 24800(a, A), 24400(a, E); 22300(b, A), 22200(b, E); III: 28800(b,A) cm−1. Evaluation of crystal field parameters from the bands in the electronic spectra yield Dq(a)=1730 cm−1, Dq(b)=1600 cm−1, B(a)=790 cm−1, B(b)=620 cm−1 (errors ca. ±10 cm−1), again in agreement with values extracted from the λ3, λ4 excitation spectra. The CF-values of set a are close to those typical of Cr3+ substituting for Al in octahedra of other silicate minerals without constitutional OH− as for sapphirine, mantle garnets or beryl, and are, therefore, interpreted as caused by Cr3+ substituting for Al in some or all of the M(1) to M(4) octaheda of the kyanite structure, which are crystallographically different but close in their mean Al–O distances, ranging from 1.896 to 1.919 A (Burnham 1963), and slight degrees of distortion. Hence, band set a originates from substitutive Cr3+ in the kyanite structural matrix. The CF-data of Cr3+ type b, expecially B, resemble those of Cr3+ in oxides, especially of corundum type solid solutions or eskolaite. This may be interpreted by the assumption that a fraction of the total chromium contents might be allocated in a precursor of a corundum type exsolution.