Studies of the cation atom distribution in ZnCr_xFe_2-xO₄ spinels using the channeling effect in electron-induced X-ray emission

The channeling effect in electron-induced X-ray emission has proved useful as a method to get immediate information about the cation atom distribution between octahedral and tetrahedral positions in the recently synthesized spinels: ZnCr_0.4Fe_1.6O₄, ZnCrFeO₄ and ZnCr_1.6Fe_0.4O₄. It is concluded that the Zn atoms are in tetrahedral positions and the Cr atoms in octahedral positions. The Fe atoms also have a strong octahedral site preference, but the analysis indicates that ~5% of them are in tetrahedral positions.