XAFS investigations of tin nitrides

Tin nitrides (Sn₃N₄) prepared by the reaction of Sn-halides with KNH2 in liquid ammonia and a subsequent vacuum annealing procedure were investigated with transmission mode XAFS experiments. While the near edge data suggest the presence of a univalent Sn-compound with a valency close to +4, the analysis of the extended X-ray absorption fine structure proves the presence of two different local Sn sites in this crystal structure: While Sn(1) is surrounded by 4 nitrogen in a distance of 2.06 Å, each Sn(2) ion is coordinated with 6 nitrogen at about 2.17 Å radial distance.