Remarkable effects of local structure in tantalum and niobium oxynitrides

Compounds that contain two types of anion are attracting attention as a new field of solid state chemistry. The nitride anion is similar to the oxide anion in size and nature. They coordinate together to cations in oxynitrides to form characteristic local structures around them in a certain way. Special properties induced by the specific local structure have been observed in oxynitrides. Ferroelectricity was identified in oxynitride perovskites, especially those of tantalum, because the oxide and nitride anions form a polar ordered local crystal structure around Ta⁵⁺ in the 5d⁰ electron configuration. The critical current density in superconductivity was enhanced by the formation of clusters in niobium oxynitrides with the rocksalt-type structure. Main group elements doped into the niobium oxynitrides, especially silicon, are coordinated mainly by oxides with some amount of nitrides to form silicon oxide-like clusters. The niobium in the oxynitride has some 4d electrons to maintain the superconductivity in the niobium oxynitride host. Here, the preparation, crystal structure and properties of oxynitrides formed with tantalum and niobium are reviewed.