Determination of the Crystal Structure of Lead Tungstate by Neutron Diffraction

The crystal structure of lead tungstate, PbWO4, is tetragonal, scheelite type, space group I4<sub1>/a. This compound, due to the difference in the vapour pressure of the two raw oxides, WO3 and PbO, used in the crystal growth, is frequently subjected to lead deficiency. It has been reported by one group that lead vacancies can order in a crystal structure derived from the scheelite type, but of lower symmetry and described by the space group P4/nnc or P-4. We report here on neutron diffraction measurements performed on three different single crystals, two of them being presented to us as possibly presenting the lead deficient phase. Our measurements do not show any indication of structural distortion, even at 70 K for one of the samples. The existence of a lead deficient structure remains unconfirmed.