A novel quadruple
perovskite oxide CeCu3Co4O12 has
been synthesized in high-pressure and high-temperature conditions
of 12 GPa and 1273 K. Rietveld refinement of the synchrotron X-ray
powder diffraction pattern reveals that this oxide crystallizes in
a cubic quadruple perovskite structure with the 1:3-type ordering
of Ce and Cu ions at the A-site. X-ray absorption
spectroscopy analysis demonstrates the valence-state transitions in
the ACu3Co4O12 series
(A = Ca, Y, Ce) from Ca2+Cu3+
3Co3.25+
4O12 to Y3+Cu3+
3Co3+
4O12 to Ce4+Cu2.67+
3Co3+
4O12, where the electrons are doped in the
order from B-site (Co3.25+ → Co3+) to A′-site (Cu3+ →
Cu2.67+). This electron-doping sequence is in stark contrast
to the typical B-site electron doping for simple ABO3-type perovskite and quadruple perovskites
CaCu3
B
4O12 (B = V, Cr, Mn), further differing from the monotonical A′-site electron doping for Na1–x
La
x
Mn3Ti4O12 and A′- and B-site electron doping for AMn3V4O12 (A = Na, Ca, La). The
differences in the electron-doping sequences are interpreted by rigid-band
models, proposing a wide variety of electronic states for the complex
transition-metal oxides containing the multiple valence-variable ions.