Local structure of the layered oxysulfide Sr2MnO2Cu5.5S4

This is a proposal to probe the local structure in the layered oxysulfide, Sr2MnO2Cu5.5S4 in particular to probe the local Mn environment for possible Mn2+/Mn3+ charge order and to model the variable temperature behaviour of the copper sulfide layers which have Cu+ ions distributed over a range of sites. This compound is being probed as a potential thermoelectric material and a full understanding of the disorder in the sulfide layer and the influence of the structure of the manganese oxide layers on the electronic properties will be key to full understanding of the physical properties.