The composition, barium pentagermanide, BaGe5,
has been found to be semiconducting. BaGe5 constitutes
a new type of intermetallic clathrate obtained by decomposition
of clathrate-I Ba8Ge43-3 at low temperatures.
The crystal structure consists of characteristic layers
interconnected by covalent bonds. BaGe5 is a semiconducting
Zintl phase .
