Origin of forbidden reflections in multiferroic Ba${}_2$CoGe${}_2$O${}_7$ by neutron diffraction: Symmetry lowering or Renninger effect?

For a symmetry consistent theoretical description of the multiferroic phase of Ba${}_2$CoGe${}_2$O${}_7$ a precise knowledge of its crystal structure is a prerequisite. In our previous synchrotron X-ray diffraction experiment on multiferroic Ba${}_2$CoGe${}_2$O${}_7$ at room temperature we found forbidden reflections that favour the tetragonal-to-orthorhombic symmetry lowering of the titled compound. Here, we report the results of room-temperature single-crystal diffraction studies with both hot and cold neutrons to differentiate between the real symmetry lowering and multiple diffraction (the Renninger effect). A comparison of the experimental multiple diffraction patterns with simulated ones rules out the symmetry lowering. Thus, the structural model based on the tetragonal space group $P\bar{4}{2}_{1}m$ was selected to describe the Ba${}_2$CoGe${}_2$O${}_7$ symmetry at room temperature. The precise structural parameters from neutron diffraction at 300K are presented and compared with the previous X-ray diffraction results.