Cation ordering and physicochemical characterization of the quaternary diamond-like semiconductor Ag[subscript 2]CdGeS[subscript 4]

Journal Article · Mon Mar 26 04:00:00 EDT 2012 · J. Solid State Chem.

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jssc.2011.12.032· OSTI ID:1035705

Brunetta, Carl D; Minsterman, III, William C; Lake, Charles H; Aitken, Jennifer A ^[1]

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1. Duquesne

The quaternary diamond-like semiconductor, Ag2CdGeS4, was synthesized via high-temperature solid-state synthesis as well as structurally and physicochemically characterized. Single crystal X-ray diffraction provided a model for Ag2CdGeS4 in the orthorhombic, noncentrosymmetric space group Pna21 with a=13.7415(8) {angstrom}, b=8.0367(5) {angstrom} and c=6.5907(4) {angstrom}, in contrast to a previously published model in Pmn21 from the Rietveld analysis of laboratory X-ray powder diffraction data. The Pna21 space group is supported by the Rietveld analysis of synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data. Differential thermal analysis suggests that Ag2CdGeS4 exists in two polymorphs. Optical diffuse reflectance UV/vis/NIR spectroscopy indicates that the orange compound is a semiconductor with a band gap of 2.32 eV. Optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy were used to further characterize the material.

• Research Organization: Advanced Photon Source (APS), Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: NSF
• OSTI ID: 1035705
• Journal Information: J. Solid State Chem., Journal Name: J. Solid State Chem. Journal Issue: 03, 2012 Vol. 187; ISSN 0022-4596; ISSN JSSCBI
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: ENGLISH

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
CATIONS
DIFFERENTIAL THERMAL ANALYSIS
DIFFRACTION
EMISSION SPECTROSCOPY
MONOCRYSTALS
OPTICAL MICROSCOPY
ORANGES
PLASMA
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SPACE GROUPS
SPECTROSCOPY
SYNCHROTRONS
SYNTHESIS
X-RAY DIFFRACTION