Properties of the exotic metastable ST12 germanium allotrope

Zhao, Zhisheng; Zhang, Haidong; Kim, Duck Young; Hu, Wentao; Bullock, Emma S.; Strobel, Timothy A.

doi:10.1038/ncomms13909

Properties of the exotic metastable ST12 germanium allotrope

Journal Article · Tue Jan 03 00:00:00 EST 2017 · Nature Communications

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms13909· OSTI ID:1345973

Zhao, Zhisheng ^[1]; Zhang, Haidong ^[2]; Kim, Duck Young ^[3]; Hu, Wentao ^[4]; Bullock, Emma S. ^[2]; Strobel, Timothy A. ^[2]

Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, D.C. (United States); Yanshan Univ., Qinhuangdao (China); Carnegie Institution of Washington
Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, D.C. (United States)
Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, D.C. (United States); Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research, Shanghai (China)
Yanshan Univ., Qinhuangdao (China)

The optical and electronic properties of semiconducting materials are of great importance to a vast range of contemporary technologies. Diamond-cubic germanium is a well-known semiconductor, although other ‘exotic’ forms may possess distinct properties. In particular, there is currently no consensus for the band gap and electronic structure of ST12-Ge (tP12, P4₃2₁2) due to experimental limitations in sample preparation and varying theoretical predictions. Here we report clear experimental and theoretical evidence for the intrinsic properties of ST12-Ge, including the first optical measurements on bulk samples. Phase-pure bulk samples of ST12-Ge were synthesized, and the structure and purity were verified using powder X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, Raman and wavelength/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Lastly, optical measurements indicate that ST12-Ge is a semiconductor with an indirect band gap of 0.59 eV and a direct optical transition at 0.74 eV, which is in good agreement with electrical transport measurements and our first-principles calculations.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, D.C. (United States); Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC) (United States). Energy Frontier Research in Extreme Environments (EFree)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES) (SC-22)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0001057

OSTI ID:: 1345973

Journal Information:: Nature Communications, Journal Name: Nature Communications Vol. 8; ISSN 2041-1723

Publisher:: Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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