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Equation of state, phase transitions, and band-gap closure in Pb Cl2 and Sn Cl2

Journal Article · · Physical Review. B
 [1];  [2];  [1];  [3];  [1];  [4];  [1]
  1. Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)
  2. Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
  3. University of Leeds (United Kingdom)
  4. Univ. of California, Santa Cruz, CA (United States)

The equations of state and band-gap closures for Pb Cl2 and Sn Cl2 were studied using both experimental and theoretical methods. Here we measured the volume of both materials to a maximum pressure of 70 GPa using synchrotron-based angle-dispersive powder x-ray diffraction. The lattice parameters for both compounds showed anomalous changes between 16–32 GPa, providing evidence of a phase transition from the cotunnite structure to the related Co2 Si structure, in contrast to the postcotunnite structure as previously suggested. First-principles calculations confirm this finding and predict a second phase transition to a Co2 Si-like structure between 75– 110 GPa in Pb Cl2 and 60–75 GPa in Sn Cl2. Band gaps were measured under compression to ~70 GPa for Pb Cl2 and ~66 GPa for Sn Cl2 and calculated up to 200 GPa for Pb CI2 and 120 GPa for Sn Cl2. We find an excellent agreement between our experimental and theoretical results when using the Heyd-Scuseria-Ernzerhof (HSE06) hybrid functional, which suggests that this functional could reliably be used to calculate the band gap of similar AX2 compounds. Experimental and calculated band-gap results show discontinuous decreases in the band gap corresponding to phase changes to higher-coordinated crystal structures, giving insight into the relationship between interatomic geometry and metallicity.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Advanced Light Source (ALS)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES); Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC52-07NA27344; NA0004032; AC02-05CH11231
OSTI ID:
1972037
Report Number(s):
LLNL-JRNL-815142; 1023161
Journal Information:
Physical Review. B, Journal Name: Physical Review. B Journal Issue: 13 Vol. 107; ISSN 2469-9950
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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