Bugaris DE, Malliakas CD, Shoemaker DP, Do DT, Chung DY, Mahanti SD, Kanatzidis MG. Crystal growth and characterization of the narrow-band-gap semiconductors OsPn₂ (Pn = P, As, Sb).
Inorg Chem 2014;
53:9959-68. [PMID:
25162930 DOI:
10.1021/ic501733z]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Using metal fluxes, crystals of the binary osmium dipnictides OsPn2 (Pn = P, As, Sb) have been grown for the first time. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction confirms that these compounds crystallize in the marcasite structure type with orthorhombic space group Pnnm. The structure is a three-dimensional framework of corner- and edge-sharing OsPn6 octahedra, as well as [Pn2(4-)] anions. Raman spectroscopy shows the presence of P-P single bonds, consistent with the presence of [Pn2(-4)] anions and formally Os(4+) cations. Optical-band-gap and high-temperature electrical resistivity measurements indicate that these materials are narrow-band-gap semiconductors. The experimentally determined Seebeck coefficients reveal that nominally undoped OsP2 and OsSb2 are n-type semiconductors, whereas OsAs2 is p-type. Electronic band structure using density functional theory calculations shows that these compounds are indirect narrow-band-gap semiconductors. The bonding p orbitals associated with the Pn2 dimer are below the Fermi energy, and the corresponding antibonding states are above, consistent with a Pn-Pn single bond. Thermopower calculations using Boltzmann transport theory and constant relaxation time approximation show that these materials are potentially good thermoelectrics, in agreement with experiment.
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