Electron-rich rods as building blocks for Sb strips and Te sheets.

We analyze the bonding in a number of networks of heavy main group elements comprised of finite-length linear chains fused at right angles. Isolated linear chain building blocks may be understood easily by analogy with three-orbital four-electron "hypervalent" bonding picture in such molecules as I(3)(-) and XeF(2). After deriving the appropriate electron-counting rules for such linear units, we proceed in an aufbau to fuse these chains into simple (and not so simple) infinite networks. It is proposed that (a) infinite Sb(3) ribbons of vertex sharing squares are stable for an electron count of 20 electrons per three atoms (i.e., ); (b) sidewise fused Sb double ribbons are stable for an electron count of 38 electrons per six atoms (i.e., ); (c) Sb(4) strips cut from a square lattice are stable at the electron count of 24 electrons per four atoms (i.e., ); (d) Te(6) defect square sheets are stable at the electron count of 40 electrons per six atoms (i.e., ). The electronic structures of the solid-state compounds containing these networks, namely La(12)Mn(2)Sb(30), alpha-ZrSb(2), beta-ZrSb(2), Cs(3)Te(22), and Cs(4)Te(28), are elaborated. We propose preferred electron counts for two hypothetical Sb ribbons derived from the Sb(3) ribbon in La(12)Mn(2)Sb(30). A possibility of geometry distortion modulation by excess charge in lattices comprised of even-membered linear units is suggested.     

Evolution of cobalt spin states and magnetic coupling along the SrCo(1-x)Sb(x)O(3-δ) system: correlation with the crystal structure

The oxides of the SrCo(1-x)Sb(x)O(3-δ) perovskite family have been recently designed, characterized and described as cathode materials for solid-oxide fuel cells with competitive power performance in the temperature range 750-850 °C. They feature a number of interesting properties including a good electronic conductivity, low electrode polarization resistance and adequate thermal expansion; the crystal structure adopts a 3C corner-linked perovskite network with a considerable number of oxygen vacancies. This paper reports on the effects of Sb-doping on the crystal structure features, the Co oxidation state and magnetic properties related to the presence of spin-state transitions in the Co cations. A phase transition was observed from the tetragonal P4/mmm space group for x≤ 0.15 to the cubic Pm ?3m space group in the x = 0.2 composition from neutron powder diffraction data. For the tetragonal phases the oxygen vacancies were found to be ordered and localized in the axial O2 and equatorial O3 atoms surrounding the Co2 positions. A noticeable distortion of CoO(6) octahedra is observed for x = 0.05 and 0.1, exhibiting a charge-ordering with a mixed oxidation state of Co(3+/4+) at Co1 sites and Co(3+) at Co2 positions: the Jahn-Teller Co(3+) in an intermediate-spin configuration is responsible for the octahedral distortion. Increasing Sb contents promotes a higher average oxidation state of cobalt, from a valence of 3.2+ for x = 0.05 to 3.4+ for x = 0.2, inducing a decrease of the oxygen vacancies and favouring a random distribution over a Pm ?3m cubic symmetry. All the samples present an antiferromagnetic behaviour with a G-type (k = 0) magnetic structure. The increase of the Sb content induces the weakening of the crystal field (Δ(cf)) in the octahedral environment promoting the Co spin-transition from the intermediate-spin to the high-spin configuration, as evidenced by the decrease of the octahedral distortion, increment of the unit-cell volume and enhancement of the ordered magnetic moment.     

Clustering of zirconium atoms in Zr5Te6: a novel NiAs-type-related telluride with ordered vacancies

Zr5Te6 has been synthesized and its structure determined by means of single crystal X-ray diffraction to be trigonal, P3m1, Z=3, Pearson symbol hP33, a = 1172.8(2) pm, c = 707.0(1) pm. Zr5Te6 adopts a metal-deficient, vacancy-ordered 3a x 3a x 1c superstructure of the NiAs type structure. In the Zr atom layers, alternately one and two out of nine Zr atoms are missing. The less densely populated layers (7/9) consist of star-shaped Zr7 clusters with intracluster contacts of 351.1 pm; the shortest Zr-Zr intercluster distance is 470.5 pm. In the more densely populated Zr atom layers (8/9), three quarters of the Zr atoms are arranged to pairs (326.4 pm). The distinctive distribution of the vacancies affords a topologically uniform fivefold Zr coordination (283.5 - 302.6 pm) for all three crystallographically inequivalent Te atoms. They are shifted towards the vacancies in the Zr atom layers. The associated corrugation of the Te atom layers is characterized by an amplitude of 28 pm. The Te-Te contacts are > or =368.1 pm. According to extended Hückel calculations, the defects in the Zr atom layers lead to a reduction in overall Zr-Te bonding interactions relative to ZrTe (NiAs). However, through the clustering the total attractive intralayer Zr-Zr interactions increase considerably, thus providing decisive stabilization of the structure. As revealed by thermal analyses, Zr5Te6 undergoes a reversible phase transition at 1,513 +/- 5 K. On the Zr-rich side, Zr5Te6 coexists with ZrTe (WC), and, above 1,438 +/- 5 K with the hitherto unknown ZrTe (MnP). Zr5Te6 exhibits temperature independent paramagnetic properties (chimol = 0.7 x 10(-3) cm3 mol(-1)) that are typical for a metallic conductor. An abrupt increase in the magnitude of the diamagnetic susceptibility below 2.2 K in a weak magnetic field indicates a superconducting transition.     

Interstitial Zn atoms do the trick in thermoelectric zinc antimonide, Zn4Sb3: a combined maximum entropy method X-ray electron density and ab initio electronic structure study

The experimental electron density of the high-performance thermoelectric material Zn4Sb3 has been determined by maximum entropy (MEM) analysis of short-wavelength synchrotron powder diffraction data. These data are found to be more accurate than conventional single-crystal data due to the reduction of common systematic errors, such as absorption, extinction and anomalous scattering. Analysis of the MEM electron density directly reveals interstitial Zn atoms and a partially occupied main Zn site. Two types of Sb atoms are observed: a free spherical ion (Sb3-) and Sb2(4-) dimers. Analysis of the MEM electron density also reveals possible Sb disorder along the c axis. The disorder, defects and vacancies are all features that contribute to the drastic reduction of the thermal conductivity of the material. Topological analysis of the thermally smeared MEM density has been carried out. Starting with the X-ray structure ab initio computational methods have been used to deconvolute structural information from the space-time data averaging inherent to the XRD experiment. The analysis reveals how interstitial Zn atoms and vacancies affect the electronic structure and transport properties of beta-Zn4Sb3. The structure consists of an ideal A12Sb10 framework in which point defects are distributed. We propose that the material is a 0.184:0.420:0.396 mixture of A12Sb10, A11BCSb10 and A10BCDSb10 cells, in which A, B, C and D are the four Zn sites in the X-ray structure. Given the similar density of states (DOS) of the A12Sb10, A11BCSb10 and A10BCDSb10 cells, one may electronically model the defective stoichiometry of the real system either by n-doping the 12-Zn atom cell or by p-doping the two 13-Zn atom cells. This leads to similar calculated Seebeck coefficients for the A12Sb10, A11BCSb10 and A10BCDSb10 cells (115.0, 123.0 and 110.3 microV K(-1) at T=670 K). The model system is therefore a p-doped semiconductor as found experimentally. The effect is dramatic if these cells are doped differently with respect to the experimental electron count. Thus, 0.33 extra electrons supplied to either kind of cell would increase the Seebeck coefficient to about 260 microV K(-1). Additional electrons would also lower sigma, so the resulting effect on the thermoelectric figure of merit of Zn4Sb3 challenges further experimental work.     

Location of H+ sites in the fast proton-conductor (H3O)SbTeO6 pyrochlore

The defect pyrochlore (H3O)SbTeO6 oxide is an excellent proton conductor, showing a conductivity value of 10(-1) S cm(-1) at 30 degrees C under saturated water vapor partial pressure. It can be prepared by ion exchange from KTeSbO6 pyrochlore in sulfuric acid at 453 K for 12 h. The full characterization of the structure of the (H3O)SbTeO6 pyrochlore, including the location of the H3O+ units within the three-dimensional framework, has been carried out by neutron powder diffraction. A first Rietveld refinement of the [SbTeO6]- framework was performed in the Fd3m space group (a= 10.1510(1) A); a difference Fourier map enabled the unambiguous location of the O2 atoms from the H3O+ ions at 32e (x,x,x) positions, and subsequently the H atoms at 96g (x,x,z). The (H3O)SbTeO6 crystal structure is constituted by a network of randomly distributed Sb(V)O6 and Te(VI)O6 octahedra linked by their corners with (Sb,Te)-O1-(Sb,Te) angles of 136.2 degrees. Hydronium ions are located off-center around the large 8a cages of the pyrochlore. The geometry of the (O2)-H3 units is that of an almost regular tetrahedron, with O2 atoms at the center and the three H atoms in three of the vertices; the fourth vertex is supposed to be occupied by the O2 lone pair. The three O2-H bonds have equal distances of 1.020(8)A. The H3O+ units are linked to the O1 framework oxygens by weaker hydrogen bonds, with O1-H bond lengths of 1.649(7) A. The relatively large thermal factors of O2 and H, of 2.5 and 3.7 A2, respectively, suggest that both kinds of atoms are not static at fixed positions but could be dynamically fluctuating between crystallographically equivalent sites.     

二乙三胺五乙酸锑异构体的晶体结构

由氨三乙酸与亚锑酸直接制得的二乙三胺五乙酸锑异构体晶体结构,属正交晶系,空间群P2_12_12_1,a=6.889(2),b=14.105(1),c=20.239(3),V=1966.6,Z=4,D_c=1.851g/cm~3,M_r=548.1,F(000)=1104,μ(MoKα)=14.8cm~(-1)。2573个可观察衍射参与最小二乘修正,最终偏差因子R=0.047,R_w=(ω=σ~(-2))=0.056。 结构测定结果表明:锑离子与二乙三胺五乙酸同侧的两个羧基和中间的羧基上的三个氧原子及两个氮原子配位,它们与Sb的孤对电子构成变形的四方双锥。     

Mg(5.23)Sm(0.77)Sb4: an ordered superstructure derived from the Mg3Sb2 structure type

The ternary polar intermetallic phase Mg(5.231(8))Sm(0.769(8))Sb4 has been obtained from solid-state reactions at 700-850 degrees C in sealed Ta or Nb containers when the synthetic conditions took into account its characteristic incongruent melting point. The compound crystallizes in the trigonal space group P3 (Z = 1) with a = 4.618(1) A and c = 14.902(6) A in a structure that derives from that of Mg3Sb2 (anti-La2O3 type). This composition appears to be near the lower limit of Sm content, and solutions with appreciably higher Sm contents are also stable [Mg(6-x)SmxSb4, x 相似文献   

Rare beryllium icosahedra in the intermediate valence compound CeBe13

Single-crystal X-ray diffraction experiments show that the Be atoms in CeBe13 form a Be12 icosahedra, which is a very unusual structural feature due, in part, to the remarkably low valence electron count of Be. Magnetization studies show that CeBe13 displays intermediate valence behavior, in which valence fluctuations between the Ce 4f0 and 4f1 states give rise to enhanced electronic specific heat and magnetic susceptibility. Calculations using ab initio theory were used to determine the electronic structure and bonding and to give insight into the relationship between the crystal structure, the bonding, and the intermediate valence behavior of CeBe13. The hybridization between the localized f electrons and the conduction electrons is responsible for the large values of the electronic specific heat coefficient (gamma approximately 100 mJ/mol K2) and magnetic susceptibility (chi approximately 1 x 10-3 emu/mol), which is in marked contrast to those of ordinary metals that have gamma approximately 1 mJ/mol K2 and chi approximately 1 x 10-5 emu/mol values. The magnetic susceptibility, chi = M/H versus T, of a single crystal of CeBe13 exhibits a broad maximum at Tmax approximately 130 K and is typical of intermediate valence systems with an unusually large energy scale (Kondo), TK approximately 500 K.     

Nanostructures versus solid solutions: low lattice thermal conductivity and enhanced thermoelectric figure of merit in Pb9.6Sb0.2Te10-xSex bulk materials

The series of Pb(9.6)Sb(0.2)Te(10)(-)(x)Se(x) compounds with different Se content (x) were prepared, and their structure was investigated at the atomic and nanosized regime level. Thermoelectric properties were measured in the temperature range from 300 to 700 K. The Pb(9.6)Sb(0.2)Te(10)(-)(x)Se(x) series was designed after the refinement of the single-crystal structure of Pb(3.82)Sb(0.12)Te(4) (Pb(9.6)Sb(0.3)Te(10); S.G. Pmm) by substituting isoelectronically in anion positions Te by Se. The Pb(9.6)Sb(0.2)Te(10)(-)(x)Se(x)() compounds show significantly lower lattice thermal conductivity (kappa(L)) compared to the well-known PbTe(1)(-)(x)Se(x) solid solutions. For Pb(9.6)Sb(0.2)Te(3)Se(7) (x = 7), a kappa(L) value as low as 0.40 W/m.K was determined at 700 K. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy of several Pb(9.6)Sb(0.2)Te(10)(-)(x)Se(x) samples showed widely distributed Sb-rich nanocrystals in the samples which is the key feature for the strong reduction of the lattice thermal conductivity. The reduction of kappa(L) results in a significantly enhanced thermoelectric figure of merit of Pb(9.6)Sb(0.2)Te(10)(-)(x)Se(x) compared to the corresponding PbTe(1)(-)(x)Se(x) solid solution alloys. For Pb(9.6)Sb(0.2)Te(3)Se(7) (x = 7), a maximum figure of merit of ZT approximately 1.2 was obtained at approximately 650 K. This value is about 50% higher than that of the state-of-the-art n-type PbTe. The work provides experimental validation of the theoretical concept that embedded nanocrystals can promote strong scattering of acoustic phonons.     

Importance of cations in the properties of Zintl phases: the electronic structure of and bonding in metallic Na6TlSb41

The novel metallic compound Na(6)TlSb(4) consists of four-membered TlSb(3) rings joined by pairs of Sb atoms into Tl(2)Sb(8) units, the last of which is further interconnected into 1D anionic chains via Tl-Tl bonds. The contrast of its metallic conductivity with that of the 2 - e(-) poorer, electron precise, and semiconducting Zintl phase K(6)Tl(2)Sb(3), which has virtually the same anionic network, has been investigated by ab initio LMTO-DFT methods. Sodium ion participation is found to be appreciable in the (largely) Sb p valence band and especially significant in an additional low-lying conduction band generated by antimony ppi and sodium orbitals. The one pyramidal 3-bonded Sb atom appears to be largely responsible for the interchain conduction process. The substitution of one Tl by Sb, which occurs when the countercation is changed from potassium in K(6)Tl(2)Sb(3) to sodium, yielding only Na(6)TlSb(4), is driven by a distinctly tighter packing, a corresponding increase in the Madelung energy, and binding of the excess pair of electrons in the new conduction band.     

Gold derivatives of eight rare-earth-metal-rich tellurides: monoclinic R7Au2Te2 and orthorhombic R6AuTe2 types

Two series of rare-earth-metal (R) compounds, R(7)Au(2)Te(2) (R = Tb, Dy, Ho) and R(6)AuTe(2) (R = Sc, Y, Dy, Ho, Lu), have been synthesized by high-temperature techniques and characterized by X-ray diffraction analyses as monoclinic Er(7)Au(2)Te(2)-type and orthorhombic Sc(6)PdTe(2)-type structures, respectively. Single-crystal diffraction results are reported for Ho(7)Au(2)Te(2), Lu(6)AuTe(2), Sc(6)Au(0.856(2))Te(2), and Sc(6)Au(0.892(3))Te(2). The structure of Ho(7)Au(2)Te(2) consists of columns of Au-centered tricapped trigonal prisms (TCTPs) of Ho condensed into 2D zigzag sheets that are interbridged by Te and additional Ho to form the 3D network. The structure of Lu(6)AuTe(2) is built of pairs of Au-centered Lu TCTP chains condensed with double Lu octahedra in chains into 2D zigzag sheets that are separated by Te atoms. Tight binding-linear muffin-tin orbital-atomic sphere approximation electronic structure calculations on Lu(6)AuTe(2) indicate a metallic property. The principal polar Lu-Au and Lu-Te interactions constitute 75% of the total Hamilton populations, in contrast to the small values for Lu-Lu bonding even though these comprise the majority of the atoms. A comparison of the theoretical results for Lu(6)AuTe(2) with those for isotypic Lu(6)AgTe(2) and Lu(6)CuTe(2) provides clear evidence of the greater relativistic effects in the bonding of Au. The parallels and noteworthy contrasts between Ho(7)Au(2)Te(2) (35 valence electrons) and the isotypic but much electron-richer Nb(7)P(4) (55 valence electrons) are analyzed and discussed.     

Electronic structure similarities in Pb(x)Sb(y)(-) and Sn(x)Bi(y)(-) clusters

The geometric and electronic structure of Pb(x)Sb(y)(-) and Sn(x)Bi(y)(-) clusters are investigated by photoelectron spectroscopy and theoretical methods. It is found that PbSb(2)(-) and SnBi(2)(-) have similar spectroscopic patterns, reflecting correlations in electronic nature that are a result of their isoelectronic character and common geometries. Analogous findings are presented for Pb(2)Sb(2)(-) and Sn(2)Bi(2)(-). Further, we investigate the effect of altering the total valence count, and separately the geometry, on spectroscopic patterns. We conclude that these heavy p-block elements are interchangeable and that the electronic structure correspondence can be preserved regardless of elemental composition. This represents an extension of the traditional concepts of periodicity, where elements of similar valence configuration are grouped into columns. Instead, elements from different columns may be combined to yield similarities in chemistry, given the overall valence count is preserved.     

A New Family of Nonstoichiometric Layered Rare-Earth Tin Antimonides, RESn(x)()Sb(2) (RE = La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm): Crystal Structure of LaSn(0.75)Sb(2)

A new class of nonstoichiometric layered ternary rare-earth tin antimonides, RESn(x)()Sb(2) (RE = La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm), has been synthesized through reaction of the elements at 950 degrees C. In the lanthanum series LaSn(x)()Sb(2), tin can be incorporated from a maximum content of x approximately 0.7 or 0.8 to as low as x approximately 0.10. The structure of lanthanum tin diantimonide with the maximum tin content, LaSn(0.75)Sb(2), has been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods. It crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group -Cmcm with a = 4.2425(5) ?, b = 23.121(2) ?, c = 4.5053(6) ?, and Z = 4. The isostructural rare-earth analogues were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction. The structure of LaSn(0.75)Sb(2) comprises layers of composition "LaSb(2)" in which La atoms are coordinated by Sb atoms in a square-antiprismatic geometry. Between these layers reside chains of Sn atoms distributed over three crystallographically independent sites, each partially occupied at about 20%. The structure of LaSn(0.75)Sb(2) can be regarded as resulting from the excision of RE-Sb and Sb-Sb bonds in the related structures of binary rare-earth diantimonides, RESb(2), and then intercalation of Sn atoms between layers.     

Vapor-liquid-solid and vapor-solid growth of phase-change Sb2Te3 nanowires and Sb2Te3/GeTe nanowire heterostructures

We report the synthesis and characterization of radial heterostructures composed of an antimony telluride (Sb2Te3) core and a germanium telluride (GeTe) shell, as well as an improved synthesis of Sb2Te3 nanowires. The synthesis of the heterostructures employs Au-catalyst-assisted vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) and vapor-solid (VS) mechanisms. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry indicates that Sb and Ge are localized in the Sb2Te3 and GeTe portions, respectively, confirming the alloy-free composition in the core/shell heterostructures. Transmission electron microscopy and diffraction studies show that Sb2Te3 and GeTe regions exhibit rhombohedral crystal structure. Both Sb2Te3 and GeTe grow along the [110] direction with an epitaxial interface between them. Electrical characterization of individual nanowires and nanowire heterostructures demonstrates that these nanostructures exhibit memory-switching behavior.     

Amorphous structure and electronic properties of the Ge1Sb2Te4 phase change material

Ge1Sb2Te4 is one of the most commonly used phase change materials, due to the large optical and electrical contrast between a metastable crystalline phase and the amorphous phase. We use ab initio molecular dynamics to generate an amorphous Ge1Sb2Te4 structure. By analysing the distance distributions, we show that the structure can be analysed in terms of 21% of tetrahedrally coordinated Ge atoms and 79% of 3-fold Ge atoms. These are involved in distorted octahedral shells with bond length correlations that are similar to the a-GeTe structure as a consequence of a Peierls-distortion. The electronic properties are shown to be in reasonable agreement with the experiment with an electronic gap of 0.45 eV with. The optical conductivity curve is also in agreement with the experiment, with a maximal conductivity at an energy of ～3 eV.     

Pressure-induced disordered substitution alloy in Sb2Te3

A new type of disordered substitution alloy of Sb and Te at above 15.1 GPa was discovered by performing in situ high-pressure angle-dispersive X-ray diffraction experiments on antimony telluride (Sb(2)Te(3)), a topological insulator and thermoelectric material, at room temperature. In this disordered substitution alloy, Sb(2)Te(3) crystallizes into a monoclinic structure with the space group C2/m, which is different from the corresponding high-pressure phase of the similar isostructural compound Bi(2)Te(3). Above 19.8 GPa, Sb(2)Te(3) adopts a body-centered-cubic structure with the disordered atomic array in the crystal lattice. The in situ high-pressure experiments down to about 13 K show that Sb(2)Te(3) undergoes the same phase-transition sequence with increasing pressure at low temperature, with almost the same phase-transition pressures.     

The valence problem of Pd4Br4Te3

Pd(4)Br(4)Te(3) was prepared from Pd, Te, and PdBr(2) at 700 K. Its structure was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction to be triclinic, P$\bar 1$, Pearson symbol aP22; a=842.5(2), b=845.0(3), c=864.8(3) pm; alpha=82.55(3), beta=73.36(2), gamma=88.80(2) degrees ; Z=2. The Br and Te atoms are arranged according to the motif of cubic closest-packed spheres in which every 15th position is vacant; the Pd atoms occupy 8/15 of the octahedral voids. The symmetry relations with the packing of spheres are derived. Prominent structural units are hollow cuboctahedral [(PdBrTe)(6)] units, the Pd atoms are positioned near the centers of the square faces of the Br(6)Te(6) cuboctahedra; the cuboctahedra and double-octahedral Pd(2)Br(4)Te(6) units are connected to strands by sharing triangular Te(3) faces. The strands are condensed by common Br atoms into layered assemblies. Conspicuously close Te--Te contacts in the Te(3) triangles indicate attractive Te--Te interactions. The valence puzzle is resolved by the formula Pd(+II)(4)Br(-I)(4)Te(-4/3)(3). Positive Te--Te Mulliken orbital populations and the Pd--K, Br--K, and Te--L(III) XANES spectra of Pd(4)Br(4)Te(3) referenced to the spectra of PdBr(2), K(2)PdBr(6), PdTe, and PdTe(2) are in accord with attractive Te--Te interactions. The measured semiconducting and diamagnetic properties are compatible with the derived picture of chemical bonding in Pd(4)Br(4)Te(3).     

CsTe2O(6-x): novel mixed-valence tellurium oxides with framework-deficient pyrochlore-related structure

Structures of CsTe?O(6-x) phases were investigated by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and neutron powder diffraction. Stoichiometric CsTe?O? is a mixed-valence Cs?Te??Te???O?? compound with a rhombohedral pyrochlore-type structure where there is complete order of Te?? and Te??. On heating, this compound develops significant electrical conductivity. As CsTe?O? becomes oxygen deficient above 600 °C, the rhombohedral pyrochlore-type structure is replaced by a cubic pyrochlore-type structure with disordered Te??/Te?? and oxygen vacancies. However, for CsTe?O(6-x) phases prepared at 500 °C, the observed pyrochlore-type structure has symmetry. The Te?? and O vacancies are all on chains running along the b axis, and the maximum value of x observed is about 0.3. At still higher values of x a new compound was discovered with a structure related to that reported for Rb?Te???Te???O??.     

Large-area Sb2Te3 nanowire arrays

High-density large-area nanowire arrays of thermoelectric material Sb(2)Te(3) have been successfully prepared using electrochemical deposition into the channels of the porous anodic alumina membrane. The morphologies, structure, and composition of the as-prepared Sb(2)Te(3) nanowires have been characterized using field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Individual Sb(2)Te(3) nanowires are single crystalline and continuous with uniform diameters ( approximately 50 nm) throughout the entire length. The atomic ratio of Sb to Te is very close to the 2:3 stoichiometry.     

Electrochemical aspects and structure characterization of VA-VIA compound semiconductor Bi2Te3/Sb2Te3 superlattice thin films via electrochemical atomic layer epitaxy

This paper concerns the electrochemical atom-by-atom growth of VA-VIA compound semiconductor thin film superlattice structures using electrochemical atomic layer epitaxy. The combination of the Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3 programs and Bi2Te3/Sb2Te3 thin film superlattice with 18 periods, where each period involved 21 cycles of Bi2Te3 followed by 21 cycles of Sb2Te3, is reported here. According to the angular distance between the satellite and the Bragg peak, a period of 23 nm for the superlattice was indicated from the X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectrum. An overall composition of Bi 0.25Sb0.16Te0.58, suggesting the 2:3 stoichiometric ratio of total content of Bi and Sb to Te, as expected for the format of the Bi2Te3/Sb2Te3 compound, was further verified by energy dispersive X-ray quantitative analysis. Both field-emission scanning electron microscopy and XRD data indicated the deposit grows by a complex mechanism involving some 3D nucleation and growth in parallel with underpotential deposition. The optical band gap of the deposited superlattice film was determined as 0.15 eV by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and depicts an allowed direct type of transition. Raman spectrum observation with annealed and unannealed superlattice sample showed that the LIF mode has presented, suggesting a perfect AB/CB bonding in the superlattice interface.