Lithium monosilicide (LiSi), a low-dimensional silicon-based material prepared by high pressure synthesis: NMR and vibrational spectroscopy and electrical properties characterization

Lithium monosilicide (LiSi) was formed at high pressures and high temperatures (1.0-2.5 GPa and 500-700°C) in a piston-cylinder apparatus. This compound was previously shown to have an unusual structure based on 3-fold coordinated silicon atoms arranged into interpenetrating sheets. In the present investigation, lowered synthesis pressures permitted recovery of large (150-200 mg) quantities of sample for structural studies via NMR spectroscopy (²⁹Si and ⁷Li), Raman spectroscopy and electrical conductivity measurements. The ²⁹Si chemical shift occurs at −106.5 ppm, intermediate between SiH₄ and Si(Si(CH₃)₃)₄, but lies off the trend established by the other alkali monosilicides (NaSi, KSi, RbSi, CsSi), that contain isolated Si₄⁴⁻ anions. Raman spectra show a strong peak at 508 cm⁻¹ due to symmetric Si-Si stretching vibrations, at lower frequency than for tetrahedrally coordinated Si frameworks, due to the longer Si-Si bonds in the 3-coordinated silicide. Higher frequency vibrations occur due to asymmetric stretching. Electrical conductivity measurements indicate LiSi is a narrow-gap semiconductor (E_b∼0.057 eV). There is a rapid increase in conductivity above T=450 K, that might be due to the onset of Li⁺ mobility.