Synthesis and Structural Study of the Cu2ZnSn1 – xSixSe4 System

Abstract

The quaternary semiconductor compounds Cu₂ZnSnSe₄, Cu₂ZnSiSe₄, and Cu₂ZnSn_1 – xSi_xSe₄ solid solutions on their basis have been synthesized from the elementary components Cu, Zn, Sn, Si, and Se by the single-temperature method. The room- temperature unit-cell parameters of the obtained compounds and solid solutions are determined by the X-ray method. It is established that two series of solid solutions are formed in the Cu₂ZnSn_1 – xSi_xSe₄ system: one is based on the Cu₂ZnSnSe₄ compound with a tetragonal structure at x ≤ 0.5 and the other is based on the Cu₂ZnSiSe₄ compound with a orthorhombic structure at x ≥ 0.7.