Electronic Energy Structure of a Series of Chalcopyrite-Like Compounds AgGaS2–CdGa2S4–InPS4

Abstract

The effect of pseudovacancies on the density of electronic states of valence electrons in AgGaS₂, CdGa₂S₄, and InPS₄ is studied both experimentally, by means of X-ray spectroscopy, and theoretically, by calculating the partial densities of electronic states using the local coherent potential. The compounds under study are the derivatives of the sphalerite structural type (doubled cell) with gradually increasing deficiency of metals from $Ag_4^I Ga_4^{III} S_8$ to $\square _2^{II} Cd_2^{II} Ga_4^{III} S_8$ and further to $\square _2^{III} In_2^{III} \square _2^V P_2^V S_8$, where $\square$ is a vacancy. The environment of the metal atoms remains tetrahedral, while that of the sulfur atoms changes with increasing number of vacancies from four (AgGaS₂) to three (CdGa₂S₄) and two (InPS₄). For the compounds under study, SK and PK X-ray emission and absorption spectra were recorded at a resolution of about 0.2 eV, and the local partial densities of states were calculated for all components of the compounds. The theoretical curves practically coincide in shape and energy position of fine structure elements with the corresponding experimental curves. This allowed reliable conclusions about the energy positions of electronic states at the top of the valence band and about the dependence of the SK emission and absorption spectra in the series of compounds under study on variation of the crystal structure and on the chemical composition of the nearest surroundings of sulfur atoms.