A Low Temperature Structural Transition in Canfieldite, Ag${}_8$SnS${}_6$, Single Crystals

Abstract

Canfieldite, Ag${}_8$SnS${}_6$, is a semiconducting mineral notable for its high ionic conductivity, photosensitivity, and low thermal conductivity. We report the solution growth of large single crystals of Ag${}_8$SnS${}_6$ of mass up to 1 g from a ternary Ag-Sn-S melt. On cooling from high temperature, Ag${}_8$SnS${}_6$ undergoes a known cubic (F-43m) to orthorhombic (Pna2${}_1$) phase transition at $\approx$ 460 K. By studying the magnetization and thermal expansion between 5-300 K, we discover a second structural transition at $\approx$ 120 K. Single crystal X-ray diffraction reveals the low temperature phase adopts a different orthorhombic structure with space group Pmn2${}_1$ (a = 7.6629(5) Å, b = 7.5396(5) Å, c = 10.6300(5) Å, Z = 2 at 90 K) that is isostructural to the room temperature forms of the related Se-based compounds Ag${}_8$SnSe${}_6$ and Ag${}_8$GeSe${}_6$. The 120 K transition is first-order and has a large thermal hysteresis. Based on magnetization and thermal expansion data, the room temperature polymorph can be kinetically arrested into a metastable state by rapidly cooling to temperatures below 40 K. We lastly compare the room and low temperature forms of Ag${}_8$SnS${}_6$ with its argyrodite analogues, Ag${}_8$TQ${}_6$ (T = Si, Ge, Sn; Q = S, Se), and identify a trend relating the preferred structures to the unit cell volume, suggesting smaller phase volume favors the Pna2${}_1$ arrangement. We support this picture by showing that the transition to the Pmn2${}_1$ phase is avoided in Ge alloyed Ag${}_8$Sn${}_{1-x}$Ge${}_x$S${}_6$ samples as well as pure Ag${}_8$GeS${}_6$.

45 pages, 13 figures