title: LiPbSb3S6: a semiconducting sulfosalt with very low thermal conductivity.
abstract: The new semiconductor LiPbSb3S6 crystallizes in the space group P21/c. The structure is a member of the lillianite homologous series and is composed of layers of PbS archetype Sb/Li-S separated by trigonal-prismatic-coordinated Pb/Li. Electronic band structure calculations indicate an indirect band gap, with direct gaps lying very close in energy. LiPbSb3S6 has one of the lowest thermal conductivities seen in a crystalline material, ∼0.24 W m(-1) K(-1) at room temperature, and a high resistivity, ∼4 × 10(9) Ω·cm, and exhibits strong light absorption with a nearly direct band gap of 1.6 eV.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and ‡Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University , Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States.
authors.forename: Eva C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Agha
authors.forename: Christos D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Malliakas
authors.forename: Jino
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Im
authors.forename: Hosub
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Li-Dong
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Arthur J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.forename: Mercouri G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Kanatzidis