Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 16, 2026

Bulk and Thin Film Synthesis of Compositionally Variant Entropy-stabilized Oxides
Published on: May 29, 2018
Structure and physical properties of the polar oxysulfide CaZnOS
Timothy Sambrook1, Catherine F Smura, Simon J Clarke
1Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QR, UK.
Abstract:
The synthesis, structure, and electrical properties of the oxysulfide CaZnOS are reported. The white compound has a band gap of 3.7(1) eV and crystallizes in hexagonal space group P6(3)mc (No. 186) with a = 3.75726(3) A, c = 11.4013(1) A, and Z = 2. The noncentrosymmetric structure, which has few analogues, is composed of isotypic puckered hexagonal ZnS and CaO layers arranged so that ZnS3O tetrahedra are all aligned parallel, resulting in a polar structure. The compound shows type 1 non-phase-matchable second harmonic generation, determined using 1064 nm radiation, with an efficiency approximately 100 times that of alpha-SiO2 and a piezoelectric coefficient of 38 pm V-1. Although polar, CaZnOS is not ferroelectric and the pyroelectric coefficient is very small, approximately 0.0 microC m-2 K-1 between room temperature and 100 degrees C.
Related Concept Videos
Ionic Crystal Structures
Most monatomic ions behave as charged spheres, and their attraction for ions of opposite charge is the same in every direction. Consequently, stable structures for ionic compounds result (1) when ions of one charge are surrounded by as many ions as possible of the opposite...
Molecular Shape and Polarity
Metallic Solids
All metallic solids exhibit high thermal and electrical conductivity, metallic luster, and malleability. Many...
Ionic Bonding and Electron Transfer
Oxidative Cleavage of Alkenes: Ozonolysis
Ozone is a symmetrical bent molecule stabilized by a resonance structure.
Molecular and Ionic Solids
Molecular Solids
Molecular crystalline solids, such as ice, sucrose (table sugar), and iodine, are solids that are composed of neutral molecules as their constituent units. These molecules are held together by weak intermolecular forces such as London dispersion forces, dipole-dipole interactions, or hydrogen bonds, which...
