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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 26, 2026

Atmospheric Pressure Fabrication of Large-Sized Single-Layer Rectangular SnSe Flakes

Atmospheric Pressure Fabrication of Large-Sized Single-Layer Rectangular SnSe Flakes

Published on: March 21, 2018

Pressure-driven semiconducting-semimetallic transition in SnSe.

Jiejuan Yan¹, Feng Ke², Cailong Liu¹

¹State Key Lab for Superhard Materials, Institute of Atomic and Molecular Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China. cc060109@qq.com hanyh@jlu.edu.cn.

Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics : PCCP

|January 27, 2016

Summary

Under high pressure, tin selenide (SnSe) transitions from a semiconductor to a semimetal, altering its electrical properties. This electronic shift is linked to structural changes and orbital coupling, potentially enhancing thermoelectric applications.

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Area of Science:

Condensed Matter Physics
Materials Science
Solid-State Chemistry

Background:

Tin selenide (SnSe) is a material with potential thermoelectric applications.
Understanding its behavior under pressure is crucial for optimizing its properties.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the pressure-dependent electrical transport and structural properties of SnSe.
To elucidate the mechanisms behind the observed electronic and structural transitions.

Main Methods:

Experimental measurements of electrical transport properties (including Hall effect) under varying pressure.
X-ray diffraction for structural analysis.
First-principles band structure calculations.

Main Results:

An electronic transition from semiconducting to semimetallic state observed at 12.6 GPa.
An accompanying orthorhombic to monoclinic structural transition.
Abnormal variations in carrier concentration and mobility during the semimetallic transition.
Calculations confirmed the transition and attributed it to enhanced orbital coupling (Sn-5s, Sn-5p, Se-3p) under compression, leading to band broadening and band gap closure.

Conclusions:

Pressure induces significant electronic and structural transformations in SnSe.
The observed transitions are driven by changes in electronic orbital interactions under compression.
Tuning these pressure-modulated properties may offer a pathway to enhance SnSe's thermoelectric performance.