Tuning the electronic and vibrational properties of SnPSe and PbPS crystals and their metallization under high pressure.

External stimuli enabling either a continuous tuning or an abrupt switching of the basic properties of materials that are utilized in various industrial appliances could significantly extend their range of use. The key characteristics of semiconductors are basically linked to their electronic and optical properties. In this study, we experimentally demonstrated that two kindred wide-band-gap semiconductors, ferroelectric SnPSe and paraelectric PbPS, which are commonly used in optical technologies, have remarkably different and unusual responses in their electronic band structures to applied moderate pressures.