Optical and Electrical Properties of A[VS] (A = Na, K) Synthesized via a Straightforward and Scalable Solid-State Method.

Two literature-known sulfido vanadates, Na[VS] and K[VS], were obtained through a straightforward and scalable synthetic method. Highly crystalline powders of both compounds were obtained from the homogeneous molten phases of starting materials via a─comparably rapid─solid-state technique. Low-temperature structure determination, ambient temperature powder diffraction, and solid-state NMR spectroscopy verify previous structural reports and indicate purity of the obtained samples. Both compounds show semiconductivity with the optical band gap values in the range of 2.1 to 2.3 eV. Experimental values of the ionic conductivity and dielectric constants are σ = 2.41·10 mS·cm, = 76.52 and σ = 1.36·10 mS·cm, = 103.67 at ambient temperature for Na[VS] and K[VS], respectively. It is demonstrated that Na[VS] depicts second-order nonlinear optical properties, i.e., second harmonic generation over a broad wavelength spectrum. The results introduce new aspects of sulfido vanadates as multifunctional candidates for potential optical and electrical applications.