Cs 2 M II M IV 3 Q 8 (Q = S, Se, Te): An Extensive Family of Layered Semiconductors with Diverse Band Gaps

The title compounds (MII: Mg, Zn, Cd, Hg; MIV: Ge, Sn), prepared by flame-melting rapid cooling reactions or by a traditional tube furnace synthesis with <90% yields, are characterized by single crystal XRD, SEM, solid state UV/VIS spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, electrical resistivity and photoconductivity measurements, and DFT calculations.