The crystal structure of Cu₂GeSe₃ and the structure-types of the I₂-IV-VI₃ family of semiconducting compounds

Almost 50 years after the initial report, the crystal structure of Cu2GeSe3, a I2-IV-VI3 semiconductor, has been revised using modern single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. The structure of this material can be properly described in the monoclinic space group Cc (No. 9) with unit-cell parameters a = 6.7703 (4) Å, b = 11.8624 (5) Å, c = 6.7705 (4) Å, β = 108.512 (6)°, V = 515.62 (5) Å3, Z = 4, rather than in the orthorhombic space group Imm2 (No. 44) with unit-cell parameters a = 11.860 (3), b = 3.960 (1), c = 5.485 (2) Å, V = 257.61 Å3, Z = 2, as originally proposed [Parthé & Garín (1971). Monatsh. Chem. 102, 1197–1208]. Contrary to what was observed in the orthorhombic structure, the distortions of the tetrahedra in the monoclinic structure are consistent with the distortions expected from considerations derived from the bond valence model. A brief revision of the structures reported for the I2-IV-VI3 family of semiconducting compounds (I: Cu, Ag; IV: Si, Ge, Sn; and VI: S, Se, Te) is also presented.