New Nanocrystalline Materials: A Previously Unknown Simple Cubic Phase in the SnS Binary System

We
report a new phase in the binary SnS system, obtained as highly symmetric
nanotetrahedra. Due to the nanoscale size and minute amounts of these
particles in the synthesis yield, the structure was exclusively solved
using electron diffraction methods. The atomic model of the new phase
(a = 11.7 Å, P213) was deduced and found to be associated with the
rocksalt-type structure. Kramers–Kronig analysis predicted
different optical and electronic properties for the new phase, as
compared to α-SnS.