This paper reviews some recent studies of the borides, silicides and phosphides of the platinum metals. These phases, especially those with a high metal content, have very similar properties. After some general information on the binary systems, brief comments are made on the preparation and properties of the intermediate phases while some features of their crystal chemistry are presented in mo...

[1] The Earth’s core is expected to contain around 10 wt % light elements (S, Si, O, possibly C, H, etc.) alloyed with Fe and Ni. Very little is known about these alloys at pressures and temperatures of the core. Here, using the evolutionary crystal structure prediction methodology, we investigate FeSi compounds at pressures of up to 400 GPa, i.e. covering the pressure range of the Earth’s core...

The cavity ringdown technique has been employed for the first spectroscopic characterization of the AgSi molecule, which is generated in a pulsed laser vaporization plasma reactor. A total of 20 rovibronic bands between 365 and 385 nm have been measured and analyzed to yield molecular properties for the X , B , and C S states of AgSi. A time-of-flight mass spectrometer simultaneously monitors s...

Silicide-based thermoelectrics are examples of cost-efficient and environmentally friendly new energy materials, which can be used for power-generation applications in the range of 500–800 K. We review the research focusing on the exploration of n-typeMg2IV-based solid solutions (IV= Si, Ge and Sn) and summarize the most prominent discoveries achieved so far in their studies. Owing to their sup...

Pt-, Pd-, Ni-, and Ti-silicide films on silicon were evaluated as conducting hosts for surface plasmon polaritons (SPP) in proposed long-wave IR (LWIR) attenuated total reflection biosensors. Original LWIR complex permittivity data was collected, from which SPP properties were determined and compared with those for noble metals. LWIR SPPs on silicide films were found to offer enhanced sensitivi...

Abstract Single-phase films of semiconductor and semimetallic calcium silicides (Ca 2 Si, CaSi, CaSi ), as well with a significant contribution Ca 5 Si 3 14 19 silicides, were grown on single-crystal silicon sapphire substrates. The analysis the crystal structure was carried out criterion their matching substrates determined. Some lattice-matching models proposed, subsequent deformations silici...