Electron-poor antimonides: complex framework structures with narrow band gaps and low thermal conductivity.

Binary zinc and cadmium antimonides and their ternary relatives with indium display complex crystal structures, but reveal at the same time narrow band gaps in their electronic structure at or close to the Fermi level. It is argued that these systems represent "electron-poor framework semiconductors" (EPFS) with average valence electron concentrations between three and four. EPFS materials constituted of metal and semimetal atoms form a common, weakly polar framework containing multi-center bonded structural entities. The localized multi-center bonding feature is thought to be the key to structurally complex semiconductors. In this respect electron-poor antimonides become related to modifications of elemental boron. Electron-poor antimonides show promising thermoelectric properties, especially through a remarkably low thermal conductivity. At the same time the thermal stability of these compounds is rather limited because of temperature polymorphism and/or comparatively low melting or decomposition temperatures (usually below 600 K).