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Our calculations of the global instability index (G) values for some diamond‐like materials with the general formula I2–II–IV–VI4 have indicated that the structures may be unstable or incorrectly determined. To compute the G value of a given compound, the bond valence sums (BVSs) must first be calculated using a crystal structure. Two examples of compounds with high G values, based on data from the literature, are the wurtz–stannite‐type dicopper cadmium silicon tetrasulfide (Cu2CdSiS4) and the stannite‐type dicopper mercury tin tetrasulfide (Cu2HgSnS4), which were first reported in 1967 and 1965, respectively. In the present study, Cu2CdSiS4 and Cu2HgSnS4 were prepared by solid‐state synthesis at 1000 and 900 °C, respectively. The phase purity was assessed by powder X‐ray diffraction. Optical diffuse reflectance UV/Vis/NIR spectroscopy was used to estimate the optical bandgaps of 2.52 and 0.83 eV for Cu2CdSiS4 and Cu2HgSnS4, respectively. The structures were solved and refined using single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction data. The structure type of Cu2CdSiS4 was confirmed, where Cd2+, Si4+ and two of the three crystallographically unique S2− ions lie on a mirror plane. The structure type of Cu2HgSnS4 was also verified, where all ions lie on special positions. The S2− ion resides on a mirror plane, the Cu+ ion is situated on a fourfold rotary inversion axis and both the Hg2+ and the Sn4+ ions are located on the intersection of a fourfold rotary inversion axis, a mirror plane and a twofold rotation axis. Using the crystal structures solved and refined here, the G values were reassessed and found to be in the range that indicates reasonable strain for a stable crystal structure. This work, together with some examples gathered from the literature, shows that accurate data collected on modern instrumentation should be used to reliably calculate BVSs and G values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The novel I 4 -II-IV 2 -VI 7 quaternary diamond-like semiconductors (DLSs), Cu 4 ZnGe 2 S 7 and Cu 4 CdGe 2 S 7 , were prepared from the constituent elemental powders at elevated temperatures. Cu 4 ZnGe 2 S 7 crystallizes in the polar, chiral space group C 2 and adopts the Cu 4 NiSi 2 S 7 structure-type, which can be considered a derivative of the cubic diamond structure. The cadmium analog takes on the Cu 5 Si 2 S 7 structure-type, which is related to the hexagonal diamond structure, and displays polar, Cc space group symmetry. Both compounds contain [Ge 2 S 7 ]6- anions created by corner-sharing GeS 4 tetrahedra. The crystal structures were carefully evaluated using: 1) extended connectivity tables, 2) minimum bounding ellipsoid analysis, and 3) bond valence sum (BVS) and global instability index (G) calculations. Both compounds are thermally stable up to temperatures exceeding 950 °C and melt incongruently. As assessed using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, Cu 4 ZnGe 2 S 7 and Cu 4 CdGe 2 S 7 possess optical bandgaps of 1.65 eV and 1.90 eV, respectively, which are narrower than the analogous I 2 -II-IV-VI 4 DLSs. Electronic structure calculations show that both compounds are direct-bandgap semiconductors with significant contributions of Cu- d and S- p orbitals to the states at the top of the valence band. While Cu 4 CdGe 2 S 7 displays a weak second harmonic generation (SHG) response, the second-order nonlinear optical susceptibility, χ(2), of Cu 4 ZnGe 2 S 7 is 14.8 ± 1.5 pm V-1, assessed using the Kurtz-Perry powder method and an optical-grade AgGaSe 2 (AGSe) reference. Both compounds exhibit laser-induced damage threshold values similar to AGSe, ∼0.1 GW cm-2, for λ = 1.064 µm using picosecond laser pulses. Most importantly, Cu 4 ZnGe 2 S 7 exhibits a phase-matching behavior at λ = 3.1 µm. These results suggest that Cu 4 ZnGe 2 S 7 holds potential for use in low-powered laser applications involving efficient wave mixing in the mid-IR region. [Display omitted] • Cu 4 ZnGe 2 S 7 is a novel diamond-like material with the Cu 4 NiSi 2 S 7 structure type. • Cu 4 CdGe 2 S 7 is a novel diamond-like material with the Cu 5 Si 2 S 7 structure type. • Optical bandgaps of Cu 4 ZnGe 2 S 7 and Cu 4 CdGe 2 S 7 are 1.65 and 1.90 eV, respectively. • Cu 4 ZnGe 2 S 7 has χ (2) value of 14.8 ± 1.5 pm V− 1 and is phase matching for λ = 3.1 µm. • Cu 4 ZnGe 2 S 7 is a candidate for low-powered laser applications in the mid-IR region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cu 4 ZnGe 2 Se 7 is a new diamond-like semiconductor with the Cu 4 NiSi 2 S 7 structure type. • CZGSe and Cu 4 ZnGe 2 Se 7 possess optical bandgaps of 1.38 and 0.91 eV, respectively. • CZGSe and Cu 4 ZnGe 2 Se 7 are air stable and have wide windows of optical transparency. • CZGSe exhibits a strong second harmonic generation response at λ = 2900 nm. • CZGSe is an excellent candidate for low-powered infrared nonlinear optical devices. [Display omitted] In this study, two quaternary diamond-like semiconductors (DLSs) in the Cu-Zn-Ge-Se system, the known Cu 2 ZnGeSe 4 (also referred to as CZGSe) and the new Cu 4 ZnGe 2 Se 7 , are compared in terms of their crystal structures, electronic structures and physicochemical properties. Both compounds were prepared by high-temperature, solid-state synthesis at 800 °C. Single crystal X-ray diffraction was used to determine the structure of Cu 4 ZnGe 2 Se 7. The structures of both Cu 2 ZnGeSe 4 and Cu 4 ZnGe 2 Se 7 can be considered as derivatives of cubic diamond. Cu 4 ZnGe 2 Se 7 , with a reduced symmetry due to the cation ordering pattern, adopts the Cu 4 NiSi 2 S 7 structure type, with space group C 2. The corner-sharing tetrahedra in Cu 4 ZnGe 2 Se 7 are slightly distorted because the charge for some of the S2- anions is not compensated by the first-nearest-neighbor cations. Rietveld refinements using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data were used to assess the phase purity of the samples and confirm the bulk structural behavior. Diffuse reflectance UV/Vis/NIR spectroscopy shows that Cu 2 ZnGeSe 4 and Cu 4 ZnGe 2 Se 7 have direct optical bandgaps of 1.38 and 0.91 eV, respectively. Electronic structure calculations implementing density functional theory confirm the direct bandgap for Cu 4 ZnGe 2 Se 7 , with a calculated value of 0.62 eV. Both compounds are air stable, thermally stable up to relatively high temperatures, undergo phase transitions and have wide windows of optical clarity. The Kurtz-Perry powder technique was used to determine the second harmonic generation (SHG) responses using a commercial AgGaSe 2 standard. While Cu 4 ZnGe 2 Se 7 displays a weak SHG response, Cu 2 ZnGeSe 4 exhibits a response that is greater than several benchmark materials, with a large SHG coefficient, χ (2) , of 43 ± 6 pm/V at λ = 2900 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]