Dense SixGe1–x (0 < x < 1) Materials Landscape Using Extreme Conditions and Precession Electron Diffraction

High-pressure and -temperature experiments on Ge and Si mixtures to 17 GPa and 1500 K allow us to obtain extended Ge–Si solid solutions with cubic (Ia3) and tetragonal (P43212) crystal symmetries at ambient pressure. The cubic modification can be obtained with up to 77 atom % Ge and the tetragonal modification for Ge concentrations above that. Together with Hume–Rothery criteria, melting point convergence is employed here as a favored attribute for solid solution formation. These compositionally tunable alloys are of growing interest for advanced transport and optoelectronic applications. Furthermore, the work illustrates the significance of employing precession electron diffraction for mapping new materials landscapes resulting from tailored high-pressure and -temperature syntheses.