Structural and elastic properties of defect chalcopyrite HgGa2S4 under high pressure

•Single crystals of HgGa2S4 with defect-chalcopyrite (DC) structure were synthesized.•High-pressure X-ray diffraction in DC-HgGa2S4 was performed.•Equation of state of DC-HgGa2S4 determined (bulk modulus of 48.4GPa).•Calculated elastic constants of DC-HgGa2S4 reported at different pressures.•DC-HgGa2S4 becomes mechanically unstable above 13.8GPa. In this work, we focus on the study of the structural and elastic properties of mercury digallium sulfide (HgGa2S4) at high pressures. This compound belongs to the family of AB2X4 ordered-vacancy compounds and exhibits a tetragonal defect chalcopyrite structure. X-ray diffraction measurements at room temperature have been performed under compression up to 15.1GPa in a diamond anvil cell. Our measurements have been complemented and compared with ab initio total energy calculations. The axial compressibility and the equation of state of the low-pressure phase of HgGa2S4 have been experimentally and theoretically determined and compared to other related ordered-vacancy compounds. The pressure dependence of the theoretical cation–anion and vacancy-anion distances and compressibilities in HgGa2S4 are reported and discussed in comparison to other related ordered-vacancy compounds. Finally, the pressure dependence of the theoretical elastic constants and elastic moduli of HgGa2S4 has been studied. Our calculations indicate that the low-pressure phase of HgGa2S4 becomes mechanically unstable above 13.8GPa.