Ca3Ge4
Ca3Ge4 is a semiconducting intermetallic compound of calcium and germanium that is considered a viable candidate for laboratory synthesis.
About Ca3Ge4
Ca3Ge4 is a binary intermetallic compound composed of calcium and germanium. It exhibits semiconducting electronic behavior, positioning it as a material of interest for fundamental studies in solid-state physics and potential electronic device applications. The compound is categorized as near-hull, indicating that it is thermodynamically stable enough to be considered a viable target for experimental synthesis. With multiple reported structures across various databases, it represents a well-documented phase within the calcium-germanium binary system.
Key Properties
Cross-validated computational properties for Ca3Ge4, aggregated across 3 databases.
Band GapEnergy needed to move an electron from the valence band to the conduction band. Lower or zero values tend to behave more metallic; larger gaps are more insulating or semiconducting.
Energy Above HullThermodynamic distance from the most stable set of competing phases. 0 eV/atom is on the convex hull; small positive values may still be experimentally accessible.
StabilityA plain-language summary of the best reported energy-above-hull result. It reflects whether the lowest-energy structure is on, near, or far from the stability hull.
StructuresCount of reported calculated crystal structures for this formula, including alternate polymorphs, source databases, and observed space groups.
Reported Structures
Lowest-energy structures reported for Ca3Ge4, ranked by energy above hull.
| Space GroupSymmetry classification of the crystal arrangement. The number is the international space-group index. | Crystal SystemBroad lattice family, such as cubic, tetragonal, monoclinic, or triclinic, derived from unit-cell symmetry. | Band Gap (eV)Electronic gap calculated for this specific reported structure, measured in electronvolts. | E above hull (eV/atom)Thermodynamic distance from the convex hull for this structure, normalized per atom. Lower is generally more stable. | E/atom (eV)Computed total energy normalized per atom. Use energy above hull, not this value alone, when comparing stability. | Density (g/cm³)Mass per relaxed crystal volume, reported in grams per cubic centimeter. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P63/m (No. 176) | hexagonal | 0.33 | 0.0098 | -11.601 | 4.00 |
| P6/mmm (No. 191) | — | — | — | — | — |
| P-1 (No. 2) | Triclinic | — | — | — | 2.73 |
| P-1 (No. 2) | Triclinic | — | — | — | 3.04 |
| Cm (No. 8) | Monoclinic | — | — | — | 2.94 |
| P-1 (No. 2) | Triclinic | — | — | — | 3.26 |
| Cm (No. 8) | Monoclinic | — | — | — | 3.27 |
| Cm (No. 8) | Monoclinic | — | — | — | 3.13 |
Applications
Where Ca3Ge4 is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Ca3Ge4, answered from cross-validated data.
What is Ca3Ge4?
Ca3Ge4 is a semiconducting intermetallic compound of calcium and germanium that is considered a viable candidate for laboratory synthesis.
What is Ca3Ge4 used for?
What is the band gap of Ca3Ge4?
Is Ca3Ge4 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Is Ca3Ge4 thermodynamically stable?
What is the crystal structure of Ca3Ge4?
What is the density of Ca3Ge4?
How many polymorphs of Ca3Ge4 are known?
What elements does Ca3Ge4 contain?
Where does the data for Ca3Ge4 come from?
How It Compares
As a distinct phase in the calcium-germanium system, Ca3Ge4 serves as a representative example of the complex structural diversity found in alkaline-earth metal germanides. It occupies a specific niche where its electronic properties and structural stability make it a valuable reference point for understanding the bonding characteristics and phase transitions inherent to this class of semiconducting intermetallics.
Data sources & attribution
- materials_project — Data from the Materials Project. Cite: Jain et al., APL Materials 1, 011002 (2013).
- aflow — Data from AFLOW. Cite: Curtarolo et al., Comp. Mater. Sci. 58, 218 (2012).
- mpaloe — Data from mpaloe.
Analyze Ca3Ge4 in the Lattice Graph platform
Polymorph comparison, confidence scoring, supply-chain risk, and patent monitoring — across 53 integrated data sources.
Explore the Platform →