CeI3

Cerium(III) iodide · Cerium triiodide

Cerium(III) iodide is a stable semiconducting rare-earth halide used in specialized high-performance applications.

CeI
Crystal structure of CeI3 (monoclinic, P21/m (No. 11))
Ground-state structure · Materials Project
Overview

About Cerium(III) iodide

Cerium(III) iodide is a thermodynamically stable inorganic halide that exhibits semiconducting electronic behavior. Its structural integrity and chemical composition make it a significant subject of study within the broader family of rare-earth halides.

Researchers value this compound for its consistent stability and well-defined structural characteristics, which have been documented across multiple databases. It serves as a foundational material for specialized applications requiring precise electronic control and reliable performance.

At a glance

Key Properties

Cross-validated computational properties for Cerium(III) iodide, aggregated across 4 databases.

Band Gap

0.03–3.13 eV
Range across DFT structures · ground state: narrow gap

Energy Above Hull

0.000 eV/atom
Best (lowest) across sources

Stability

Stable
3 DFT sources

Structures

24
4 databases, 6 space groups
Validation

Cross-Source DFT Agreement

How well independent DFT databases agree on the thermodynamics of CeI3. Tight agreement means computed properties can be trusted without re-running calculations.

Agreement Score

1.00 / 1.00
Trust tier: high

Hull Spread

0.000 eV
EAH spread across sources

Sources Compared

3
jarvis, materials_project, oqmd

Space Group Consensus

Mixed (most: P21/m (No. 11))
Crystallography

Reported Structures

Lowest-energy structures reported for CeI3, ranked by energy above hull.

Space GroupCrystal SystemBand Gap (eV)E above hull (eV/atom)E/atom (eV)Density (g/cm³)
——2.000.0000-1.585—
P21/m (No. 11)monoclinic0.950.0000-4.3455.33
P63/mmc (No. 194)hexagonal0.030.0000-1.337—
——2.230.0000-1.585—
——3.130.0100-1.575—
——2.550.0235-1.562—
Cmcm (No. 63)orthorhombic0.000.0362-4.3095.26
P63/mmc (No. 194)hexagonal0.050.1122-4.2333.94
——1.420.1129-1.472—
——0.860.4816-1.104—
——1.160.4917-1.093—
——0.000.6955-0.890—
Uses

Applications

Where Cerium(III) iodide is used.

Scintillation detectorsRadiation detectionCatalysis
Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Cerium(III) iodide, answered from cross-validated data.

What is CeI3?

Cerium(III) iodide is a stable semiconducting rare-earth halide used in specialized high-performance applications.

More questions
What is CeI3 used for?
Cerium(III) iodide (CeI3) is used in scintillation detectors, radiation detection, and catalysis.
What is the band gap of CeI3?
Cerium(III) iodide (CeI3) has a DFT-computed band gap of 0.03–3.13 eV across 24 reported structures. Standard DFT underestimates band gaps, so the measured gap is typically larger.
Is CeI3 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
DFT predicts a wide band gap of up to 3.13 eV (an insulator or wide-band-gap material).
Is CeI3 thermodynamically stable?
Yes — Cerium(III) iodide (CeI3) sits on the convex hull (energy above hull 0 eV/atom), i.e. stable.
What is the crystal structure of CeI3?
The reference structure of Cerium(III) iodide (CeI3) is monoclinic symmetry, space group P21/m (No. 11).
What is the density of CeI3?
The computed density of the ground-state structure of Cerium(III) iodide (CeI3) is 5.33 g/cm³.
How many polymorphs of CeI3 are known?
24 structures of CeI3 are reported across 4 databases, spanning 6 distinct space groups.
What elements does CeI3 contain?
Cerium(III) iodide (CeI3) contains Ce and I (2 elements).
Where does the data for CeI3 come from?
CeI3 data is cross-referenced from oqmd, materials_project, jarvis, mpaloe.
Comparison

How It Compares

As a distinct rare-earth halide, this compound represents a stable and well-characterized member of its class, serving as a primary reference point for understanding the structural and electronic trends of cerium-based materials.

Data sources & attribution
  • oqmd — Data from the OQMD (oqmd.org). Cite: Saal et al., JOM 65, 1501 (2013); Kirklin et al., npj Comp. Mater. 1, 15010 (2015). (CC-BY-4.0)
  • materials_project — Data from the Materials Project (materialsproject.org). Cite: Jain et al., APL Materials 1, 011002 (2013). (CC-BY-4.0)
  • jarvis — Data from JARVIS (jarvis.nist.gov), NIST. Cite: Choudhary et al., npj Comp. Mater. 6, 173 (2020). (LicenseRef-US-Gov-PD)
  • mpaloe — Data from MP-ALOE. Cite: Kuner et al., npj Comput. Mater. (2025), doi:10.1038/s41524-025-01834-9.

Analyze CeI3 in the Lattice Graph platform

Polymorph comparison, confidence scoring, supply-chain risk, and patent monitoring — across 85 source databases.

Explore the Platform →
Results are informational and should be validated by qualified professionals. See Terms of Service