Cu3N

Copper(I) nitride · Cuprous nitride

Copper(I) nitride is a semiconducting binary compound primarily studied for its potential in thin-film electronic and optical applications.

CuN
Crystal structure of Cu3N
Ground-state structure · Materials Project
Overview

About Copper(I) nitride

Copper(I) nitride is a binary compound composed of copper and nitrogen. As a semiconducting material, it has garnered significant research interest due to its specific electronic properties and potential for integration into modern electronic devices. Despite its thermodynamic instability relative to the ground state, the material remains a subject of extensive study. Its structural diversity is highlighted by the numerous reported configurations found across various material databases, reflecting its complex behavior in synthetic environments.

At a glance

Key Properties

Cross-validated computational properties for Copper(I) nitride, aggregated across 4 databases.

Band Gap

0.19 eV
Range across DFT structures

Energy Above Hull

0.192 eV/atom
Best (lowest) across sources

Stability

Above hull
3 DFT sources

Structures

33
4 databases, 10 space groups
Uses

Applications

Where Copper(I) nitride is used.

Thin-film electronicsOptoelectronic devicesOptical recording mediaSemiconductor research
Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Copper(I) nitride, answered from cross-validated data.

What is Cu3N?

Copper(I) nitride is a semiconducting binary compound primarily studied for its potential in thin-film electronic and optical applications.

More questions
What is Cu3N used for?
Copper(I) nitride (Cu3N) is used in thin-film electronics, optoelectronic devices, optical recording media, and semiconductor research.
What is the band gap of Cu3N?
Copper(I) nitride (Cu3N) has a DFT-computed band gap of 0.19 eV across 33 reported structures.
Is Cu3N a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
With a band gap up to 0.19 eV it is a semiconductor.
Is Cu3N thermodynamically stable?
Copper(I) nitride (Cu3N) has a lowest energy above hull of 0.192 eV/atom (above hull).
How many polymorphs of Cu3N are known?
33 structures of Cu3N are reported across 4 databases, spanning 10 distinct space groups.
What elements does Cu3N contain?
Copper(I) nitride (Cu3N) contains Cu and N (2 elements).
Where does the data for Cu3N come from?
Cu3N data is cross-referenced from latticegraph.
Comparison

How It Compares

As a unique binary nitride, copper(I) nitride occupies a distinct niche in materials science. Unlike more thermodynamically stable nitrides, its metastability drives ongoing investigation into thin-film deposition techniques and controlled synthesis methods to stabilize the material for functional use.

Data sources & attribution
  • latticegraph — Lattice Graph Materials Intelligence Platform

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