CuBiS2

CuBiS2 is a thermodynamically stable semiconducting compound containing copper, bismuth, and sulfur.

BiCuS
Crystal structure of CuBiS2 (orthorhombic, Pnma (No. 62))
Ground-state structure · Materials Project
Overview

About CuBiS2

CuBiS2 is a semiconducting compound composed of copper, bismuth, and sulfur. As a material that sits on the thermodynamic convex hull, it exhibits notable structural stability, making it a subject of interest for researchers investigating complex chalcogenide systems.

Given its electronic character, this material is primarily studied for its potential in optoelectronic and energy-harvesting technologies. Its ability to maintain a stable crystalline configuration across multiple reported structures highlights its versatility for future material design.

At a glance

Key Properties

Cross-validated computational properties for CuBiS2, aggregated across 3 databases.

Band Gap

0.55–3.05 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

7
3 databases, 1 space group
Validation

Cross-Source DFT Agreement

How well independent DFT databases agree on the thermodynamics of CuBiS2. 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

All match
Crystallography

Reported Structures

Lowest-energy structures reported for CuBiS2, ranked by energy above hull.

Space GroupCrystal SystemBand Gap (eV)E above hull (eV/atom)E/atom (eV)Density (g/cm³)
——0.670.0000-0.430—
Pnma (No. 62)orthorhombic0.550.0000-0.349—
Pnma (No. 62)orthorhombic0.470.0000-21.7026.37
——3.050.1247-0.305—
——0.550.1248-0.305—
Pnma (No. 62)orthorhombic———6.25
Pnma (No. 62)orthorhombic———6.41
Pnma (No. 62)orthorhombic———6.45
Pnma (No. 62)orthorhombic———6.40
Pnma (No. 62)orthorhombic———6.38
Pnma (No. 62)orthorhombic———6.47
Uses

Applications

Where CuBiS2 is used.

OptoelectronicsEnergy harvestingSemiconductor research
Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about CuBiS2, answered from cross-validated data.

What is CuBiS2?

CuBiS2 is a thermodynamically stable semiconducting compound containing copper, bismuth, and sulfur.

More questions
What is CuBiS2 used for?
CuBiS2 is used in optoelectronics, energy harvesting, and semiconductor research.
What is the band gap of CuBiS2?
CuBiS2 has a DFT-computed band gap of 0.55–3.05 eV across 7 reported structures. Standard DFT underestimates band gaps, so the measured gap is typically larger.
Is CuBiS2 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
DFT predicts a wide band gap of up to 3.05 eV (an insulator or wide-band-gap material).
Is CuBiS2 thermodynamically stable?
Yes — CuBiS2 sits on the convex hull (energy above hull 0 eV/atom), i.e. stable.
What is the crystal structure of CuBiS2?
The reference structure of CuBiS2 is orthorhombic symmetry, space group Pnma (No. 62).
How many polymorphs of CuBiS2 are known?
7 structures of CuBiS2 are reported across 3 databases, spanning 1 distinct space group.
What elements does CuBiS2 contain?
CuBiS2 contains Bi, Cu, and S (3 elements).
Where does the data for CuBiS2 come from?
CuBiS2 data is cross-referenced from oqmd, jarvis, materials_project, mpaloe, cod.
Comparison

How It Compares

As a unique ternary chalcogenide, CuBiS2 serves as a foundational example of stable semiconducting compounds within its chemical family, providing a baseline for understanding how copper and bismuth interact within a sulfur-based lattice.

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)
  • jarvis — Data from JARVIS (jarvis.nist.gov), NIST. Cite: Choudhary et al., npj Comp. Mater. 6, 173 (2020). (LicenseRef-US-Gov-PD)
  • materials_project — Data from the Materials Project (materialsproject.org). Cite: Jain et al., APL Materials 1, 011002 (2013). (CC-BY-4.0)
  • mpaloe — Data from MP-ALOE. Cite: Kuner et al., npj Comput. Mater. (2025), doi:10.1038/s41524-025-01834-9.
  • cod — Data from the Crystallography Open Database (crystallography.net/cod/). Cite: Grazulis et al., J. Appl. Cryst. 42, 726 (2009). (CC0-1.0)

Analyze CuBiS2 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