CuInS2
CuInS2 has a DFT band gap of 0.04 eV across 6 reported structures in 3 space groups; its reference structure is tetragonal (I-42d (No. 122)). Cross-validated across 2 computational databases.
Key Properties
Cross-validated computational properties for CuInS2, aggregated across 2 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.
Cross-Source DFT Agreement
How well independent DFT databases agree on the thermodynamics of CuInS2. Tight agreement means computed properties can be trusted without re-running calculations.
Only 1 independent DFT source (materials_project) reports a hull energy for CuInS2, so cross-source agreement can't be assessed yet.
Reported Structures
Lowest-energy structures reported for CuInS2, 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I-42d (No. 122) | tetragonal | 0.00 | 0.0000 | -12.998 | 4.75 |
| P3m1 (No. 156) | trigonal | 0.00 | 0.0741 | -12.924 | 4.64 |
| R3m (No. 160) | trigonal | 0.04 | 0.0821 | -12.916 | 5.02 |
| I-42d (No. 122) | tetragonal | — | — | — | 4.75 |
| I-42d (No. 122) | tetragonal | — | — | — | 4.78 |
| I-42d (No. 122) | tetragonal | — | — | — | 4.74 |
Synthesis Routes
Literature-extracted synthesis procedures targeting CuInS2.
Patent Landscape
3 patents reference CuInS2 or close compositional variants.
| Patent | Title | Assignee | Granted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4687881 | Solar cells based on CuInS.sub.2 | — | — |
| 4180625 | Semiconductor liquid junction photocell using a CuInS.sub.2 electrode | — | — |
| 8053029 | Method for fabricating CuInS2 thin film by metal organic chemical vapor deposition, CuInS2 thin film fabricate | — | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about CuInS2, answered from cross-validated data.
What is the band gap of CuInS2?
CuInS2 has a DFT-computed band gap of 0.04 eV across 6 reported structures. Standard DFT underestimates band gaps, so the measured gap is typically larger.
Is CuInS2 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Is CuInS2 thermodynamically stable?
What is the crystal structure of CuInS2?
What is the density of CuInS2?
How many polymorphs of CuInS2 are known?
How is CuInS2 synthesized?
What elements does CuInS2 contain?
Where does the data for CuInS2 come from?
Related Compounds
Other Chalcogenide Photovoltaic Absorbers in the database.
Data sources & attribution
- materials_project — Data from the Materials Project (materialsproject.org). Cite: Jain et al., APL Materials 1, 011002 (2013). (CC-BY-4.0)
- cod — Data from the Crystallography Open Database (crystallography.net/cod/). Cite: Grazulis et al., J. Appl. Cryst. 42, 726 (2009). (CC0-1.0)
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