GeBi4Te7
GeBi4Te7 is a semiconducting chalcogenide compound investigated for its potential role in phase-change memory applications.
About GeBi4Te7
GeBi4Te7 is a complex chalcogenide belonging to the class of phase-change memory materials. As a semiconducting compound, it exhibits the electronic characteristics necessary for rapid, reversible switching between structural states, which is the fundamental mechanism behind modern non-volatile memory technologies.
This material is considered near-hull in terms of thermodynamic stability, suggesting it is a viable candidate for synthesis and experimental investigation. Its existence across multiple structural configurations highlights its versatility and potential utility in advanced electronic device architectures where precise control over phase transitions is required.
Key Properties
Cross-validated computational properties for GeBi4Te7, 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.
Cross-Source DFT Agreement
How well independent DFT databases agree on the thermodynamics of GeBi4Te7. Tight agreement means computed properties can be trusted without re-running calculations.
Agreement ScoreA normalized confidence score summarizing how closely independent DFT databases agree. Higher scores mean tighter cross-source agreement.
Hull SpreadDifference between the highest and lowest energy-above-hull values reported by comparable sources. Smaller spread means less thermodynamic disagreement.
Sources ComparedNumber and names of computational sources with comparable entries for this formula.
Space Group ConsensusWhether independent sources predict the same crystal symmetry for the lowest-energy structure.
Reported Structures
Lowest-energy structures reported for GeBi4Te7, 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | 0.66 | 0.0016 | -0.211 | — |
| P-3m1 (No. 164) | trigonal | 0.54 | 0.0049 | -0.212 | — |
| P-3m1 (No. 164) | trigonal | 0.58 | 0.0081 | -35.710 | 7.22 |
| P-3m1 (No. 164) | trigonal | — | — | — | 7.29 |
| P-3m1 (No. 164) | trigonal | — | — | — | 7.36 |
| P-3m1 (No. 164) | trigonal | — | — | — | 7.19 |
Applications
Where GeBi4Te7 is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about GeBi4Te7, answered from cross-validated data.
What is GeBi4Te7?
GeBi4Te7 is a semiconducting chalcogenide compound investigated for its potential role in phase-change memory applications.
What is GeBi4Te7 used for?
What is the band gap of GeBi4Te7?
Is GeBi4Te7 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Is GeBi4Te7 thermodynamically stable?
What is the crystal structure of GeBi4Te7?
How many polymorphs of GeBi4Te7 are known?
What elements does GeBi4Te7 contain?
Where does the data for GeBi4Te7 come from?
How It Compares
Within the phase-change memory materials class.
Within the landscape of phase-change materials, GeBi4Te7 occupies a specialized niche compared to more ubiquitous compounds like GeTe or Ge2Sb2Te5. While GeTe serves as a foundational binary benchmark for rapid crystallization, GeBi4Te7 offers a more intricate stoichiometry that allows for fine-tuning of the switching kinetics and thermal stability, making it a valuable subject for research into multi-level cell memory devices.
Related Compounds
Other Phase-Change Memory Materials in the database.
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.
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