In5CuS8
In5CuS8 is a semiconducting copper-indium-sulfide compound studied for its potential use as a light-absorbing material in solar cell technologies.
About In5CuS8
In5CuS8 is a complex semiconducting chalcogenide that belongs to a class of materials widely investigated for their potential in photovoltaic energy conversion. Its composition, involving indium, copper, and sulfur, positions it as a candidate for light-harvesting applications where specific electronic properties are required to optimize charge carrier generation.
As a near-hull material, it is considered thermodynamically accessible for synthesis, making it a subject of interest for researchers aiming to expand the library of efficient absorber layers. Its electronic character suggests it can be tuned for various optoelectronic devices, contributing to the broader search for sustainable and high-performance solar energy materials.
Key Properties
Cross-validated computational properties for In5CuS8, 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.
Reported Structures
Lowest-energy structures reported for In5CuS8, 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F-43m (No. 216) | cubic | 0.29 | 0.0100 | -14.129 | 4.91 |
| F-43m (No. 216) | Cubic | — | — | — | 4.91 |
| F-43m (No. 216) | Cubic | — | — | — | 4.74 |
| F-43m (No. 216) | Cubic | — | — | — | 4.81 |
| F-43m (No. 216) | — | — | — | — | — |
Applications
Where In5CuS8 is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about In5CuS8, answered from cross-validated data.
What is In5CuS8?
In5CuS8 is a semiconducting copper-indium-sulfide compound studied for its potential use as a light-absorbing material in solar cell technologies.
What is In5CuS8 used for?
What is the band gap of In5CuS8?
Is In5CuS8 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Is In5CuS8 thermodynamically stable?
What is the crystal structure of In5CuS8?
What is the density of In5CuS8?
How many polymorphs of In5CuS8 are known?
What elements does In5CuS8 contain?
Where does the data for In5CuS8 come from?
How It Compares
Within the chalcogenide photovoltaic absorbers class.
Within the group of copper-based chalcogenide absorbers, In5CuS8 occupies a distinct niche compared to more traditional ternary compounds like InCuS2. While many of its siblings, such as the copper-tin-sulfide variants like Cu2SnS3, have been extensively characterized for their photovoltaic efficiency, In5CuS8 offers a different stoichiometric balance that may provide unique advantages in band structure engineering and defect tolerance.
Related Compounds
Other Chalcogenide Photovoltaic Absorbers in the database.
Data sources & attribution
- materials_project — Data from the Materials Project. Cite: Jain et al., APL Materials 1, 011002 (2013).
- mpaloe — Data from mpaloe.
- jarvis — Data from JARVIS (NIST). Cite: Choudhary et al., npj Comp. Mater. 6, 173 (2020).
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