LaBr2

LaBr2 is a semiconducting lanthanum bromide compound that is considered a viable candidate for experimental synthesis.

BrLa
Crystal structure of LaBr2 (hexagonal, P63/mmc (No. 194))
Ground-state structure · Materials Project
Overview

About LaBr2

LaBr2 is a binary inorganic compound composed of lanthanum and bromine. It exhibits semiconducting electronic properties, positioning it as a material of interest for specialized electronic or optoelectronic applications where specific charge carrier behaviors are required. The compound is categorized as near-hull, indicating that it is thermodynamically stable enough to be considered a viable target for experimental synthesis.

With a significant number of reported structures across multiple databases, LaBr2 has garnered attention as a subject for computational and structural exploration. Its ability to maintain structural integrity under various conditions makes it a noteworthy entry in the study of lanthanide halides, particularly for researchers investigating the intersection of rare-earth chemistry and semiconductor physics.

At a glance

Key Properties

Cross-validated computational properties for LaBr2, aggregated across 3 databases.

Band Gap

0.52–0.65 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

25
3 databases, 8 space groups
Validation

Cross-Source DFT Agreement

How well independent DFT databases agree on the thermodynamics of LaBr2. Tight agreement means computed properties can be trusted without re-running calculations.

Agreement Score

0.97 / 1.00
Trust tier: high

Hull Spread

0.008 eV
EAH spread across sources

Sources Compared

3
jarvis, materials_project, oqmd

Space Group Consensus

Mixed (most: P63/mmc (No. 194))
Crystallography

Reported Structures

Lowest-energy structures reported for LaBr2, ranked by energy above hull.

Space GroupCrystal SystemBand Gap (eV)E above hull (eV/atom)E/atom (eV)Density (g/cm³)
I4/mmm (No. 139)tetragonal0.000.0000-1.932—
P63/mmc (No. 194)hexagonal0.590.0029-4.9094.38
——0.650.0078-2.022—
——0.000.0079-2.022—
P63/mmc (No. 194)hexagonal0.520.0249-1.907—
——0.000.0984-1.931—
P6/mmm (No. 191)hexagonal0.000.3693-1.563—
——0.001.2895-0.740—
P1 (No. 1)triclinic———4.17
C2/m (No. 12)monoclinic———7.99
P-1 (No. 2)triclinic———3.52
P-1 (No. 2)triclinic———3.43
Uses

Applications

Where LaBr2 is used.

Semiconductor researchSolid-state chemistryMaterials science exploration
Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about LaBr2, answered from cross-validated data.

What is LaBr2?

LaBr2 is a semiconducting lanthanum bromide compound that is considered a viable candidate for experimental synthesis.

More questions
What is LaBr2 used for?
LaBr2 is used in semiconductor research, solid-state chemistry, and materials science exploration.
What is the band gap of LaBr2?
LaBr2 has a DFT-computed band gap of 0.52–0.65 eV across 25 reported structures. Standard DFT underestimates band gaps, so the measured gap is typically larger.
Is LaBr2 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
DFT predicts a band gap of up to 0.65 eV (a semiconductor). Measured gaps are typically larger.
Is LaBr2 thermodynamically stable?
Yes — LaBr2 sits on the convex hull (energy above hull 0 eV/atom), i.e. stable.
What is the crystal structure of LaBr2?
The reference structure of LaBr2 is hexagonal symmetry, space group P63/mmc (No. 194).
What is the density of LaBr2?
The computed density of the ground-state structure of LaBr2 is 4.38 g/cm³.
How many polymorphs of LaBr2 are known?
25 structures of LaBr2 are reported across 3 databases, spanning 8 distinct space groups.
What elements does LaBr2 contain?
LaBr2 contains Br and La (2 elements).
Where does the data for LaBr2 come from?
LaBr2 data is cross-referenced from jarvis, materials_project, oqmd, mpaloe, cod.
Comparison

How It Compares

As a distinct lanthanum halide, LaBr2 serves as a unique case study within the broader family of rare-earth bromides. While many halides in this class are known for their insulating properties, the semiconducting nature of this specific stoichiometry provides a different electronic profile, making it a valuable reference point for understanding how lanthanum-bromine coordination influences charge transport properties.

Data sources & attribution
  • 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)
  • 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)
  • 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)

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