LuTaO4
Lutetium tantalate · Lutetium orthotantalate
Lutetium tantalate is a stable, insulating oxide widely utilized as a high-density phosphor host in X-ray imaging technology.
About Lutetium tantalate
Lutetium tantalate is a robust, thermodynamically stable inorganic oxide that functions as a wide-gap insulator. Its structural integrity and electronic properties make it a highly reliable material for demanding optical and sensing environments.
Because it sits firmly on the convex hull, this compound exhibits excellent chemical and thermal stability. These characteristics are essential for its role in high-performance applications where material longevity and consistent performance under radiation are critical.
Key Properties
Cross-validated computational properties for Lutetium tantalate, 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 LuTaO4, 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P2/c (No. 13) | monoclinic | 4.32 | 0.0000 | -9.784 | 9.88 |
| C2/c (No. 15) | monoclinic | 4.05 | 0.0042 | -9.780 | 9.97 |
| P2/c (No. 13) | — | — | — | — | — |
| C2/c (No. 15) | — | — | — | — | — |
| P2/c (No. 13) | Monoclinic | — | — | — | 9.22 |
| P2/c (No. 13) | Monoclinic | — | — | — | 9.87 |
| P2/c (No. 13) | Monoclinic | — | — | — | 9.44 |
Applications
Where Lutetium tantalate is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Lutetium tantalate, answered from cross-validated data.
What is LuTaO4?
Lutetium tantalate is a stable, insulating oxide widely utilized as a high-density phosphor host in X-ray imaging technology.
What is LuTaO4 used for?
What is the band gap of LuTaO4?
Is LuTaO4 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Is LuTaO4 thermodynamically stable?
What is the crystal structure of LuTaO4?
What is the density of LuTaO4?
How many polymorphs of LuTaO4 are known?
What elements does LuTaO4 contain?
Where does the data for LuTaO4 come from?
How It Compares
As a member of the rare-earth tantalate family, this compound is recognized for its superior density and stability compared to many other luminescent host materials. It serves as a benchmark for high-performance scintillators, offering a unique combination of structural reliability and optical efficiency that distinguishes it from less stable oxide alternatives.
Data sources & attribution
- materials_project — Data from the Materials Project. Cite: Jain et al., APL Materials 1, 011002 (2013).
- jarvis — Data from JARVIS (NIST). Cite: Choudhary et al., npj Comp. Mater. 6, 173 (2020).
- mpaloe — Data from mpaloe.
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