P2S3

P2S3 is a semiconducting binary sulfide of phosphorus that is considered a promising candidate for experimental synthesis.

PS
Crystal structure of P2S3 (monoclinic, P21/c (No. 14))
Ground-state structure · Materials Project
Overview

About P2S3

P2S3 is a binary phosphorus sulfide compound that functions as a semiconductor. Its electronic properties make it an intriguing subject for research into non-oxide chalcogenide materials, particularly where specific electronic band structures are required for device integration.

As a near-hull material, P2S3 is considered likely to be synthesizable under appropriate experimental conditions. The existence of multiple reported structures across databases underscores its complexity and the ongoing interest in mapping its phase space for potential technological utility.

At a glance

Key Properties

Cross-validated computational properties for P2S3, aggregated across 4 databases.

Band Gap

1.82–2.59 eV
Range across DFT structures · ground state: wide gap

Energy Above Hull

0.003 eV/atom
Best (lowest) across sources

Stability

Near Hull
3 DFT sources

Structures

20
4 databases, 8 space groups
Validation

Cross-Source DFT Agreement

How well independent DFT databases agree on the thermodynamics of P2S3. Tight agreement means computed properties can be trusted without re-running calculations.

Agreement Score

0.93 / 1.00
Trust tier: high

Hull Spread

0.018 eV
EAH spread across sources

Sources Compared

3
jarvis, materials_project, oqmd

Space Group Consensus

Mixed (most: P21/c (No. 14))
Crystallography

Reported Structures

Lowest-energy structures reported for P2S3, ranked by energy above hull.

Space GroupCrystal SystemBand Gap (eV)E above hull (eV/atom)E/atom (eV)Density (g/cm³)
——2.300.0035-0.428—
P21/c (No. 14)monoclinic2.480.0114-8.6192.04
——2.170.0117-0.419—
P21/m (No. 11)monoclinic2.210.0142-8.6162.03
P21/m (No. 11)monoclinic1.820.0214-0.164—
P21/c (No. 14)monoclinic2.590.0355-8.5952.15
Pmn21 (No. 31)orthorhombic2.490.0569-8.5740.42
——0.000.2852-0.146—
P21/m (No. 11)monoclinic———1.98
Pm (No. 6)monoclinic———2.13
P21/c (No. 14)monoclinic———2.06
P21/m (No. 11)monoclinic———1.90
Uses

Applications

Where P2S3 is used.

Semiconductor researchChalcogenide material scienceSolid-state chemistry studies
Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about P2S3, answered from cross-validated data.

What is P2S3?

P2S3 is a semiconducting binary sulfide of phosphorus that is considered a promising candidate for experimental synthesis.

More questions
What is P2S3 used for?
P2S3 is used in semiconductor research, chalcogenide material science, and solid-state chemistry studies.
What is the band gap of P2S3?
P2S3 has a DFT-computed band gap of 1.82–2.59 eV across 20 reported structures. Standard DFT underestimates band gaps, so the measured gap is typically larger.
Is P2S3 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
DFT predicts a band gap of up to 2.59 eV (a semiconductor). Measured gaps are typically larger.
Is P2S3 thermodynamically stable?
P2S3 has a lowest energy above hull of 0.003 eV/atom (near hull).
What is the crystal structure of P2S3?
The reference structure of P2S3 is monoclinic symmetry, space group P21/c (No. 14).
What is the density of P2S3?
The computed density of the ground-state structure of P2S3 is 2.04 g/cm³.
How many polymorphs of P2S3 are known?
20 structures of P2S3 are reported across 4 databases, spanning 8 distinct space groups.
What elements does P2S3 contain?
P2S3 contains P and S (2 elements).
Where does the data for P2S3 come from?
P2S3 data is cross-referenced from oqmd, materials_project, jarvis, mpaloe.
Comparison

How It Compares

As a member of the phosphorus-sulfur system, P2S3 represents a distinct stoichiometry that occupies a unique position in the landscape of binary chalcogenides, serving as a critical reference point for understanding the structural diversity of phosphorus-rich sulfides.

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)
  • materials_project — Data from the Materials Project (materialsproject.org). Cite: Jain et al., APL Materials 1, 011002 (2013). (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)
  • mpaloe — Data from MP-ALOE. Cite: Kuner et al., npj Comput. Mater. (2025), doi:10.1038/s41524-025-01834-9.

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