SbTe2
SbTe2 is a stable, metallic binary chalcogenide used in the research and development of phase-change memory technologies.

About SbTe2
SbTe2 is a metallic phase-change material that occupies a stable position on the thermodynamic convex hull. Its structural flexibility is highlighted by its presence in numerous reported configurations across multiple databases, making it a subject of significant interest for researchers investigating reversible phase transitions.
As a member of the chalcogenide family, this compound plays a critical role in the development of non-volatile memory technologies. Its metallic electronic character distinguishes it from many insulating counterparts, offering unique pathways for electrical switching and data state manipulation in advanced electronic devices.
Key Properties
Cross-validated computational properties for SbTe2, aggregated across 5 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 SbTe2. 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 SbTe2, 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P-3m1 (No. 164) | trigonal | 0.00 | 0.0000 | -3.862 | 6.54 |
| P1 (No. 1) | Triclinic | — | — | — | 6.47 |
| P1 (No. 1) | Triclinic | — | — | — | 4.65 |
| P1 (No. 1) | Triclinic | — | — | — | 4.26 |
| P1 (No. 1) | Triclinic | — | — | — | 5.30 |
| P2/m (No. 10) | Monoclinic | — | — | — | 6.37 |
| P2/m (No. 10) | Monoclinic | — | — | — | 4.34 |
| Pmma (No. 51) | Orthorhombic | — | — | — | 9.34 |
| P-1 (No. 2) | Triclinic | — | — | — | 3.86 |
| Cm (No. 8) | Monoclinic | — | — | — | 8.18 |
| — | — | — | — | — | 7.27 |
| No. 0 | unknown | — | — | — | 1.31 |
Applications
Where SbTe2 is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about SbTe2, answered from cross-validated data.
What is SbTe2?
SbTe2 is a stable, metallic binary chalcogenide used in the research and development of phase-change memory technologies.
What is SbTe2 used for?
What is the band gap of SbTe2?
Is SbTe2 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Is SbTe2 thermodynamically stable?
What is the crystal structure of SbTe2?
What is the density of SbTe2?
How many polymorphs of SbTe2 are known?
What elements does SbTe2 contain?
Where does the data for SbTe2 come from?
How It Compares
Within the phase-change memory materials class.
Within the landscape of phase-change memory materials, SbTe2 stands out for its inherent thermodynamic stability compared to more complex systems like Ge2Sb2Te5. While siblings such as Sb2Te3 are widely utilized for their specific crystallization kinetics, SbTe2 provides a distinct alternative in the binary antimony-tellurium system, serving as a fundamental building block for understanding stoichiometry-dependent switching behavior.
Related Compounds
Other Phase-Change Memory Materials 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.
- omat24 — Data from OMat24 (Meta FAIR). Cite: Barroso-Luque et al., arXiv 2410.12771 (2024).
- cod — Data from the Crystallography Open Database. Cite: Grazulis et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 40, D420 (2012).
- jarvis — Data from JARVIS (NIST). Cite: Choudhary et al., npj Comp. Mater. 6, 173 (2020).
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