ScF3

Scandium trifluoride · Scandium(III) fluoride

Scandium trifluoride is a stable, insulating compound used primarily in high-performance optical coatings and thin-film applications.

FSc
Crystal structure of ScF3
Ground-state structure · Materials Project
Overview

About Scandium trifluoride

Scandium trifluoride is a robust, thermodynamically stable inorganic compound characterized by its insulating electronic nature. Its structural integrity and chemical reliability make it a significant subject of study, with extensive data available regarding its various crystalline configurations.

Because of its wide-band-gap properties, this material is highly valued in applications requiring optical clarity and stability. It serves as a foundational component in advanced thin-film technology and continues to be a focal point for researchers exploring fluoride-based materials.

At a glance

Key Properties

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

Band Gap

1.76–6.11 eV
Range across DFT structures

Energy Above Hull

0.000 eV/atom
Best (lowest) across sources

Stability

On hull (stable)
2 DFT sources

Structures

200
3 databases, 34 space groups
Synthesis

Synthesis Routes

Literature-extracted synthesis procedures targeting ScF3.

Solid State
Procedure available · ceder_solid_state
Uses

Applications

Where Scandium trifluoride is used.

Optical thin-film coatingsLaser materials researchFluoride-based glass manufacturing
Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Scandium trifluoride, answered from cross-validated data.

What is ScF3?

Scandium trifluoride is a stable, insulating compound used primarily in high-performance optical coatings and thin-film applications.

More questions
What is ScF3 used for?
Scandium trifluoride (ScF3) is used in optical thin-film coatings, laser materials research, and fluoride-based glass manufacturing.
What is the band gap of ScF3?
Scandium trifluoride (ScF3) has a DFT-computed band gap of 1.76–6.11 eV across 200 reported structures.
Is ScF3 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
With a wide band gap up to 6.11 eV it is an insulator / wide-band-gap material.
Is ScF3 thermodynamically stable?
Yes — Scandium trifluoride (ScF3) sits on the convex hull (energy above hull 0 eV/atom), i.e. on hull (stable).
How many polymorphs of ScF3 are known?
200 structures of ScF3 are reported across 3 databases, spanning 34 distinct space groups.
How is ScF3 synthesized?
Literature-reported routes for ScF3 include solid state.
What elements does ScF3 contain?
Scandium trifluoride (ScF3) contains F and Sc (2 elements).
Where does the data for ScF3 come from?
ScF3 data is cross-referenced from latticegraph.
Comparison

How It Compares

As a distinct fluoride compound, scandium trifluoride occupies a unique niche in materials science due to its exceptional structural stability. It represents a highly characterized member of the fluoride family, serving as a benchmark for researchers investigating the physical properties of transition metal halides.

Data sources & attribution
  • latticegraph — Lattice Graph Materials Intelligence Platform

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