Sn3N4
Sn3N4 is a metastable semiconducting tin nitride compound investigated for its diverse structural configurations and potential in electronic applications.
About Sn3N4
Sn3N4 is a semiconducting binary nitride composed of tin and nitrogen. As a metastable material, it represents a complex phase space that has attracted significant interest for its potential in advanced electronic and optoelectronic applications.
Its structural diversity is highlighted by numerous reported configurations across various databases. This complexity makes it a compelling subject for researchers aiming to stabilize and harness its semiconducting characteristics for next-generation device architectures.
Key Properties
Cross-validated computational properties for Sn3N4, 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 Sn3N4, 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fd-3m (No. 227) | cubic | 0.23 | 0.0523 | -15.770 | 7.39 |
| P3m1 (No. 156) | Trigonal | — | — | — | 8.96 |
| C2/m (No. 12) | Monoclinic | — | — | — | 5.36 |
| C2/m (No. 12) | Monoclinic | — | — | — | 5.09 |
| P-1 (No. 2) | Triclinic | — | — | — | 7.74 |
| C2/m (No. 12) | Monoclinic | — | — | — | 5.47 |
| C2/m (No. 12) | Monoclinic | — | — | — | 4.96 |
| P3m1 (No. 156) | Trigonal | — | — | — | 6.45 |
| Cm (No. 8) | Monoclinic | — | — | — | 4.56 |
| P1 (No. 1) | Triclinic | — | — | — | 4.51 |
| Cm (No. 8) | Monoclinic | — | — | — | 4.50 |
| Cm (No. 8) | Monoclinic | — | — | — | 4.53 |
Applications
Where Sn3N4 is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Sn3N4, answered from cross-validated data.
What is Sn3N4?
Sn3N4 is a metastable semiconducting tin nitride compound investigated for its diverse structural configurations and potential in electronic applications.
What is Sn3N4 used for?
What is the band gap of Sn3N4?
Is Sn3N4 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Is Sn3N4 thermodynamically stable?
What is the crystal structure of Sn3N4?
What is the density of Sn3N4?
How many polymorphs of Sn3N4 are known?
What elements does Sn3N4 contain?
Where does the data for Sn3N4 come from?
How It Compares
As a distinct binary nitride, Sn3N4 occupies a unique position in materials science research. While many nitrides are highly stable, this compound is notable for its metastable nature, which challenges traditional synthesis methods and offers a unique pathway for exploring tunable electronic properties compared to more conventional, highly stable semiconductor materials.
Data sources & attribution
- materials_project — Data from the Materials Project. Cite: Jain et al., APL Materials 1, 011002 (2013).
- mpaloe — Data from mpaloe.
- jarvis — Data from JARVIS (NIST). Cite: Choudhary et al., npj Comp. Mater. 6, 173 (2020).
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