SnTe3
SnTe3 is a metallic tin-telluride compound known for its structural diversity and metastable nature.

About SnTe3
SnTe3 is a metallic tin-telluride compound characterized by its distinct electronic properties. As a material that lacks a band gap, it exhibits conductive behavior typical of metallic systems, making it an interesting subject for fundamental condensed matter research.
Despite its existence in multiple structural configurations across various databases, the compound is considered thermodynamically unstable. Its position above the energy hull suggests that while it can be synthesized in specific conditions, it remains a metastable phase of interest for studying tin-tellurium bonding dynamics.
Key Properties
Cross-validated computational properties for SnTe3, 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.
Synthesis Routes
Literature-extracted synthesis procedures targeting SnTe3.
Applications
Where SnTe3 is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about SnTe3, answered from cross-validated data.
What is SnTe3?
SnTe3 is a metallic tin-telluride compound known for its structural diversity and metastable nature.
What is SnTe3 used for?
What is the band gap of SnTe3?
Is SnTe3 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Is SnTe3 thermodynamically stable?
How many polymorphs of SnTe3 are known?
How is SnTe3 synthesized?
What elements does SnTe3 contain?
Where does the data for SnTe3 come from?
How It Compares
As a unique tin-telluride phase, SnTe3 occupies a specialized niche within the chalcogenide landscape. Unlike more common, highly stable binary tellurides, this compound represents a more complex stoichiometry that challenges standard structural predictions, serving as a key case study for metastable phase formation in metallic systems.
Data sources & attribution
- latticegraph — Lattice Graph Materials Intelligence Platform
Analyze SnTe3 in the Lattice Graph platform
Polymorph comparison, confidence scoring, supply-chain risk, and patent monitoring — across 53 integrated data sources.
Explore the Platform →