Th3P4

Th3P4 is a thermodynamically stable thorium phosphide that functions as a semiconductor.

PTh
Crystal structure of Th3P4 (cubic, I-43d (No. 220))
Ground-state structure · Materials Project
Overview

About Th3P4

Th3P4 is a distinct thorium-based phosphide that exhibits semiconducting electronic behavior. As a thermodynamically stable phase located on the convex hull, it represents a robust structural arrangement of thorium and phosphorus atoms that is well-supported by computational data across multiple databases.

This material is of significant interest in materials science due to its stable nature and unique electronic properties. Its existence across several reported structural configurations highlights its versatility and potential utility in specialized applications requiring stable inorganic semiconductors.

At a glance

Key Properties

Cross-validated computational properties for Th3P4, aggregated across 3 databases.

Band Gap

0.33 eV
Range across DFT structures · ground state: small gap

Energy Above Hull

0.000 eV/atom
Best (lowest) across sources

Stability

Stable
3 DFT sources

Structures

5
3 databases, 1 space group
Validation

Cross-Source DFT Agreement

How well independent DFT databases agree on the thermodynamics of Th3P4. Tight agreement means computed properties can be trusted without re-running calculations.

Agreement Score

1.00 / 1.00
Trust tier: high

Hull Spread

0.000 eV
EAH spread across sources

Sources Compared

3
jarvis, materials_project, oqmd

Space Group Consensus

All match
Crystallography

Reported Structures

Lowest-energy structures reported for Th3P4, ranked by energy above hull.

Space GroupCrystal SystemBand Gap (eV)E above hull (eV/atom)E/atom (eV)Density (g/cm³)
I-43d (No. 220)cubic0.330.0000-1.526—
——0.310.0000-1.576—
I-43d (No. 220)cubic0.260.0000-38.2478.35
I-43d (No. 220)cubic———8.27
I-43d (No. 220)cubic———8.35
I-43d (No. 220)cubic———8.56
I-43d (No. 220)cubic———8.51
I-43d (No. 220)cubic———8.43
Uses

Applications

Where Th3P4 is used.

Semiconductor researchActinide materials scienceSolid-state electronics development
Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Th3P4, answered from cross-validated data.

What is Th3P4?

Th3P4 is a thermodynamically stable thorium phosphide that functions as a semiconductor.

More questions
What is Th3P4 used for?
Th3P4 is used in semiconductor research, actinide materials science, and solid-state electronics development.
What is the band gap of Th3P4?
Th3P4 has a DFT-computed band gap of 0.33 eV across 5 reported structures. Standard DFT underestimates band gaps, so the measured gap is typically larger.
Is Th3P4 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
DFT predicts a band gap of up to 0.33 eV (a semiconductor). Measured gaps are typically larger.
Is Th3P4 thermodynamically stable?
Yes — Th3P4 sits on the convex hull (energy above hull 0 eV/atom), i.e. stable.
What is the crystal structure of Th3P4?
The reference structure of Th3P4 is cubic symmetry, space group I-43d (No. 220).
How many polymorphs of Th3P4 are known?
5 structures of Th3P4 are reported across 3 databases, spanning 1 distinct space group.
What elements does Th3P4 contain?
Th3P4 contains P and Th (2 elements).
Where does the data for Th3P4 come from?
Th3P4 data is cross-referenced from jarvis, oqmd, materials_project, mpaloe, cod.
Comparison

How It Compares

As a stable binary phosphide, Th3P4 serves as a foundational example of thorium-based semiconducting compounds. It occupies a critical position in the landscape of actinide-containing materials, providing a benchmark for stability and electronic performance within this specialized chemical family.

Data sources & attribution
  • jarvis — Data from JARVIS (jarvis.nist.gov), NIST. Cite: Choudhary et al., npj Comp. Mater. 6, 173 (2020). (LicenseRef-US-Gov-PD)
  • 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)
  • mpaloe — Data from MP-ALOE. Cite: Kuner et al., npj Comput. Mater. (2025), doi:10.1038/s41524-025-01834-9.
  • cod — Data from the Crystallography Open Database (crystallography.net/cod/). Cite: Grazulis et al., J. Appl. Cryst. 42, 726 (2009). (CC0-1.0)

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