Xe
Xenon · noble gas
Xenon is a stable, inert noble gas used primarily in specialized lighting, medical imaging, and advanced propulsion systems.
About Xenon
Xenon is a noble gas that exists as a thermodynamically stable element. It is chemically inert under standard conditions, reflecting its closed-shell electronic configuration which results in a wide-gap insulating character. Its unique physical properties make it a subject of extensive structural research across multiple databases.
This element is highly valued for its ability to produce intense light when excited and its high atomic mass, which is leveraged in specialized engineering sectors. Its stability and lack of reactivity allow it to serve as a reliable medium in environments where chemical interference must be strictly avoided.
Key Properties
Cross-validated computational properties for Xenon, aggregated across 6 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 Xe. 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 Xe, 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | 6.30 | 0.0000 | 0.000 | — |
| R-3m (No. 166) | trigonal | 6.17 | 0.0000 | -0.036 | 2.54 |
| Fm-3m (No. 225) | cubic | 6.15 | 0.0000 | 0.000 | — |
| Fm-3m (No. 225) | cubic | 6.15 | 0.0000 | 0.000 | — |
| Fm-3m (No. 225) | cubic | 6.15 | 0.0000 | 0.000 | — |
| P63/mmc (No. 194) | hexagonal | 6.15 | 0.0000 | 0.000 | — |
| P63/mmc (No. 194) | hexagonal | 6.15 | 0.0000 | 0.000 | — |
| Fm-3m (No. 225) | cubic | 6.15 | 0.0000 | 0.000 | — |
| Im-3m (No. 229) | cubic | 6.13 | 0.0000 | 0.009 | — |
| R-3m (No. 166) | trigonal | 6.07 | 0.0000 | -0.024 | — |
| Fmmm (No. 69) | orthorhombic | 5.89 | 0.0000 | 0.008 | — |
| P63/mmc (No. 194) | hexagonal | 6.19 | 0.0002 | -0.036 | 3.30 |
Applications
Where Xenon is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Xenon, answered from cross-validated data.
What is Xe?
Xenon is a stable, inert noble gas used primarily in specialized lighting, medical imaging, and advanced propulsion systems.
What is Xe used for?
What is the band gap of Xe?
Is Xe a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Is Xe thermodynamically stable?
What is the crystal structure of Xe?
How many polymorphs of Xe are known?
What elements does Xe contain?
Where does the data for Xe come from?
How It Compares
As a noble gas, Xenon stands as a fundamental reference point for inert, wide-gap materials. It represents the pinnacle of chemical stability within its group, serving as the benchmark for heavy, non-reactive elements in both industrial and scientific applications.
Data sources & attribution
- 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)
- jarvis — Data from JARVIS (jarvis.nist.gov), NIST. Cite: Choudhary et al., npj Comp. Mater. 6, 173 (2020). (LicenseRef-US-Gov-PD)
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