ZnS
zinc sulfide · zinc blende, wurtzite
Zinc sulfide is a stable, widely used semiconductor material that serves as a cornerstone in the development of optical and electronic technologies.
About zinc sulfide
Zinc sulfide is a foundational II-VI semiconductor known for its robust thermodynamic stability. As a highly studied material with a vast array of documented structural arrangements, it serves as a critical model system for understanding crystal growth and electronic behavior in binary chalcogenides.
Its unique semiconducting character makes it indispensable for high-performance optical and optoelectronic devices. The material is widely valued for its ability to maintain structural integrity under various conditions, supporting its role in advanced thin-film technologies and light-emitting components.
Key Properties
Cross-validated computational properties for zinc sulfide, aggregated across 4 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 ZnS, 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P3m1 (No. 156) | trigonal | 2.02 | 0.0000 | -9.435 | 4.14 |
| P3m1 (No. 156) | trigonal | 2.02 | 0.0000 | -9.435 | 4.14 |
| P3m1 (No. 156) | trigonal | 2.02 | 0.0000 | -9.435 | 4.14 |
| P3m1 (No. 156) | trigonal | 1.99 | 0.0001 | -9.435 | 4.14 |
| P63mc (No. 186) | hexagonal | 2.02 | 0.0001 | -9.435 | 4.14 |
| P3m1 (No. 156) | trigonal | 2.02 | 0.0001 | -9.435 | 4.14 |
| P3m1 (No. 156) | trigonal | 2.02 | 0.0001 | -9.435 | 4.14 |
| F-43m (No. 216) | cubic | 2.02 | 0.0001 | -9.435 | 4.14 |
| P63mc (No. 186) | hexagonal | 2.02 | 0.0002 | -9.435 | 4.14 |
| P3m1 (No. 156) | trigonal | 2.02 | 0.0002 | -9.435 | 4.14 |
| P3m1 (No. 156) | trigonal | 2.02 | 0.0002 | -9.435 | 4.14 |
| P3m1 (No. 156) | trigonal | 2.02 | 0.0002 | -9.435 | 4.13 |
Applications
Where zinc sulfide is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about zinc sulfide, answered from cross-validated data.
What is ZnS?
Zinc sulfide is a stable, widely used semiconductor material that serves as a cornerstone in the development of optical and electronic technologies.
What is ZnS used for?
What is the band gap of ZnS?
Is ZnS a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Is ZnS thermodynamically stable?
What is the crystal structure of ZnS?
What is the density of ZnS?
How many polymorphs of ZnS are known?
What elements does ZnS contain?
Where does the data for ZnS come from?
How It Compares
Within the ii-vi semiconductors class.
Within the II-VI semiconductor family, zinc sulfide stands out as a primary, highly stable benchmark compared to heavier counterparts like cadmium sulfide or cadmium telluride. While siblings such as CdS share similar structural motifs, zinc sulfide is distinguished by its widespread availability and its status as one of the most extensively characterized materials in its class.
Related Compounds
Other II-VI Semiconductors in the database.
Data sources & attribution
- materials_project — Data from the Materials Project. Cite: Jain et al., APL Materials 1, 011002 (2013).
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