Yttrium phosphide is an
inorganic compound
In chemistry, an inorganic compound is typically a chemical compound that lacks carbon–hydrogen bonds, that is, a compound that is not an organic compound. The study of inorganic compounds is a subfield of chemistry known as '' inorganic chemi ...
of
yttrium
Yttrium is a chemical element with the symbol Y and atomic number 39. It is a silvery-metallic transition metal chemically similar to the lanthanides and has often been classified as a " rare-earth element". Yttrium is almost always found in c ...
and
phosphorus
Phosphorus is a chemical element with the symbol P and atomic number 15. Elemental phosphorus exists in two major forms, white phosphorus and red phosphorus, but because it is highly reactive, phosphorus is never found as a free element on Ea ...
with the chemical formula YP. The compound may be also classified as yttrium(III) phosphide.
Synthesis
Heating (500–1000 °C) of pure substances in a vacuum:
::
4Y + P4 -> 4YP
Properties
Yttrium phosphide forms cubic crystals.
Uses
Ytttium phosphide is a
semiconductor
A semiconductor is a material which has an electrical conductivity value falling between that of a conductor, such as copper, and an insulator, such as glass. Its resistivity falls as its temperature rises; metals behave in the opposite way. ...
used in
laser diodes, and in high power and frequency applications.
References
Phosphides
Yttrium compounds
Rock salt crystal structure
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