Neodymium 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 chemist ...
of
neodymium
Neodymium is a chemical element with the symbol Nd and atomic number 60. It is the fourth member of the lanthanide series and is considered to be one of the rare-earth metals. It is a hard, slightly malleable, silvery metal that quickly tarnishes i ...
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 Ear ...
with the chemical formula NdP.
Preparation
Neodymium phosphide can be obtained by reacting neodymium and phosphorus in a stoichiometric ratio:
::
4Nd + P4 -> 4NdP
Physical properties
Neodymium phosphide forms cubic crystals, space group ''Fmm'', cell parameters a = 0.5838 nm, Z = 4.
Uses
The compound is a
semiconductor
A semiconductor is a material which has an electrical resistivity and conductivity, electrical conductivity value falling between that of a electrical conductor, conductor, such as copper, and an insulator (electricity), insulator, such as glas ...
used in high power, high frequency applications, and in
laser diode
file:Laser diode chip.jpg, The laser diode chip removed and placed on the eye of a needle for scale
A laser diode (LD, also injection laser diode or ILD, or diode laser) is a semiconductor device similar to a light-emitting diode in which a di ...
s.
References
{{Phosphides
Phosphides
Neodymium compounds
Semiconductors
Rock salt crystal structure