Author
Home > Science > What is the Difference Between Zinc Blende and Wurtzite?

Guilherme Mazui

•3 minutes to read

What is the Difference Between Zinc Blende and Wurtzite?

🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚

Zinc blende and wurtzite are two forms of zinc sulfide, but they have distinct crystal structures. The key differences between zinc blende and wurtzite include:

  1. Crystal Structure: Zinc blende has a cubic structure, whereas wurtzite has a hexagonal structure.
  2. Density: The density of zinc blende is higher than that of wurtzite.
  3. Asymmetric Units: Zinc blende has four asymmetric units, while wurtzite has two.
  4. Thermodynamic Stability: Zinc blende is thermodynamically more stable than wurtzite. Wurtzite slowly converts into zinc blende over time due to its lower thermodynamic stability.

Both zinc blende and wurtzite are used in the semiconductor industry, as they have unique properties that make them suitable for various applications. The choice between the two structures depends on the specific requirements of the semiconductor device being designed.

On this page
  • What is the Difference Between Zinc Blende and Wurtzite?
  • Comparative Table: Zinc Blende vs Wurtzite

    • Comparative Table: Zinc Blende vs Wurtzite

    Zinc blende and wurtzite are two forms of zinc sulfide, both characterized by different crystalline structures. Here is a table highlighting the differences between them:

    Property Zinc Blende Wurtzite
    Crystal Structure Cubic (also known as cubic close packing or face-centered cubic) Hexagonal (also known as hexagonal close packing structure)
    Unit Cell Contains 2 atoms (1 zinc and 1 sulfur) Contains 12 ions in the corners of each unit cell, creating a hexagonal prism structure
    Thermodynamic Stability More stable than wurtzite Less stable than zinc blende, tends to convert into zinc blende slowly
    Cation Occupancy Cations (zinc ions) occupy one of the two types of tetrahedral holes in the unit cell Cations (zinc ions) occupy one of the two types of tetrahedral holes in the unit cell, but with two asymmetric units in its unit cell
    Density Higher density due to more stable cubic structure Lower density due to less stable hexagonal structure

    Both zinc blende and wurtzite have a 1:1 ratio between zinc and sulfur atoms, but their different structures lead to variations in density, stability, and other properties.

    Read more:

    Guilherme Mazui

    Guilherme Mazui is graduated in journalism from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and a master's degree in Communication from the University of São Paulo (USP). In addition, he has experience in advertising writing and has worked as a content editor in several companies.