Ab initio investigation of the clustering of carbon adatoms on Fe(001) and Fe(111) surfaces

A theoretical investigation of the interaction between carbon adatoms on the Fe(001) and Fe( 111 ) surfaces is performed using ab initio calculations in terms of density functional theory. Calc ulations of the adsorption energy demonstrate the existence of a strong bonding between single carbon adatoms and the iron surface. An analysis of the calculated energies of the interaction between carbon adatoms reveals for the first time that the repulsion between the carbon adatoms located at the nearest neighbor sites on the Fe(001) surface occurs and that clusters with a looser packing are formed on the surface.     

Investigation into the adsorption of atomic nitrogen on an Al2O3 (0001) surface

Computer simulation of sapphire nitridation used to obtain nitride-based heterostructures (GaN) on an Al₂O₃ substrate has been performed. The adhesion of atomic nitrogen to the sapphire (0001) surface is investigated ab initio. The possibility of replacing surface-layer oxygen atoms with nitrogen atoms has been examined. The calculated results indicate that adsorbed nitrogen atoms occupy the most stable positions above surface oxygen atoms at different nitrogen concentrations. The changes in the total system energy after replacement of surface oxygen atoms with nitrogen atoms have been calculated. It turns out that oxygen replacement is energetically unfavorable for a single nitrogen adatom. However, this process becomes energetically favorable if the concentration of nitrogen atoms increases. This outcome, obtained for the first time, enables better understanding of the atomic-scale mechanism of sapphire nitridation.     

Computer simulation and experimental investigation of the crystal structure and electronic properties of InN/Si and GaN/Si thin films

A modified method for the magnetron deposition of heterostructures on single-crystal substrates that combines a high degree of efficiency and a high production rate is developed. Grown structures are simulated within the density functional theory to determine the most stable atomic positions in the InN/Si and GaN/Si interfaces.     

Effect of coverage by carbon on the possibility of forming an interstitial solid solution in Fe(001) and Fe(111) subsurface layers

The interaction between carbon adatoms as a function of the coverage of the Fe(001) and Fe(111) surfaces by carbon has been theoretically investigated using first-principles calculations in terms of the density functional theory. It has been established for the first time that the sequential filling of the upper surface layer by carbon atoms leads to the embedding of a part of atoms in the subsurface iron layer due to the their collective interaction, which provides the possibility of forming the interstitial solid solution. It has been demonstrated that the high coverage of the (001) surface by carbon leads to a considerable decrease in the energy barrier to the diffusion of carbon atoms into the subsurface layer as compared to the diffusion barrier for single atoms.