An ab initio study of filled skutterudites ROs4P12 (R = Sm,Eu and Gd)

The elastic, electronic, magnetic and optical properties of filled skutterudite ROs₄P₁₂ (R = Sm, Eu and Gd) have been studied by first principles calculation. The full-potential linearized augmented plane wave method based on density functional theory was employed. For the exchange-correlation potential, local spin density approximation + Coulomb repulsion (LSDA + U) is used to treat the f-electrons more effectively. The numerical values of the elastic parameters are estimated in the framework of the Voigt–Reuss–Hill approximation. OsP-based filled skutterudite with localized 4f and 5d-electrons shows dense energy bands near Fermi energy originating from rare earth and Os atoms. The dense density of states near E_F reveals that these compounds are suitable for thermoelectric application. Optical constants including dielectric function, optical reflectivity and refractive index are calculated for photon energy radiation up to 12 eV. The exchange-splitting of R-4f states were analyzed to explain the ferromagnetic behavior of ROs₄P₁₂.     

Conductance through atomic point contacts between fcc(100) electrodes of gold

Electrical conductance through various nanocontacts between gold electrodes is studied by using the density functional theory, scalar-relativistic pseudopotentials, generalized gradient approximation for the exchange-correlation energy and the recursion-transfer-matrix method along with channel decomposition. The nanocontact is modeled with pyramidal fcc(100) tips and 1 to 5 gold atoms between the tips. Upon elongation of the contact by adding gold atoms between the tips, the conductance at Fermi energy E_F evolves from G ≈ 3G₀ to G ≈ 1G₀ (G₀ = 2e/h²). Formation of a true one-atom point contact, with G ≈ 1G₀ and only one open channel, requires at least one atom with coordination number 2 in the wire. Tips that share a common vertex atom or tips with touching vertex atoms have three partially open conductance channels at E_F, and the symmetries of the channels are governed by the wave functions of the tips. The long 5-atom contact develops conductance oscillations and conductance gaps in the studied energy range -3 ≤ E-E_F ≤ 5 eV, which reflects oscillations in the local density of electron states in the 5-atom linear “gold molecule" between the electrodes, and a weak coupling of this “molecule" to the tips.     

A simple interpretation of quantum mirages

In an interesting new experiment, the electronic structure of a magnetic atom adsorbed on the surface of Cu(1 1 1), observed by scanning tunneling microscopy, was projected into a remote location on the same surface. The purpose of the present paper is to interpret this experiment with a model Hamiltonian, using ellipses of the size of the experimental ones, containing about 2300 atoms. The charge distribution for the different wave functions is analyzed, in particular, for those with energy close to the Fermi energy of copper E_F. Some of them show two symmetric maxima located on the principal axis of the ellipse but not necessarily at the foci. If a Co atom is adsorbed at the site where the wave function with energy E_F has maximum and the interaction is small, the main effect of the adsorbed atom will be to split this particular wave function into two. The total charge density will remain the same but the local density of states will present a dip at E_F at any site where the charge density is large enough. We relate the presence of this dip to the observation of quantum mirages. Our interpretation suggests that other sites, apart from the foci of the ellipses, can be used for projecting atomic images and also indicates the conditions for other non-magnetic adsorbates to produce mirages.     

Electronic properties of orthorhombic LiGaS<Subscript>2</Subscript> and LiGaSe<Subscript>2</Subscript>

We report theoretical calculations of the band structure and density of states for orthorhombic LiGaS₂ (LGS) and LiGaSe₂ (LGSe). These calculations are based on the full potential linear augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) method within a framework of density functional theory. Our calculations show that these crystals have similar band structures. The valence band maximum (VBM) and the conduction band minimum (CBM) are located at Γ, resulting in a direct energy band gap. The VBM is dominated by S/Se-p and Li-p states, while the CBM is dominated by Ga-s, S/Se-p and small contributions of Li-p and Ga-p. From the partial density of states we find that Li-p hybridizes with Li-s below the Fermi energy (E _F), while Li-s/p hybridizes with Ga-p below and above E _F. Also, we note that S/Se-p hybridizes with Ga-s below and above E _F.     

B（N）掺杂单壁碳纳米管的Al原子吸附性能的第一性原理研究

采用基于密度泛函理论的平面波赝势方法和广义梯度近似,对未掺杂、掺B、掺N的碳纳米管(CNT)不同位置上Al原子的吸附进行了几何优化,计算了吸附Al、掺杂前后CNT的能带结构、态密度、差分电荷密度、电荷布居数和吸附能.计算结果表明,掺B使CNT形成缺电子状态,利于具有自由电子的Al原子的吸附结合,可显著提高Al在金属性的(5,5)CNT和半导性的(8,0)CNT外壁的吸附能;掺杂N形成多电子状态,在费米能级附近半满的施主能级也利于填充Al的价电子,改善Al在(5,5)CNT和(8,0)CNT外壁的吸附结合性 关键词： 密度泛函理论 单壁碳纳米管 B(N)掺杂 Al原子吸附     

利用扫描隧道谱(STS)对石墨单晶表面局域电子态的研究

利用ＳＴＳ测量并结合扫描隧道显微镜（ＳＴＭ）扫描图象，给出一组沿石墨单晶表面原子分辨的ＳＴＭ图象上某一线段各点处的扫描隧道谱．ｄ（lｎI）／ｄ（lｎＶ）～ｅＶ由测量谱给出的样品表面Ｅ_Ｆ附近局域态密度分布与由体能带结构计算得到的结果在一定程度上相符合，将各条曲线中Ｅ_Ｆ附近的态密度峰能量对相应的空间位置作图，给出石墨表面E_F附近能态密度在测量区域内实空间的变化。通过对表面不等价Ａ，Ｂ类原子处局域电子结构的分析并利用简单模型进行计算，给出了与实验 关键词：     

Selfconsistent model calculations of electronic states at narrow-band-metal surfaces

For a nondegenerate narrow energy band spanned by a semiinfinite chain of three-dimensional atoms, the electronic potential and the electron density of states are calculated selfconsistently in the vicinity of the chain end. The electron-electron interaction is treated in the Hartree-Fock approximation, using the Green function method. The results for the potential and the density of states are discussed in terms of the parameters which determine the bulk electronic structure, such as the Fermi energy E_F and the intra- and interatomic Coulomb repulsion k₀ and K₁. Futhermore, the self consistent method is extended to an impurity atom at the chain end. The existence of bonding and antibonding surface states is found to depend on both the bulk and impurity parameters, such as the intraatomic Coulomb repulsion U_α and the nearest neighbour hopping element T.     

Quantum size effects in the fermi energy and electronic density of states in a finite square well thin film model

The dependence of the Fermi energy, E_F, and the electronic density of states, ρ(E), of thin metallic films (L_z ≲ 50 Å) on film thickness, electron density, and potential well depth, is systematically investigated in a free-electron, finite square well model. Two size-dependent effects are observed: (1) oscillations in E_F and ρ(E) due to the size-quantization of the energy levels, and (2) changes in the mean values of these quantities, averaged over several oscillation periods, relative to their bulk values. The mean value of E_F is increased relative to its bulk value by as much as 5%–10% for physically reasonable well depths and typical metallic electron densities. For the special case in which the top energy level in the well is occupied, the mean value of E_F is equal to its bulk value. The mean value ofρ(E_F) can be either greater than or less than its bulk value, depending on the well depth. In contrast to the small amplitude oscillations in E_F, the oscillations in ρ(E_F) may have an amplitude as large as 25% of the mean value for sufficiently thin films. Accurate analytic expressions for the thickness dependence of the Fermi energy and density of states are derived.     

The valence electronic structure of conducting pyrrole polymers: Evidence against a linear metallic chain picture

A UPS study of various conducting polypyrrole films is presented. Most of the valence band features can be explained by states derived from the orbitals of the pyrrole monomer and the associated anion molecules. In close vicinity of the Fermi energy, a density of states is observed which decreases linearly towards E_F. The corresponding states are introduced by oligomer formation. The π-electronic density at E_F is reduced by at least two orders of magnitude compared to ordinary sp-metals. The UPS spectra are consistent with short conjugation lengths and large amounts of disorder, but the corresponding defect states can not directly be observed.     

Composition formulae of ideal metallic glasses and their relevant eutectics established by a cluster-resonance model

Composition formulae for ideal metallic glasses are explored by combining the cluster-plus-glue-atom model with the global resonance model, termed the cluster-resonance model for short. The former model gives the [cluster]₁(glue atom) _x cluster formulae, stressing the local cluster order of a glassy structure; the latter model extends the local cluster order to a medium-range one by introducing spherical periodicity that relates the cluster size with Fermi vector, k _F. Such a correlation allows the calculation of Fermi energy, E _F, and electrochemical potential of electrons of the system from any local clusters. The cluster-resonance model also implies the equilibrium of the electrochemical potentials of electrons between different clusters so that the number of glue atoms matching one cluster (x in the cluster formula) can be determined. Examples in the Cu–Zr–Al and B–Co–Si–Ta systems are given to show the effectiveness of the proposed model and the resulting cluster formulae in interpreting multicomponent metallic-glass compositions as well as their relevant binary eutectic points.     

A comparative study of a Heusler alloy Co2FeGe using LSDA and LSDA+U

We have calculated the on-site Coulomb repulsion (U) for the transition elements Co and Fe. To study the impact of Hubbard potential or on-site Coulomb repulsion (U) on structural and electronic properties the calculated values of U were added on GGA and LSDA. We performed the structure optimization of Co₂FeGe based on the generalized gradient approximation (GGA and GGA+U). The calculation of electronic structure was based on the full potential linear augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) method and local spin density approximation (LSDA) as well as exchange correlation LSDA+U. The Heusler alloy Co₂FeGe fails to give the half-metallic ferromagnetism (HMF) when treated with LSDA. The LSDA+U gives a good result to prove that Co₂FeGe is a HMF with a large gap of 1.10 eV and the Fermi energy (E_F) lies at the middle of the gap of minority spin. The calculated density of states (DOS) and band structure show that Co₂FeGe is a HMF when treated with LSDA+U.     

Pb-Mg-Al合金腐蚀机理的电子理论研究

为了了解Pb-Mg-Al合金腐蚀的物理本质, 本文采用基于第一性原理的赝势平面波方法系统地计算了Pb-Mg-Al合金中各物相的结合能、费米能级和局域态密度等电子结构参数, 分析了合金的电化学腐蚀机理. 计算结果表明：Pb-Mg-Al合金中各主要组成物相稳定性大小关系为 Mg₁₇Al₁₂>Mg₂Pb>Mg;Mg,Mg₂Pb和Mg₁₇Al₁₂的费米能级存在E_f(Mg)>E_f(Mg₂Pb)>E_f(Mg₁₇Al₁₂)的关系, 说明Mg最容易失去电子, Mg₂Pb次之, Mg₁₇Al₁₂最难;局域态密度表明, 在同样的外界条件下, 体系中Mg相和Mg₂Pb相对于Mg₁₇Al₁₂均处于不稳定的状态, 容易失去电子, 即容易发生腐蚀. Pb-Mg-Al合金体系中不同物相的费米能级差构成了电化学腐蚀的电动势, 导致电子从费米能级高的Mg相和Mg₂Pb相流向费米能级低的Mg₁₇Al₁₂相, 使Pb-Mg-Al合金发生腐蚀.     

Resonant photoemission study ofK-derived valence-band states in K X C60

The electronic structure of K-doped C₆₀ was investigated by photoemission (PE) and X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) studies at the C-1s and K-2p thresholds. In addition, information on the local K-derived partial density of states in superconducting K₃C₆₀ was obtained by resonant PE at the K-2p _1/2 threshold. The experimental observations support a complete charge transfer from K to C₆₀ and we clearly observe a finite density of states atE _F . From resonant PE, occupied states with K-p, d character could be identified in the binding-energy region from 1.5 to 8 eV below, but not directly at the Fermi level. This partial-density-of-states structure agrees well with the results of our band-structure calculations based on the local-density approximation.     

Electronic structure of La2CuO4

The electronic band structure of La₂CuO₄ is performed using self-consistent linear muffin-tin orbital method. The 17 band complex is found to arise mainly from the overlap between Cu-3d and O-2p wavefunctions. The calculated density of states at the Fermi energy (N E _F), the conduction band-width and the electronic specific heat coefficient are given.     

Electronic structure of half-metallic ferromagnet Co<Subscript>2</Subscript>MnSi at high-pressure

In this study, first principles calculation results of the half-metallic ferromagnetic Heusler compound Co₂MnSi are presented. All calculations are based on the spin-polarized generalized gradient approximation (σ-GGA) of the density functional theory and ultrasoft pseudopotentials with plane wave basis. Electronic structure of related compound in cubic L2₁ structure is investigated up to 95 GPa uniform hydrostatic pressure. The half-metal to metal transition was observed around ~70 GPa together with downward shift of the conduction band minimum (CBM) and a linear increase of direct band gap of minority spins at Γ-point with increasing pressure. The electronic density of states of minority spins at Fermi level, which are mainly due to the cobalt atoms, become remarkable with increasing pressure resulting a sharp decrease in spin polarization ratio. It can be stated that the pressure affects minority spin states rather than that of majority spins and lead to a slight reconstruction of minority spin states which lie below the Fermi level. In particular, energy band gap of minority spin states in equilibrium structure is obviously not destroyed, but the Fermi level is shifted outside the gap.     

On the influence of a square-root van Hove singularity on the critical temperature of high-T c superconductors

It is shown that the square-root van Hove singularity appearing in the density of states ν (E _F )∼(E _F −E ₀)^−1/2 as a result of extended saddle-point singularities in the electron spectrum of high-T _c superconductors based on hole-type cuprate metal-oxide compounds gives a nonmonotonic dependence of the critical temperature T _c on the position of the Fermi level E _F relative to the bottom E ₀ of the saddle. Because the divergence of ν(E _F ) is canceled in the electron-electron interaction constant renormalized by strong-coupling effects, T _c approaches zero as E _F →E ₀, in contrast to the weak-coupling approximation, where in this limit T _c approaches a finite (close to maximum) value. The dependence obtained for T _c as a function of the doped hole density in the strong-coupling approximation agrees qualitatively with the experimental data for overdoped cuprate metal oxides. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 67, No. 7, 473–477 (10 April 1998)     

First-principles study on the electronic structures of iron phthalocyanine monolayer

The electronic band structure and magnetic properties of iron phthalocyanine (FePc) monolayer were investigated by using the first-principles all-electron full-potential linearized augmented plane wave energy band method. It is found that the ferromagnetic FePc monolayer is energetically more stable than the paramagnetic one. The exchange interaction, which splits the majority and minority bands, influences strongly on the electronic structure near the Fermi level (E_F). Magnetic moment of the central Fe atom is calculated to 1.95 μ_B. The range of the positive polarization of Fe site is larger in the out-of-plane than in the in-plane direction. The FePc ligand remains paramagnetic. The presence of states at E_F indicates the metallic character of FePc monolayer both for the paramagnetic and ferromagnetic states. However, the large density of states at E_F of the majority spins in the ferromagnetic state is expected to cause a phase transition to insulating antiferromagnetic state from the metallic ferromagnetic one.     

Influence of the boundary conditions on the fermi energy and density of states in a free-electron solid of sub-micron dimensions

Asymptotic expressions for the distribution of the eigenvalues of the Helmholtz-Schrödinger equation are used to anlyze the dependence of the Fermi energy, E_F, and the density of states, ρ(E), on sample size, shape, and electron density, in a free-electron model with Dirichlet boundary conditions. It is found that for very small samples E_F is increased relative to its asymptotic (i.e., bulk) value and ρ(E) is decreased relative to its bulk value. These effects are more pronounced for samples with low electron density and with a large surface-to-volume ratio. In general E_F and ρ(E_F) deviate significantly from their bulk values only for systems with fewer than 50,000 electrons and/or with linear dimensions of 100 Å or less. The use of smoothing functions to represent the density of states obtained from the exact eigenvalue distribution is also discussed. It is shown that an oscillating density of states leads to small cusps in the plot of E_F as a function of sample size. This is in qualitative agreement with the results of experiments on size-dependent oscillations in field emission from thin metallic films. Comparison is also made between photoemission experiments from thin films and other results obtained in this study.     

Polarons in alkaline-earth-like atoms with multiple background Fermi surfaces

We study the impurity problem in a Fermi gas of ¹⁷³Yb atoms near an orbital Feshbach resonance (OFR), where a single moving particle in the ³P₀ state interacts with two background Fermi seas of particles in different nuclear states of the ground ¹S₀ manifold. By employing wave function ansatz to molecule and polaron states, we investigate various properties of the molecule, the attractive polaron, and the repulsive polaron states. In comparison to the case where only one Fermi sea is populated, we find that the presence of an additional Fermi sea acts as an energy shift between the two channels of the OFR. In addition, quantum fluctuations near the Fermi level can also induce sizable effects to various properties of the attractive and repulsive polarons.     

Electronic structure and anomalous photoemission line-shape of quasi-2D oxide η-Mo4O11

The η-Mo₄O₁₁ compound is a layered two-dimensional (2D) metallic system whose reduced dimensionality originates non-linear properties as charge density wave (CDW) instabilities. We report on synchrotron radiation angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) measurements in order to obtain a detailed picture of the electronic structure of this material. The symmetry of the states near the Fermi level (E_F) has been discussed in relation to the photoemission symmetry selections rules. Our results are in excellent agreement with previous tight-binding calculations and support the hidden nesting concept proposed to explain the CDW instabilities exhibited by this family of compounds. In addition, a very peculiar photoemission line-shape has been found with the presence of localized non-dispersive states. Some possible explanations are discussed.