First-principles study of Cu2ZnSnS4 and the related band offsets for photovoltaic applications

First-principles calculations of the band offsets between Cu(2)ZnSnS(4) (CZTS) and XS (X = Cd, Zn) are performed. While the interface dipole contribution for the band offsets is calculated using the Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof functional, the Heyd-Scuseria-Ernzerhof hybrid functional is employed to introduce the quasiparticle corrections to the band offsets. The calculated conduction band offset between CZTS and CdS is 0.2 eV, validating CdS for the buffer layer of the CZTS solar cell. The small conduction band offset stems from the band gap narrowing of CdS under the interface strain caused by the lattice misfit with CZTS. A large valence band offset over 0.9 eV between CZTS and ZnS indicates that precipitated ZnS is regarded as an inactive insulator phase in CZTS absorbers.     

E center in silicon has a donor level in the band gap

It has been an accepted fact for more than 40 years that the E center in Si (the group-V impurity--vacancy pair)--one of the most studied defects in semiconductors--has only one energy level in the band gap: namely, the acceptor level at about 0.45 eV below the conduction band. We now demonstrate that it has a second level, situated in the lower half of the band gap at 0.27 eV above the valence band. The existence of this level, having a donor character, is disclosed by a combination of different transient-capacitance techniques and electronic-structure calculations. The finding seriously questions some diffusion-modeling approaches performed in the past.     

Bulk band gaps in divalent hexaborides

Complementary angle-resolved photoemission and bulk-sensitive k-resolved resonant inelastic x-ray scattering of divalent hexaborides reveal a >1 eV X-point gap between the valence and conduction bands, in contradiction to the band overlap assumed in several models of their novel ferromagnetism. This semiconducting gap implies that carriers detected in transport measurements arise from defects, and the measured location of the bulk Fermi level at the bottom of the conduction band implicates boron vacancies as the origin of the excess electrons. The measured band structure and X-point gap in CaB6 additionally provide a stringent test case for many-body quasiparticle band calculations.     

Intrinsic electron accumulation at clean InN surfaces

The electronic structure of clean InN(0001) surfaces has been investigated by high-resolution electron-energy-loss spectroscopy of the conduction band electron plasmon excitations. An intrinsic surface electron accumulation layer is found to exist and is explained in terms of a particularly low Gamma-point conduction band minimum in wurtzite InN. As a result, surface Fermi level pinning high in the conduction band in the vicinity of the Gamma point, but near the average midgap energy, produces charged donor-type surface states with associated downward band bending. Semiclassical dielectric theory simulations of the energy-loss spectra and charge-profile calculations indicate a surface state density of 2.5 (+/-0.2)x10(13) cm(-2) and a surface Fermi level of 1.64+/-0.10 eV above the valence band maximum.     

锐钛矿二氧化钛体相缺陷的准粒子能带结构

Quasiparticle band structures of the defective anatase TiO₂ bulk with O vacancy, Ti interstitial and H interstitial are investigated by the GW method within many-body Green''s function theory. The computed direct band gap of the perfect anatase bulk is 4.3 eV, far larger than the experimental optical absorption edge (3.2 eV). We found that this can be ascribed to the inherent defects in anatase which drag the conduction band (CB) edge down. The occupied band-gap states induced by these defects locate close to the CB edge, excluding the possible contribution of these bulk defects to the deep band-gap state below CB as observed in experiments.     

First principle calculation of accurate native defect levels in CaF<Subscript>2</Subscript>

We report on the first principle density functional calculation of the charge transition levels of native defects (vacancies and interstitials) in CaF₂ structure. The transition level was defined as the Fermi level where two charge states of given defect have the same formation energy. The common error in the band gap inherited to semiclocal density functional has been accounted for by incorporating the hybrid density functional method, leading to correct placement of the transition levels within the band gap. The band gap size from hybrid calculation has been validated using the full potential, Linearized Augmented Planewave method with the Modified-Becke-Johnson exchange potential. Prior to level calculations, we ensured that an agreement between the formation energies from small (95–97 atoms) and large (323–325 atoms) supercells was achieved after applying the Makov-Payne correction method. Our calculated transition level for the anion vacancy was 2.97 eV below the conduction band, agreeing with the experimental optical absorption band at 3.3 eV associated with the electron transition from the ground state F-center to the conduction band in CaF₂.     

Conduction and valence band density of states of SnS2: Theory and experiment

The band structure of SnS₂ has been investigated over a wide energy range by pseudopotential band structure calculations and synchrotron radiation photoemission spectroscopy techniques. A good correspondence has been found between energy positions of the theoretical density of states features and structure in the constant initial state (CIS) and energy distribution curves (EDC's) for the conduction and the valence bands respectively. In the energy region between — 8 eV and 15 eV from the top of the valence band we observe four valence band and six conduction band peaks.     

Defect induced local moment in ZnO as a consequence of Stoner mechanism

We have examined the formation of a local moment by considering various defects in ZnO. The localization of the defect induced state is found to determine the presence/absence of a local moment. A lot of attention on the probable origin of magnetism in wide band gap oxides has focused on cation vacancies. Here we show that oxygen interstitial atoms give rise to a large magnetic moment which results in a spin polarization of both the conduction and valence bands, in addition to spin polarized gap states. A Stoner mechanism is invoked and the relevant Stoner parameters are determined to be 0.7 eV for an oxygen atom in the presence of an oxygen interstitial but reduced to 0.2 eV on oxygen in the presence of a Zn vacancy.     

First-Principles Study of Electronic Properties in PbS（1^-00） with Vacancy Defect

Electronic properties of both Pb and S vacancy defects in PbS（1^-00） have been studied using the first-principles density functional theory （DFT） calculations with the plane-wave pseudopotentials. It is found that the density of states （DOS） near the top of the valence band and the bottom of the conduction band is significantly modified by these defects. Our calculation indicates that in the case of S vacancy defects the Fermi energy shifts to the conduction band making it as an n-type PbS （donor）. However, in the case of Pb vacancy, because of the appreciable change of the DOS, the system acts as a p-type PbS （accepter）. In addition, the structural relaxation shows that the defect leads to outward relaxation of the nearest-neighbouring atoms and inward relaxation of the next-nearest neighbouring atoms.     

Surface states and negative electron affinity in polyethylene

First-principles calculations are used to investigate the electronic properties of the surfaces of polyethylene. The calculations support the experimental evidence of a negative electron affinity, with calculated values of -0.17 eV and -0.10 eV for surfaces with chains perpendicular and parallel to the surface normal, respectively. Both surfaces exhibit a surface state with binding energy -1.2 +/- 0.5 eV with respect to the bulk polyethylene conduction band minimum. Implications of these findings on spectroscopy, as well as on the transport and aging properties of polyethylene for high-voltage applications, are discussed.     

基于自洽GW方法的碳化硅准粒子能带结构计算

在多体微扰理论的框架下, 分别采用G₀W₀方法和准粒子自洽GW方法计算3C-SiC和2H-SiC的准粒子能级. 由一个平均Monkhorst-Pack网格点上的准粒子能级和准粒子波函数出发, 结合最局域Wannier函数插值, 得到3C-SiC和2H-SiC的自洽准粒子能带结构. 3C-SiC的价带顶在Γ点, 导带底在X点. DFT-LDA, G₀W₀和准粒子自洽GW给出的3C-SiC间接禁带宽度分别为 1.30 eV, 2.23 eV和2.88 eV. 2H-SiC价带顶在Γ 点, 导带底在K点. 采用DFT-LDA, G₀W₀和准粒子自洽GW方法得到的间接禁带宽度分别为2.12 eV, 3.12 eV和 3.75 eV. 计算基于赝势方法, 对于3C-SiC和2H-SiC的准粒子自洽GW计算给出的禁带宽度均比实验值略大.     

Änderungen der elektrischen Eigenschaften von n-InSb durch Temperaturbehandlung unterhalb 150 °C

Tempering between 0 and 150 °C leads to strong changes of the electrical properties of weakly doped n-InSb at 77 K. We observed reversible effects, which we explained by a change of neutral defects into acceptors with an energy level 60 meV below the conduction band. Furthermore, we found a superposed slow irreversible process, by which the reversible changes completely vanish and which is explained by diffusion of the defects to the surface of the samples. The diffusion energy is 1.6 eV. The activation energies are 1.25 eV for the generation of the acceptors and 0.6 eV for the reverse process.     

Evidence for suppressed screening on the surface of high temperature La(2-x)SrxCuO4 and Nd2(2-x)CexCuO4 superconductors

Hard x-ray photoemission spectroscopy (PES) of Cu core electronic states, with a probing depth of approximately 60 A, is used to show that the Zhang-Rice singlet feature is present in La2CuO4 but is absent in Nd2CuO4. Hole and electron doping in La(2-x)SrxCuO4 (LSCO) and Nd(2-x)CexCuO4 (NCCO) result in new well-screened features which are missing in soft x-ray PES. Impurity Anderson model calculations establish screening from doped states as its origin, which is strongly suppressed within 15 A of the surface. Complemented with x-ray absorption spectroscopy, the small chemical-potential shift in core levels (approximately 0.2 eV) are shown to be consistent with modifications of valence and conduction band states spanning the band gap (approximately 1 eV) upon hole and electron doping in LSCO and NCCO.     

Infrared modulated reflectance spectra of n and p type gallium antimonide and n type indium antimonide

We have observed the modulated reflectance spectra of n and p type GaSb at 300, 80, and 5 K from 0.56 to 2 eV. The modulated reflectance of intrinsic n type InSb was measured at 80 K from 0.2 to 2 eV. The “dry sandwich” vapor deposition technique was used to make the electroreflectance (ER) samples. The low-temperature spectrum of the undoped p type GaSb sample shows three peaks at the band edge that could be associated with transitions from the top of the valence band, the light (0.903 eV) and heavy (1.014eV) hole state Fermi levels to the conduction band. The energies of the observed peaks are in agreement with the Fermi level determination from Hall effect and Faraday rotation measurements. This modulation mechanism is based on band population effects. The ER signal of InSb under flatband condition at 80 K has five half oscillations at the direct band gap. The contribution of piezoelectric strain to ER is present since the dc bias required to achieve flatband condition is different at the band gap than at E₁. The ER signal corresponding to the direct gap energy E₀ and to the spin-orbit energy E₀ + Δ₀ was determined in the n and p type samples of GaSb at different temperatures. We have measured the intrinsic energy gap in GaSb at room temperature. E_g = 0.74 eV. The corresponding spin-orbit splitting was found to be Δ₀ = 0.733 ± 0.002 eV.     

Electronic band structure and Fermi surface of CaB6 studied by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy

We report high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) on CaB6. The band structure determined by ARPES shows a 1 eV energy gap at the X point between the valence and the conduction bands. We found a small electron pocket at the X point, whose carrier number is estimated to be (4-5) x 10(19) cm(-3), in good agreement with the Hall resistivity measurement with the same crystal. The experimental results are discussed in comparison with band structure calculations and theoretical models for the high-temperature ferromagnetism.     

热退火对Mn离子注入非故意掺杂GaN微结构、光学及磁学特性的影响

通过Mn离子注入非故意掺杂GaN外延层制备了GaN:Mn薄膜,并研究了退火温度对GaN:Mn薄膜的微结构、光学及磁学特性的影响.对不同退火温度处理后的GaN:Mn薄膜的拉曼谱测试显示,出现了由与离子注入相关的缺陷的局域振动(LV)和(Ga,Mn)N中Mn离子的LV引起的新的声子模.在GaN:Mn薄膜的光致发光谱中观察到位于2.16,2.53和2.92 eV处的三个新发光峰(带),其中位于2.16 eV处的新发光带不能排除来自Mn相关辐射复合的贡献.对GaN:Mn薄膜的霍尔测试显示,退火处理后样品表现出n型体材料特征.对GaN:Mn薄膜的振动样品磁强计测试显示,GaN:Mn薄膜具有室温铁磁性,其强弱受Mn相关杂质带中参与调节磁相互作用的空穴浓度的影响.     

Impact of Native Defects in the High Dielectric Constant Oxide HfSiO_4 on MOS Device Performance

Native defects in HfSiO_4 are investigated by first principles calculations.Transition levels of native defects can be accurately described by employing the nonlocal HSE06 hybrid functional.This methodology overcomes the band gap problem in traditional functionals.By band alignments among the Si,GaAs and HfSiO_4,we are able to determine the position of defect levels in Si and GaAs relative to the HfSiOi band gap.We evaluate the possibility of these defects acting as fixed charge.Native defects lead to the change of valence and conduction band offsets.Gate leakage current is evaluated by the band offset.In addition,we also investigate diffusions of native defects,and discuss how they affect the MOS device performance.     

Te掺杂单层MoS2的电子结构与光电性质

采用基于密度泛函理论的第一性原理计算,研究了Te掺杂对单层MoS₂能带结构、电子态密度和光电性质的影响。结果表明,本征单层MoS₂属于直接带隙半导体材料,其禁带宽度为1.64 eV。本征单层MoS₂的价带顶主要由S-3p态电子和Mo-4d态电子构成,而其导带底则主要由Mo-4d态电子和S-3p态电子共同决定;Te掺杂单层MoS₂为间接带隙半导体材料,其禁带宽度为1.47 eV。同时通过Te掺杂,使单层MoS₂的静态介电常数增大,禁带宽度变窄,吸收光谱产生红移,研究结果为单层MoS₂在光电器件方面的应用提供了理论基础。     

In掺杂ZnTe发光性能的第一性原理计算

利用基于密度泛函理论的第一性原理对In掺入ZnTe半导体后引入的各种缺陷进行了结构优化、 能带和态密度分析及转换能级的计算. 计算结果表明: 掺杂后体系中主要存在两种缺陷, 一种是In原子替换了Zn原子的置换型缺陷; 另一种是由In替换Zn后再与临近的Zn空位形成的复合缺陷. 二者分别在导带底下方0.26 eV和价带顶上方0.33 eV的位置形成各自的转换能级. 电子在这两个转换能级之间跃迁辐射出的能量大小与实验测量到的能量大小相符, 解释了原本发绿光的ZnTe在掺入In后发出近红外光的根本原因. 关键词： ZnTe 半导体掺杂 近红外光 第一性原理