Ab initio intermolecular potential energy surfaces for the Ar–NCCN van der Waals complexes

The intermolecular potential energy surface of complex pairing argon with cyanogen molecule (NCCN) was calculated using the coupled cluster with single and double and perturbative triple excitations (CCSD(T)) with aug-cc-pvdz basis set extended with a set of mid-bond (3s3p2d1f1g) functions. The interaction energies were calculated by the supermolecular approach with the full counterpoise correction for the basis set superposition error. The calculated potential energies were fitted to an analytical expression. The calculated Ar–NCCN potential energy surface shows a global minimum at 3.35 Å, the distance between argon and centre of mass of cyanogen, for the T-shaped geometry and two local minimum at distance of 5.54 Å for the linear geometry on one side of cyanogen. Finally, the interaction second virial coefficients were calculated using the fitted potential energy surface and were compared with those obtained by the parameters of the Beattie–Bridgeman equation of states of pure argon and cyanogens fluids, approximately.     

Ab initio intermolecular potential energy surface of Ne···NCCN van der Waals complex: effect of the place of midbond function on the interaction

The intermolecular potential energy surface of Ne···NCCN van der Waals complex was evaluated in the framework of the counterpoise-corrected supermolecular approach using CCSD(T) level and aug-cc-pVDZ basis set extended with a set of midbond (3s3p2d1f1g) functions. The effect of the place of midbond function on the accuracy of the calculated potential energy surface was examined and the optimised position for placing midbond function was determined. The calculated potential energy surface was fitted by an analytical function. The analytical function of intermolecular potential energy surface of Ne···NCCN demonstrated a global minimum energy of ?12.024 meV related to the T-shape geometry at the distance between Ne and the centre of mass of NCCN of 3.28 Å. Finally, the interaction second virial coefficients (B₁₂) of Ne and NCCN were calculated and used to calculate the second virial coefficients for the mixture of neon and cyanogen gases at different mole fractions of Ne gas.     

Ab initio potential energy surface and intermolecular vibrational frequencies of C3–Ar complex

The intermolecular potential energy surfaces for C₃–Ar have been calculated by supermolecular CCSD(T) and MP4 methods. The MP4 and CCSD(T) potentials have similar global behaviours. Their global minima all correspond to the slightly distorted T-shaped geometries. From these two potentials, the intermolecular vibrational energies and wavefunctions were calculated. The energy level patterns of the vdW vibrational states were predicted for the C₃–Ar complex. The zero point bending motion of this complex has a range of approximately 60°. The calculated transition frequencies of vdW bending agree well with available experimental data.     

Ab initio study of the (2 × 2) phase of barium on graphene

We present a first-principles density functional theory study on the structural, electronic and dynamical properties of a novel barium doped graphene phase. Low energy electron diffraction of barium doped graphene presents clear evidence of (2 × 2) spots induced by barium adatoms with BaC₈ stoichiometry. First principles calculations reveals that the phase is thermodynamically stable but unstable to segregation towards the competitive BaC₆ monolayer phase. The calculation of phonon spectrum confirms the dynamical stability of the BaC₈ phase indicating its metastability, probably stabilized by doping and strain conditions due to the substrate. Barium induces a relevant doping of the graphene π states and new barium-derived hole Fermi surface at the M-point of the (2 × 2) Brillouin zone. In view of possible superconducting phase induced by foreign dopants in graphene, we studied the electron–phonon coupling of this novel (2 × 2) obtaining λ = 0.26, which excludes the stabilization of a superconducting phase.     

Ab initio study of surface electronic structure of phosphorus donor impurity on Ge(111)-(2×1) surface

We present the results of numerical modeling of the electronic properties of the Ge(111)-(2 × 1) surface in the vicinity of a P donor impurity atom near the surface. We have shown that, in spite of well-established bulk donor impurity energy level position at the very bottom of the conduction band, the surface donor impurity might produce an energy level below the Fermi energy, depending on impurity atom local environment. It has been demonstrated that the impurity located in subsurface atomic layers is visible in scanning tunneling microscopy experiment. The quasi-one-dimensional character of the impurity image observed in scanning tunneling microscopy experiments is confirmed by our computer simulations.     

Is the Ar—Br2(X1Σ+ g ) van der Waals complex linear rather than T-shaped? A study in terms of ab initio based potential energy surfaces

The ground state Ar—Br₂ potential energy surface is predicted from ab initio calculations and from an atom—atom model using empirical ArBr potentials and the (evaluated ab initio) perturbation of the interaction between Ar and Br within Br₂. At all levels of modelling, the surface has a double-minimum topology, with wells for both the linear (L-) and T-shaped geometries. This differs from the single-minimum topology predicted by the commonly used pairwise additive Lennard-Jones potential. For both ab initio and atom—atom model surfaces, the L well is found to be significantly deeper than the T well; this relative behaviour is unchanged by zero-point vibrations. Spectroscopic parameters are predicted for the present surfaces. The final surfaces result from a scaling to reproduce the estimated bond energy of the system. Possible reflections of the surface topology in experimental observables are discussed.     

Ab initio MRCI＋Q study on potential energy curves and spectroscopic parameters of low-lying electronic states of CS＋

Carbon monosulfide molecular ion （CS＋）, which plays an important role in various research fields, has long been attracting much interest. Because of the unstable and transient nature of CS＋, its electronic states have not been well investigated. In this paper, the electronic states of CS＋ are studied by employing the internally contracted multireference configuration interaction method, and taking into account relativistic effects （scalar plus spin–orbit coupling）. The spin–orbit coupling effects are considered via the state-interacting method with the full Breit–Pauli Hamiltonian. The potential energy curves of 18 Λ–S states correlated with the two lowest dissociation limits of CS＋ molecular ion are calculated, and those of 10 lowest Ω states generated from the 6 lowest Λ–S states are also worked out. The spectroscopic constants of the bound states are evaluated, and they are in good agreement with available experimental results and theoretical values. With the aid of analysis of Λ–S composition of Ω states at different bond lengths, the avoided crossing phenomena in the electronic states of CS＋ are illuminated. Finally, the single ionization spectra of CS （X1Σ＋） populating the CS＋（X2Σ1/2＋, A2Π3/2, A2Π1/2, and B2Σ1/2＋） states are simulated. The vertical ionization potentials for X2Σ1/2＋, A2Π3/2, A2Π1/2, and B2Σ1/2＋ states are calculated to be 11.257, 12.787, 12.827, and 15.860 eV, respectively, which are accurate compared with previous experimental results, within an error margin of 0.08 eV~0.2 eV.     

Accurate ground-state potential energy surfaces of the C2H2–Kr and C2H2–Xe van der Waals complexes

Accurate ab initio intermolecular potential energy surfaces (IPES) have been obtained for the first time for the ground electronic state of the C₂H₂–Kr and C₂H₂–Xe van der Waals complexes. Extensive tests, including complete basis set and all-electron scalar relativistic results, support their calculation at the CCSD(T) level of theory, using small-core relativistic pseudopotentials for the rare-gas atoms and aug-cc-pVQZ basis sets extended with a set of 3s3p2d1f1g mid-bond functions. All results are corrected for the basis set superposition error. The importance of the scalar relativistic and rare-gas outer-core (n–1)d correlation effects is investigated. The calculated IPES, adjusted to analytical functions, are characterized by global minima corresponding to skew T-shaped geometries, in which the Jacobi vector positioning the rare-gas atom with respect to the center of mass of the C₂H₂ moiety corresponds to distances of 4.064 and 4.229?Å, and angles of 65.22° and 68.67° for C₂H₂–Kr and C₂H₂–Xe, respectively. The interaction energy of both complexes is estimated to be ?151.88 (1.817?kJ?mol^?1) and ?182.76?cm^?1 (2.186?kJ?mol^?1), respectively. The evolution of the topology of the IPES as a function of the rare-gas atom, from He to Xe, is also discussed.     

Ab initio configuration interaction study on the electronic structure of the X2Σ+, B2Σ+ and 32Σ+ states of SiO+

The energy levels and electronic structure of the X²Σ⁺, B²Σ⁺ and 3²Σ⁺ states of SiO⁺ are studied using ab initio configuration interaction (CI) calculations at and around their equilibrium internuclear distances R _e. Spectroscopic constants and the vertical excitation energy from the SiO⁺ X²Σ⁺ state are predicted for the 3²Σ⁺ state. Based on the calculated CI wavefunctions, avoided crossings of the potential energy curve for the 3²Σ⁺ state and a near-degeneracy effect in the avoided crossing region are examined. The effects of the mixing of excited configuration state functions in the total electronic wavefunctions for the 1–3 ²Σ⁺ states are investigated by analysing correlation energies in terms of the contributions from classes of excited configurations. The importance of both the near-degeneracy effect and the correlation energy effect in describing correctly the electronic structure of the 3 ²Σ⁺ state in the neighbourhood of its R _e is discussed.     

Rovibrational spectra of the Ar–D2O and Kr–D2O van der Waals complexes in the v2 bend region of D2O

Rovibrational spectra of Ar–D₂O and Kr–D₂O complexes are measured in the v₂ bend region of D₂O monomer using a tunable mid-infrared diode laser spectrometer. One para and two ortho bands for both complexes are identified and then analyzed in terms of a nearly free internal rotor model. Molecular constants for the excited vibrational states, including band-origin, rotational and centrifugal distortion constants, and Coriolis coupling constant, are determined accurately. A comparison of the observed band-origins of Ar–D₂O and Kr–D₂O with the previous results of Ne–D₂O shows regular trends of shift from Kr–D₂O to Ne–D₂O.     

The dependence of interfacial properties on the layer number in 1T′/2H-MoS2 van der Waals heterostructures

Metallic 1T′-MoS₂ monolayers are predicted to be efficient hole injection contacts for nanoelectronic devices composed of 2H-MoS₂ monolayers. The layer number can affect the physical properties of two-dimensional materials. In this paper, the dependence of the interfacial properties of 1T′/2H-MoS₂ van der Waals (vdW) heterojunctions on the layer number was studied using density functional theory. The calculation results show that 1T′-MoS₂ forms p-type contacts with 2H-MoS₂, and the p-type Schottky barrier height (SBH) is between -75 and 30 meV and depends on the number of 1T′-/2H-MoS₂ layers. Thus, the efficiency of 1T′-MoS₂ as a hole injection contact for 2H-MoS₂ can be tuned by the layer number. This work provides a method for tuning the contact-resistance in nanodevices composed of 2H-MoS₂.     

Elasticity of the B2 phase and the effect of the B1–B2 phase transition on the elasticity of MgO

A study of the high-pressure anisotropy of MgO was conducted using first-principles calculations based on density functional theory within the generalized gradient approximations. The pressure dependence of the elastic stiffness coefficients and the anisotropy parameters, in both B1 and B2 phases, shows that for high-hydrostatic compression the easiest deformation is the shear along (100) plane and the the material's response to deformation and to shearing strains is quite the same. According to the calculations of the velocities of propagation of elastic waves, we deduced that MgO develop an elastic anisotropy, especially, in the B1 phase. We present the B2 phase elastic properties which are not already studied under high pressure.     

Ab initio study on the formation of chemically ordered Zr2Al phase by coupled replacive–displacive transformation

We performed plane wave-based first principles calculations using the projector augmented wave (PAW) potential under the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) within the density functional theory to study the formation of ordered omega (B8₂-structured) Zr₂Al phase in β-Zr₃Al alloy. The transformation involves both replacive and displacive processes. We investigated two possible paths for the transformation where steps involving replacive (diffusive) and displacive processes occur in succession with their sequence of occurrence being different in the two paths. From this study, it was possible to show that the initial chemical ordering facilitates the displacive process leading to the transformation. It was also possible to correlate instability with respect to omega-type displacements in Zr₂Al alloy with the number of Zr–Al bonds present in the unit cell. Electronic structure analysis indicated that stronger Zr–Al bonding plays an important role in the formation of chemically ordered omega phase.     

Infrared diode laser spectroscopy of the Kr–N2O van der Waals complex: the v 1 symmetric stretch region of N2O

The rovibrational spectra of four isotopomers of the Kr–N₂O van der Waals complex, namely ⁸²Kr–N₂O, ⁸³Kr–N₂O, ⁸⁴Kr–N₂O and ⁸⁶Kr–N₂O, were measured in the v ₁ vibrational band region of the N₂O monomer (～1285?cm^?1) using a tunable diode laser spectrometer to probe a pulsed supersonic slit jet. Rotational constants for both ground and excited vibrational states of these four isotopomers were accurately determined. The band-origin of Kr–N₂O was observed to shift by +0.1065?cm^?1 from that of the monomer. The band-origin shifts of Rg–N₂O (Rg?=?Ne, Ar, Kr) in the v ₁ vibrational band region could also be well explained by the model based on a Buckingham intermolecular potential [W.A. Herrebout, H.-B. Qian, H. Yamaguchi and B.J. Howard, J. Mol. Spectrosc. 189, 235 (1998)]. But the band-origin shift of He–N₂O was found to deviate significantly from this model. The possible reason is discussed and the band-origin shift of Xe–N₂O predicted.     

A new four-dimensional ab initio potential energy surface and predicted infrared spectra for the Ne–CS2 complex

A new four-dimensional (4D) ab initio potential energy surface (PES) for Ne–CS₂ involving the Q₁ and Q₃ normal modes for the ν₁ symmetric stretching vibration and ν₃ antisymmetric stretching vibration of CS₂ is presented. The PES is constructed at the coupled-cluster singles and doubles with noniterative inclusion of connected triples [CCSD(T)]-F12 level with a large basis set including midpoint bond functions. Two vibrationally averaged potentials with CS₂ at the vibrational ground and ν₁ + ν₃ excited states are generated from the 4D potential. Each potential contains a T-shaped global minimum and two equivalent linear local minima. The rovibrational energy levels and bound states are calculated employing radial discrete variable representation/angular finite basis representation and the Lanczos algorithm. In addition, the predicted band origin shift is 0.2514 cm^?1 for Ne–CS₂. The spectroscopic parameters are also predicted.     

Role of Stone–Wales defects on the functionalization of (8,0) single wall carbon nanotubes by the amine group: Ab initio study

Using first-principle calculations, we have investigated the chemical functionalization of (8,0) zigzag single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) by the amine group on Stone–Wales (SW) defects. The binding of NH₂ with the defective (8,0) nanotube was explored and the preferential grafting sites have been identified. On the other hand, the modifications induced by SW defect and functional groups in the structural and electronic properties of (8,0) SWNT have also been investigated. The role of SW defects in the chemical reactivity of carbon nanotubes was well identified.     

A comment on “Ab initio study: the potential energy curves and ro-vibrational spectrum of low-lying excited states of HCl+ cation”

Since the ²Π state in HCl⁺ is an inverted doublet, the energy of the ²Π_1/2 state is higher than the ²Π_3/2. Therefore, the larger value of intensity correspond to the transition of ²Π_3/2. We calculated the Einstein A coefficients and radiation lifetimes for the A²Σ⁺-X²Π transition. Our results are in good agreement with the experimental data and theoretical values. Then the ro-vibrational line intensities of the 1-0 band were calculated for the ²Π_3/2 and ²Π_1/2 states of HCl⁺. Employing the RKR potential, the predicted band origins for Δν=1-0 are 2569.3 and 2568.55 cm-1 for ²Π_3/2 and ²Π_1/2, respectively.     

Ab initio study on the ground states,phase stability,and mechanical properties of the Au–Pt system

For the equilibrium immiscible Au–Pt system, ground states are studied based on the results of the cluster expansion method combined with ab initio calculations. The obtained results show that there is no stable phase for the Au–Pt system at 0 K. The further obtained enthalpies of formation for hypothetical crystalline L1₂, D0₁₉, D0₃ structured Au₃Pt and AuPt₃, as well as L1₀ structured AuPt compounds also have positive values. Moreover, elastic constants are predicted from ab initio for the first time for the metastable L1₂ Au₃Pt, AuPt₃ and L1₀ AuPt compound. Finally, there is an imaginary phonon appearing in the obtained phonon spectra, implying an internal instability of the positions of the nuclear coordinates of the L1₂Au₃Pt compound.