First principles lattice dynamical calculation of semiboride Be2B and its ternary alloys XBeB (X=Na, Mg, Al)

We present results of first principles total energy calculations of the structure, electronic and lattice dynamics for beryllium semiboride and its three ternary alloys using generalized gradient and local density approximations under the framework of density functional theory. The generalized gradient approximation is used for all compounds except MgBeB using the Perdew-Burke-Ernzehorf exchange correlation functional while local density approximations use the Perdew-Zunger ultrasoft exchange correlation functional. The calculated ground state structural parameters are in good agreement with those of experimental and previous theoretical studies. The electronic band structure calculations show that Be₂B may transform to a semiconductor after Al substitution. A linear response approach to density functional theory is used to calculate phonon dispersion curves and vibrational density of states. The phonon dispersion curves of Be₂B and AlBeB are positive indicating a dynamical stablility of the structure for these compounds. The phonon dispersion curves of NaBeB and MgBeB show the imaginary phonons throughout the Brillouin zone, which confirms dynamical instability as indicated in band structures for these alloys. We also present the partial phonon density of states for different species of Be₂B and AlBeB to bring out the details of the participation of different atoms in the total phonon density of state, particularly the role played by Al atom. The first time calculated phonon properties are clearly able to bring out the significant effect of isoelectronic substitution in Be₂B.     

Structural, vibrational and thermodynamic properties of Mg2 FeH6 complex hydride

Mg₂FeH₆, which has one of the highest hydrogen storage capacities among Mg based 3d-transitional metal hydrides, is considered as an attractive material for hydrogen storage. Within density-functional perturbation theory (DFPT), we have investigated the structural, vibrational and thermodynamic properties of Mg₂FeH₆. The band structure calculation shows that this compound is a semiconductor with a direct X-X energy gap of 1.96 eV. The calculated phonon frequencies for the Raman-active and the infrared-active modes are assigned. The phonon dispersion curves together with the corresponding phonon density of states and longitudinal-transverse optical (LO-TO) splitting are also calculated. Findings are also presented for the temperature-dependent behaviors of some thermodynamic properties such as free energy, internal energy, entropy and heat capacity within the quasi-harmonic approximation based on the calculated phonon density of states.     

LiNH2 的晶格动力学、介电性质和热力学性质第一性原理研究

采用基于密度泛函理论的平面波赝势方法,在局域密度近似下采用线性响应的密度泛函微扰理论计算了LiNH₂的晶格动力学、介电性质和热力学性质,得到了布里渊区高对称方向上的声子色散曲线和相应的声子态密度,分析了 LiNH₂的红外和拉曼活性声子频率,同时给出它的介电张量和玻恩有效电荷张量. 研究表明,LiNH₂存在小的各向异性,计算所得结果与实验值和其他理论值符合较好.最后,利用得到的声子态密度进一步预测了LiNH₂的热力学性质 关键词： 密度泛函理论 晶格动力学 热力学性质 第一性原理计算     

Theoretical study of structural energy, phonon spectra, and elastic constants of Rh and Ir

The transition metal pair potential (TMPP) is used to study band structure energy of Rh and Ir. Both metals are found to be most stable in fcc structure down to atomic volume 0.5V ₀. The pressure at 0.5V ₀ is found to be 5.235 Mbar and 9.216 Mbar in Rh and Ir, respectively. The TMPP is also used to study other properties of these metals like cohesive energy, phonon frequencies at observed volume. The bulk moduli and elastic constants of these metals at observed volume are calculated by including the volume contribution.     

Electronic and pressure dependent vibrational properties of silicide Sr(Ni0.5Si0.5)2

We report a detailed ab initio study of the structural, electronic, and volume dependent elastic and lattice dynamical properties of Sr(Ni_0.5Si_0.5)₂. The calculations have been carried out within the local density functional approximation using norm-conserving pseudopotentials and a plane-wave basis. The phonon dispersion curves along the high-symmetry directions and phonon frequencies with their Grüneisen parameters at the Brillouin zone center are computed by using density functional perturbation theory while the elastic constants are calculated in metric-tensor formulation. The band structure, and partial densities of states and Fermi surface topology are also discussed.     

Ag Raman modes of RBCO (R = Gd, Pr) by density functional theory approach

Ab initio total energy calculations have been performed for superconducting GdBa₂Cu₃O₇ and insulating PrBa₂Cu₃O₇ using the full-potential linear augmented plane-wave method in the local density approximation (LDA) and generalized gradient approximation (GGA). The comparison of the calculated unit cell volume and lattice parameters with the experimental data indicates the improvement of these parameters in the GGA relative to LDA. LDA and GGA give the equilibrium unit cell volume about 6% smaller and 1.25% larger than the experimental data, respectively for both systems. Thus frozen phonon calculations have been performed to determine the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the k=0 A_g modes of the two systems in equilibrium structure have been obtained in GGA. The calculated frequencies in the GGA are in good agreement with the other LDA calculations for similar systems. Comparison of computational data with experimental data indicates that calculations determine the frequencies about ten percent below the experimental data. Even by improving LDA to GGA in these calculations, the calculated phonon frequencies have remained almost ten percent below the experimental data, even though the calculated unit cell volumes are nearly equal to the experimental data. So, applying GGA has not considerably decreased the difference between the computational and experimental data. The effect of Pr doping on the eigenvalues and eigenvectors have also been investigated.     

Structural and phonon dynamical properties of perovskite manganites: (Tb, Dy, Ho)MnO3

A shell model has been used to study the structure, phonon dynamics and phase coexistence of perovskite manganites RMnO₃ (R=Tb, Dy, Ho). The calculated crystal structure, Raman and IR frequencies and specific heats are found to be in good agreement with the available experimental data. The phonon density of states, elastic constants, elastic stiffness, shear constants and phonon dispersion curves have been computed for these manganites. A zone center imaginary A_u mode is revealed in these phonon dispersion curves, which indicates the occurrence of the metastability of the perovskite phase. The Gibbs free energy values calculated as a function of temperature and pressure for RMnO₃ in the orthorhombic phase, when compared with those of the hexagonal phase, reveal the possibility of coexistence of these two phases in the present multiferroic manganites under ambient conditions.     

Phonon dispersion and dielectric behaviour of mixed alkali halide crystal NaCl0.5Br0.5

In the present paper we have calculated the phonon dispersion curves and dielectric constants, their volume derivatives and the Gruneisen parameters of the mixed alkali halide NaCl_0.5Br_0.5, using the extended three body force shell model. The results of dielectric constants, their volume derivatives and Gruneisen parameters are found to agree reasonably well with the experimental values, which establishes the validity of the three body charge transfer parameter. With this concept the phonon dispersion curves are obtained in all the three symmetry directions (q,o,o), (q,q,o) and (q,q,q), which will be of interest for experimental workers, since no experimental values have so far been obtained for phonon frequencies.     

Molecular dynamics calculations of anharmonic properties of the vibrational spectrum of BCC zirconium under pressure

The structural stability and lattice dynamics of the high-pressure bcc phase of Zr at a constant temperature T = 500 K are studied for various volumes using molecular dynamics simulation with the Animalu pair pseudopotential. Dispersion curves of the vibrational spectrum calculated by the molecular dynamics method for various volumes are compared to the phonon spectrum obtained in the harmonic approximation. It is demonstrated that, as the volume decreases, all frequencies of the vibrational spectrum increase gradually and bcc zirconium remains strongly anharmonic along all high-symmetry directions of the Brillouin zone over the entire range of volumes studied. The strongly anharmonic N _T1 phonon is significantly softened near the point of structural instability of bcc-Zr at T = 500 K and V = 0.87V ₀. As the volume decreases to V = 0.73V ₀ under pressure, the anharmonic corrections for this phonon decrease by almost an order of magnitude and the phonons near the H point of the Brillouin zone become anharmonic. The damping of the T ₁ phonon mode along the [110] direction is calculated as a function of pressure.     

Structural, elastic, phonon, and electronic properties of MnPd alloy

The structural, elastic, phonon, and electronic properties of MnPd alloy have been investigated by using the first-principles calculations. The calculated lattice constants and electronic structure are in good agreement with the experimental results. The microscopic mechanism of the diffusionless martensitic transition from the paramagnetic B2 (PM-B2) phase to the antiferromagnetic L1₀ (AFM-L1₀) phase through the intermediate paramagnetic L1₀ (PM-L1₀) phase has been explored theoretically. The obtained negative shear modulus C′= (C₁₁-C₁₂)/2 of the PM-B2 phase is closely related to the instability of the cubic B2 phase with respect to the tetragonal distortions. The calculated phonon dispersions for PM-L1₀ and AFM-L1₀ phases indicate that they are dynamically stable. However, the AFM-L1₀ phase is energetically most favorable according to the calculated total energy order, so the PM-L1₀ !AFM-L1₀ transition is caused by the magnetism rather than the electron–phonon interaction. Additionally, the AFM-L1₀ state is stabilized through the formation of a pseudo gap located at the Fermi level. The calculated results show that the CuAu-I type structure in the collinear antiferromagnetic state is dynamically and mechanical stable, thus is the low temperature phase.     

First-principles study of structural,mechanical, lattice dynamical and thermal properties of nodal-line semimetals ZrXY (X=Si,Ge; Y=S,Se)

Abstract

The nodal-line semimetals are new and very promising materials for technological applications. To understand their structural, mechanical, lattice dynamical and thermal properties in detail, we have investigated theoretical study of ZrXY (X = Si,Ge; Y = S,Se) using Density Functional Theory for the first time. Obtained lattice parameters are in excellent agreement with previous experimental data. These nodal-line semimetals obey the mechanical stability conditions for tetragonal structure. We obtain Bulk modulus, Shear modulus, Poisson’s ratio, Pugh ratio, sound velocities and thermal conductivity using elastic constant. All the materials behave in brittle manner. Poisson’s ratio data and Bader charge analysis results indicate that the ionic bonding characters are dominant. Next, the lattice dynamical properties are calculated. Phonon density of states shows that nodal-line semimetals ZrXY are also dynamically stable in the tetragonal structure. Raman and IR active phonon modes are determined. Highest optical mode at gamma point corresponds to A_2u (IR active) and E_g (Raman active) modes for ZrXSe and ZrXS, respectively. Based on phonon density of states, thermal properties such as Helmholtz free energy, entropy, heat capacity at constant volume and Debye temperature are also presented and discussed.     

Ground state and lattice dynamical study of ionic conductors CaF2, SrF2 and BaF2 using density functional theory

The present paper reports a comprehensive and complementary study on structural, electronic and phonon properties of face centered cubic fluorites, namely CaF₂, BaF₂ and SrF₂, using first principles density functional calculations within the generalized gradient approximation. The calculated lattice constants and bulk modulus are in good agreement with available experimental data. The analysis of band structure and density of states confirms the ionic character for all the three fluorides. The phonon dispersion curves and corresponding phonon density of states obtained in the present work are consistent with the available experimental and other theoretical data. The LO-TO splitting is maximum for CaF₂, which confirms that the ionicity is maximum in the case of CaF₂. The phonon properties for SrF₂ have been calculated for the first time.     

Ab initio calculations of the stability and lattice dynamics of the MgSiO3 post-perovskite

Using the first-principles computations we have calculated phonon-dispersion relations and the phonon density of states for perovskite and post-perovskite phases of MgSiO₃. From them using the quasiharmonic approximation we have estimated the free energies, bulk modulus and volume expansion coefficients of both structures at various pressures and temperatures. Our calculations indicate that the thermal expansivity of MgSiO₃ changes very little across the phase transition. We have determined the P-T coexisting line of perovskite and post-perovskite phases.     

Electron-phonon coupling in intrinsic trans-polyacetylene

We consider a valence force field model for the phonon spectrum of (CH)_x and find that phonon coupling to extended π electron states must be included to describe the observed Raman active modes of the polymer. The calculated phonon spectra are shown to possess the zone center dispersion anomalies characteristic of a condensed Peierls ground state.     

Phonon renormalization and damping in a Heisenberg ferromagnet

A theoretical study of spin-phonon interaction in a Heisenberg ferromagnet is made on the basis of a Green function technique. We have calculated below and aboveT _c the renormalized phonon energy and the phonon damping for the first time beyond the RPA. The obtained temperature and magnetic field dependence of the phonon relaxation time is in good agreement with the experimental data.     

Far-infrared reflection spectra,TO- and LO-phonon frequencies,coupled and decoupled plasmon-phonon modes,dielectric constants,and effective dynamical charges of manganese,iron, and platinum group pyrite type compounds

The far-infrared reflection spectra of hot-pressed samples of the pyrites MX₂ with M = Mn, Fe, Ru, and Os and X = S, Se, and Te and PtY₂ with Y = P, As, and Sb are presented in the range from 40 to 700 cm^?1. The spectra show five reststrahlen bands and more or less free carrier contributions due to deviation from stoichiometry. The oscillator parameters ω_j, ρ_j, γ_j, ω_p, and γ_o, the transverse optical phonon frequencies ω_TO, and the coupled plasmon-phonon frequencies Ω₊ and Ω_? were calculated. The uncoupled longitudinal optical phonon frequencies ω_LO were determined from ?Im $\text{(}\text{1}\text{}\text{?}\text{ge}\text{)}$ of the plasmon-free phonon spectra calculated from the oscillator parameters, neglecting the free carrier contributions. The obtained effective ionic charges (Szigeti charges) reveal an increasing covalency of the pyrites in the order pnictides > chalcides and Fe > Ru > Os > Mn compounds. The phonon frequencies reflect the increasing bond strengths on going from 3d to 4d and 5d metal compounds, discussed in a former work (Phys. Chem. Miner.9, 109 (1983)). The true intensities of the phonon modes for using them with respect to lattice dynamical calculations are discussed.     

Lattice dynamics in the mixed valence compounds Sm(Y)S,CeSn3 and CePd3

Renormalized phonon energies of typical mixed valence compounds such as Sm(Y)S, CeSn₃ and CePd₃ are calculated. The renormalization is caused by the additional interaction of localized 4f electrons with phonons which can lead to drastic phonon anomalies. These anomalies are found to be completely different for the various systems under consideration.     

Tuning of phonon anharmonicity in pyrochlore titanates: temperature‐dependent Raman studies of Sm2Ti2‐xZrxO7 (x=0, 1/2, 3/4, and 2) and stuffed spin‐ice Ho2 + xTi2 − xO7 − x/2 (x=0, 1/3, and 2/3)

Anomalous temperature dependence of Raman phonon wavenumbers attributed to phonon–phonon anharmonic interactions has been studied in two different families of pyrochlore titanates. We bring out the role of the ionic size of titanium and the inherent vacancies of pyrochlore in these anomalies by studying the effect of replacement of Ti^{4 +} by Zr^{4 +} in Sm₂Ti₂O₇ and by stuffing Ho^{3 +} in place of Ti^{4 +} in Ho₂Ti₂O₇ with appropriate oxygen stoichiometry. Our results show that an increase in the concentration of the larger ion, i.e. Zr^{4 +} or Ho^{3 +}, reduces the phonon anomalies, thus implying a decrease in the phonon–phonon anharmonic interactions. In addition, we find signatures of coupling between a phonon and crystal field transition in Sm₂Ti₂O₇, manifested as an unusual increase in the phonon intensity with increasing temperature. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Inter- and intra-subband relaxation of hot electrons in GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells

In this work, we have studied the inter- and intra-subband scattering of hot electrons in quantum wells using the hot electron-neutral acceptor luminescence technique. We have observed direct evidence of the emission of confined optical phonons by hot electrons excited slightly above the n=2 subband in GaAs/Al_0.37Ga_0.63As quantum wells. Scattering rates of photoexcited electrons via inter- and intra-subband LO phonon emission were calculated based on the dielectric continuum model. We found that, for wide wells with the Al composition of our experiments, both the calculated and experimental results suggest that the scattering of the electrons is dominated by the confined LO phonon mode. In the calculations, scatterings among higher subbands are also dominated by the same type of phonon at well width of 10 nm.     

Peculiarities of the correlation functions, X-ray and neutron scattering in BaTiO3

Based on molecular-dynamics (MD) simulations, we have calculated the static and dynamic correlation functions in a BaTiO₃ crystal. The static correlation functions have been used to study the peculiarities of diffuse scattering in barium titanate showing the experimentally observed anomalous planes. Based on time-dependent pair correlation functions, we have calculated the phonon spectra of BaTiO₃ and studied the central peak of inelastic scattering. The phonon frequencies calculated by the MD method agree well with those obtained previously in the quasi-harmonic approximation. We show that the central peak of inelastic scattering is associated mainly with the soft optic mode and has the same symmetry. The large anisotropy in the displacements of atoms in the soft mode allows the presence of peculiarities in both X-ray scattering and EXAFS spectroscopy to be explained. The characteristic shape of the EXAFS spectra is shown to be explained by the quasi-one-dimensional motion of the oxygen ions in the cubic lattice of BaTiO₃. Our calculation of triple correlation functions shows that the titanium atom in the described model oscillates around the cubic cell center. Explaining the experimental data that have caused disagreement about the nature of the phase transition in BaTiO₃ using the developed model gives grounds to treat the phase transition in barium titanate as a displacive one.