Size dependent 2p3/2 binding-energy shift of Ni nanoclusters on SiO2 support: Skin-depth local strain and quantum trapping

An in situ X-ray photoelectron emission investigation revealed that the size trend of the 2p_3/2 binding-energy shift (BES) of Ni nanoclusters grown on SiO₂ substrate follows the prediction of the bond order-length-strength (BOLS) correlation theory [30]. Theoretical reproduction of the measurements turns out that the 2p_3/2 binding energy of an isolated Ni atom is 850.51 eV and its intrinsic bulk shift is 2.70 eV. Findings confirmed that the skin-depth local strain and potential well quantum trapping induced by the shorter and stronger bonds between under-coordinated surface atoms provide perturbation to the Hamiltonian and hence dominate the size dependent BES.     

Relaxation of the Mo(112) and W(112) surfaces

Relaxation of the Mo(112) and W(112) surfaces has been simulated within DFT in local density approximation. It has been found that the surface relaxation, which can be described as a 14% contraction of the topmost surface layer with a small (0.1%) shift of surface atomic rows, results in a strong decrease of the surface energy with respect to the bulk truncated crystal surfaces (from 0.2 to 0.17 eV/Å2 for the Mo(112) and from 0.36 to 0.33 eV/Å2 for the W(112)). The surface relaxation is accompanied by the redistribution of the surface density of states, associated with the transformations of surface states.     

A density functional study of atomic oxygen and water molecule adsorption on Ni(1 1 1) and chromium-substituted Ni(1 1 1) surfaces

Density functional theory (DFT) for generalized gradient approximation calculations has been used to study the adsorption of atomic oxygen and water molecules on Ni(1 1 1) and different kind of Ni-Cr(1 1 1) surfaces. The fcc hollow site is energetically the most favorable for atomic oxygen adsorption and on top site is favorable for water adsorption. The Ni-Cr surface has the highest absorption energy for oxygen at 6.86 eV, followed by the hcp site, whereas the absorption energy is 5.56 eV for the Ni surface. The Ni-O bond distance is 1.85 Å for the Ni surface. On the other hand, the result concerning the Ni-Cr surface implies that the bond distances are 1.93-1.95 Å and 1.75 Å for Ni-O and Cr-O, respectively. The surface adsorption energy for water on top site for two Cr atom substituted Ni-Cr surface is 0.85 eV. Oxygen atoms prefer to bond with Cr rather than Ni atoms. Atomic charge analysis demonstrates that charge transfer increases due to the addition of Cr. Moreover, a local density of states (LDOS) study examines the hybridization occurring between the metal d orbital and the oxygen p orbital; the bonding is mainly ionic, and water bonds weakly in both cases.     

Ab initio study of rumpled relaxation and core-level shift of barium titanate surface

The rumpled relaxation and the core-level shift of full-relaxed BaTiO₃ (0 0 1) surface have been investigated by first-principles calculation. Based on the work function and the electric-field gradient, the right size of vacuum and the slab have been evaluated. The large displacements of ions deviated from their crystalline sites to lead to the formation of the surface rumples have been found. Some fully occupied surface oxygen p states at the top M point of the valance band and the empty surface titanium d states at the edge of the bulk conduction band are observed on the TiO₂-terminated surface. In contrast, on the BaO-terminated surface, two different core levels of the Ba 5p states shifted about 1.29 eV are induced by the bulk perovskite Ba atoms and the relaxation of surface Ba atoms, respectively. Our calculations are consistent with the experimental data.     

Surface core level shift observed on NiAl(1 1 0)

Using high resolution core level spectroscopy, a surface core level shift towards lower binding energy of −0.13 eV is determined for the 2p level of the outwardly relaxed Al surface atoms on NiAl(1 1 0). Density functional theory based calculations with inclusion of final state effects yield a value of −0.14 eV for this shift in excellent agreement with experiment. We show that the initial state approximation yields a value of +0.09 eV, i.e. the inclusion of final state relaxation effects is vital not only to obtain the correct value but even the correct sign for this shift.     

A DFT + U description of oxygen vacancies at the TiO2 rutile (1 1 0) surface

Experimental observations indicate that removing bridging oxygen atoms from the TiO₂ rutile (1 1 0) surface produces a localised state approximately 0.7 eV below the conduction band. The corresponding excess electron density is thought to localise on the pair of Ti atoms neighbouring the vacancy; formally giving two Ti³⁺ sites. We consider the electronic structure and geometry of the oxygen deficient TiO₂ rutile (1 1 0) surface using both gradient-corrected density functional theory (GGA DFT) and DFT corrected for on-site Coulomb interactions (GGA + U) to allow a direct comparison of the two methods. We show that GGA fails to predict the experimentally observed electronic structure, in agreement with previous uncorrected DFT calculations on this system. Introducing the +U term encourages localisation of the excess electronic charge, with the qualitative distribution depending on the value of U. For low values of U (?4.0 eV) the charge localises in the sub-surface layers occupied in the GGA solution at arbitrary Ti sites, whereas higher values of U (?4.2 eV) predict strong localisation with the excess electronic charge mainly on the two Ti atoms neighbouring the vacancy. The precise charge distribution for these larger U values is found to differ from that predicted by previous hybrid-DFT calculations.     

A density functional study of plutonium dioxide

The electronic and geometric structures of bulk PuO₂ and its (110) surface have been studied using a periodic model within the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) of density functional theory (DFT). The sixty core electrons of the Pu atom have been represented by a relativistic effective core potential and scalar relativistic effects have been incorporated on the valence orbitals. For bulk PuO₂, we predict an equilibrium lattice constant of 10.10 a.u. and a cohesive energy of 17.28 eV, in good agreement with experimental data. For the (110) surface, upon relaxation, the distance between the top layer and the next layer is found to decrease by 0.12 ?, i.e. 5.3% of the corresponding interlayer distance in the bulk. The distance between the two oxygen atoms on the top layer is found to increase by 0.15 ?, i.e. 5.6% of the corresponding bulk value. The small surface relaxation energy of 0.268 eV per unit cell indicates the fair stability of this surface. The effective charges on Pu and O atoms show that the chemical bonding in this system is not purely ionic. Together with the metallic feature of the density of states (DOS) on the surface, the effective charge distribution provides some basis for understanding surface reactivity and corresponding support for catalysis. Received 16 June 2000     

Effects of the edge shape and the width on the structural and electronic properties of silicene nanoribbons

Under the generalized gradient approximation (GGA), the structural and electronic properties are studied for H-terminated silicene nanoribbons (SiNRs) with either zigzag edge (ZSiNRs) or armchair edge (ASiNRs) by using the first-principles projector-augmented wave potential within the density function theory (DFT) framework. The results show that the length of the Si-H bond is always 1.50 Å, but the edge Si-Si bonds are shorter than the inner ones with identical orientation, implying a contraction relaxation of edge Si atoms. An edge state appears at the Fermi level E_F in broader ZSiNRs, but does not appear in all ASiNRs due to their dimer Si-Si bond at edge. With increasing width of ASiNRs, the direct band gaps exhibit not only an oscillation behavior, but also a periodic feature of Δ_3n > Δ_3n+1 > Δ_3n+2 for a certain integer n. The charge density contours analysis shows that the Si-H bond is an ionic bond due to a relative larger electronegativity of H atom. However, all kinds of the Si-Si bonds display a typical covalent bonding feature, although their strength depends on not only the bond orientation but also the bond position. That is, the larger deviation of the Si-Si bond orientation from the nanoribbon axis as well as the closer of the Si-Si bond to the nanoribbon edge, the stronger strength of the Si-Si bond. Besides the contraction of the nanoribbon is mainly in its width direction especially near edge, the addition contribution from the terminated H atoms may be the other reason.     

Theoretical and experimental studies of Ag-Pt interactions for supported Ag-Pt bimetallic catalysts

The electronic structure and chemical properties of catalysts prepared by the electroless deposition (ED) of Ag onto Pt/SiO₂ were studied using a combination of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. XPS studies revealed a negative shift (up to −0.75 eV) in the Ag 3d binding energy (BE) relative to bulk Ag. Both the magnitude and direction of the shift are consistent with DFT calculations of model Ag/Pt(1 1 1) surfaces. DFT calculations have also been employed to study the adsorption of two probe molecules, carbon monoxide and 1-epoxy-3-butene (EpB), on the model surfaces. Combined with previously published reports, the results presented here suggest that (1) the AgPt/SiO₂ catalysts that are most active for hydrogenation of the EpB olefin function consist of an adlayer of Ag on Pt rather than a surface or bulk alloy and that (2) the higher activity and selectivity of ED-prepared Ag-Pt/SiO₂ catalysts for CC hydrogenation of EpB to 1-epoxybutane are consistent with computed electronic (ligand) and bifunctional effects.     

Potential barrier generation at the BeW interface blocking thermonuclear radiation

BeW is an important medium for radiation protection in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) devices. However, the mechanism for the radiation-protection ability of BeW remains unclear. An extension of the BOLS correlation mechanism [12] into the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) has enabled us to examine the energy and charge distribution of the specimen and clarify that the Be 1s and W 4f_7/2 energy levels undergo an elevation by 0.136 and 0.184 times those of the respective bulk constituents standing alone up-on BeW compound formation associated with polarization of the valence density of states. It is suggested that the interface potential barrier creation due to bond order distortion and bond nature alteration perturbs essentially the Hamiltonian and hence leads to the binding energy shifts. The established interface potential barrier and the polarized charge may screen the nuclear irradiation in the thermonuclear fusion devices. Findings may provide guideline for searching materials for such purpose.     

Dangling bond modulating the electronic and magnetic properties of zigzag SiGe nanoribbon

First-principles nonmagnetic calculations reveal a metallic character in zigzag SiGe nanoribbons (ZSiGeNRs) regardless of their width. The partial DOS projected onto the Si and Ge atoms of ZSiGeNR shows that a sharp peak at the Fermi level is derived from the edge Si and Ge atoms. The charge density contours show the Si–Ge bond is covalent bond, while for the Si–H bond and Ge–H bond, the valence charges are strongly accumulated around H atoms due to their stronger 1 s potential and the higher electronegativity of 2.20 than that of 1.90 for Si atom and 2.01 for Ge atom, so that a significant charge transformation from Si or Ge atoms to H atoms and thus an ionic binding feature. Spin–polarization calculations show that the band structures of ZSiGeNR are modified by the dangling bonds. Compared with perfect ZSiGeNR which is a ferrimagnetic semiconductor, the bands of the ZSiGeNRs with bare Si edge, bare Ge edge, and bare Si and Ge edges shift up and nearly flat extra bands appear at the Fermi level. The ZSiGeNR with bare Si edge or bare Ge edge is a ferrimagnetic metal, while ZSiGeNR with bare Si and Ge edges is a nonmagnetic metal.     

Quantitative determination of the local structure of H2O on TiO2(1 1 0) using scanned-energy mode photoelectron diffraction

O 1s scanned-energy mode photoelectron diffraction has been used to determine the local structure of molecular water on TiO₂(1 1 0). The adsorption site is found to be atop five-fold coordinated surface Ti atoms, confirming the results of published total energy calculations and STM imaging. The Ti-O_w bondlength is found to be 2.21 ± 0.02 Å, much longer than Ti-O bondlengths in bulk TiO₂ and for the formate (HCOO-) species adsorbed on this surface. This is consistent with relatively weak bonding, and in general agreement with total energy calculations, although all of the published calculations yield bondlengths somewhat longer than the experimental value. Structural optimisation based on the photoelectron diffraction data also provides some information on the associated substrate relaxation. In particular, the bondlength of the five-fold coordinated surface Ti atom to the O atom directly below shows the same contraction (relative to the bulk) as is found for the clean surface, reinforcing the picture of rather weak bonding of the water to this same Ti surface atom.     

First-principles study for the atomic structures and electronic properties of PbTiO3 oxygen-vacancies (0 0 1) surface

The structural and electronic properties of fully-relaxed PbTiO₃ (0 0 1) oxygen-vacancy surface with PbO and TiO₂ terminations are investigated by first-principles calculations. In contrast to the perfect surface, the smaller surface rumples and interlayer distances have been found. The largest relaxation occurs on the second layer atoms not on the surface layer ones, and some in-gap Ti 3d states at about −1.1 eV below the Fermi-level are observed in the TiO₂-terminated surface caused by oxygen-vacancies. For the PbO-terminated surface, some in-gap Ti 3d states and Pb 6p states also move into the bulk midgap region to become partially occupied, and two different chemical states of the Pb 6s states were found. One is attributed to the bulk perovskite Pb atoms and another one is caused by the relaxation of surface Pb atoms. These theoretical results would give a good reference for the future experimental studies.     

Adsorption site, core level shifts and charge transfer on the Pd(1 1 1)-I(√3 × √3) surface

We use core level photoelectron spectroscopy and density functional theory (DFT) to investigate the iodine-induced Pd(1 1 1)-I(√3 × √3) structure formed at 1/3 ML coverage. From the calculations we find that iodine adsorbs preferentially in the fcc hollow site. The calculated equilibrium distance is 2.06 Å and the adsorption energy is 68 kcal/mol, compared to 2.45 Å and 54 kcal/mol in the atop position. The adsorption energy difference between fcc and hcp hollows is 1.7 kcal/mol. Calculated Pd 3d surface core level shift on clean Pd(1 l 1) is 0.30 eV to lower binding energy, in excellent agreement with our experimental findings (0.28-0.29 eV). On the Pd(1 1 1)-I(√3 × √3) we find no Pd 3d surface core level shift, neither experimentally nor theoretically. Calculated charge transfer for the fcc site, determined from the Hirshfeld partitioning method, suggests that the iodine atom remains almost neutral upon adsorption.     

Theoretical study of the electronic structure of the Si3N4(0 0 0 1) surface

Density functional theory has been applied to a study of the electronic structure of the ideally-terminated, relaxed and H-saturated (0 0 0 1) surfaces of β-Si₃N₄ and to that of the bulk material. For the bulk, the lattice constants and atom positions and the valence band density of states are all in good agreement with experimental results. A band gap of 6.7 eV is found which is in fair accord with the experimental value of 5.1-5.3 eV for H-free Si₃N₄. Using a two-dimensionally-periodic slab model, a π-bonding interaction is found between threefold-coordinated Si and twofold-coordinated N atoms in the surface plane leading to π and π* surface-state bands in the gap. A surface-state band derived from s-orbitals is also found in the gap between the upper and lower parts of the valence band. Relaxation results in displacements of surface and first-underlayer atoms and to a stronger π-bonding interaction which increases the π-π* gap. The relaxed surface shows no occupied surface states above the valence band maximum, in agreement with recent photoemission data for a thin Si₃N₄ film. The π* band, however, remains well below the conduction band minimum (but well above the Fermi level). Adsorbing H at all dangling-bond sites on the ideally-terminated surface and then relaxing the surface and first underlayer leads to smaller, but still finite, displacements in comparison to the clean relaxed surface. This surface is more stable, by about 3.67 eV per H, than the clean relaxed surface.     

Influence of acceptor and donor adsorbates (CO,K, NH3) on Pt surface core-level shifts

4f core-level shifts have been measured for clean surfaces of Pt(111), Pt(331), and Pt(557). Surface peaks due to terrace sites are shifted toward lower binding energy (0.32 ± 0.05 eV) from the bulk peak, whereas peaks from step atoms are shifted by 0.58 ± 0.05 eV also to lower binding energy. The intensity ratios for the two sites differ considerably between the stepped Pt surfaces. Chemisorption of carbon monoxide on the Pt(331) surface is preferential to step sites, with a Pt 4f binding energy shift of ～ 1.29 eV toward higher binding energy. Chemisorption of potassium and ammonia also produces Pt 4f surface shifts which are at higher binding energy than the bulk peak. These experiments do not support the concept of electron donation by these adsorbates into metal d orbitals. The results are discussed in view of, and supported by, tight-binding LCAOMO calculations of potassium and ammonia interacting with a Pt(111) thin film.     

First principles study of the electronic and geometric structure of Cu(5 3 2)

Using density functional theory with the generalized gradient approximation and ultra-soft pseudo-potentials, we have calculated structural relaxations of the Cu(5 3 2) surface which contains steps and kinks. We find the relaxation pattern to oscillate dramatically for atoms in the first 10 layers before decaying rapidly in the bulk. The most striking feature is an outward expansion of the relative interlayer separation d₁₂ of 25%. We also find serious discrepancies with relaxation pattern and relaxation amplitudes calculated using embedded atom method potentials that may reflect the limitation of these potentials to accurately describe systems with complex geometries. Full potential calculations reveal a dispersionless surface state along a high symmetry direction in the surface Brillouin zone. Valence charge density along several planes show excess of charge around kink atom and the nature of bonding with other (5 3 2) atoms.     

Surface alloying of immiscible metals induced by surface state shift

By using first principles calculations, it is found that the noble metal atoms Ag, Au and Cu would like to occupy the vacancy sites of the W(0 0 1) or Mo(0 0 1) surface to form the substitutional surface alloys, despite the fact that they do not like to form alloy in the bulk. The electronic local function (ELF) for these substitutional surface alloys shows that there is no obvious chemical bonding between the noble metals and W or Mo. The analysis of electronic structures lets us conclude that the surface alloying of immiscible metals may originate from the surface state shift of W (or Mo) induced by changes of the electronic environment of surface W (or Mo) when surface W (or Mo) atoms are alternatively replaced by Ag (Au or Cu).     

A comparative analysis of electron spectroscopy and first-principles studies on Cu(Pd) adsorption on MgO

Ultrathin MgO films were grown on a W(1 1 0) substrate while metastable impact electron (MIES) and photoelectron (UPS) spectra were measured in situ; apart from the valence band emission, no additional spectral features were detected. The oxide surface was exposed to metal atoms (Cu, Pd) at RT. A comparison with the DOS extracted from first-principles DFT calculations shows that the metal-induced intensity developing above the top of the O 2p valence band in the UP spectra under Cu(Pd) exposure is caused by Cu 3d (Pd 4d) emission. The emission seen in the MIES spectra is attributed to the ionization of Cu 3d and 4s states of adsorbed neutral Cu atoms in an Auger process, Auger neutralization, involving two electrons from the surface, at least one of them from the metal adsorbate. The shape of the MIES spectra suggests metallic island growth even at the lowest studied exposures, which is supported by the first-principles calculations.     

Electronic structure of HgTe nanocrystals: An observation of p-d weakening

Photoemission studies to identify the electronic structure of the HgTe nanocrystals revealed a new phenomenon of p-d weakening, as a consequence of size quantization effect associated with the mean crystalline size, 5.35 ± 0.83 nm. The weakening of the p-d hybridization by a factor of 0.33, to that of the bulk HgTe suggests the valence band maxima and core level shifts toward higher binding energy. The widening of the band gap due to size quantization is confirmed from optical absorption and photoluminescence measurements. The upward and downward shift of the conduction band minima and the valence band maxima with respect to the bulk value of HgTe are found to be 1.6 eV and 0.54 eV respectively.