First principles study on the structural and optical properties of the high-pressure ZnO phases

A new high-pressure tetragonal phase (B10) of ZnO is investigated with an ab initio calculation based on density functional theory and is compared with the cubic B1 (rocksalt structure) and B2 (CsCl structure) phases at high pressure. It is found that the B10 phase has a more covalent nature than the B2 phase. The B1, B2, and B10 phases are semiconductors and their band gap energies are determined to be 3.73, 3.15, and 3.27 eV, respectively. The B10 phase has a similar optical response to the B2 phase, but not the B1 phase. The similarity of dielectric function between B10 and B2 phases are the result of the similar profiles of electronic density of state.     

First-principles study of electronic structure and ferromagnetism in Ti-doped ZnO

We perform first-principles spin polarized calculations of the electronic structure of Ti-doped in ZnO. Ferromagnetism in Ti-doped ZnO is identified, which is in agreement with recent experimental and calculated results. A net magnetic moment of 0.715μ_B is found per Ti. At a Ti concentration of 12.5%, total energy calculations show that the ferromagnetic state is 68 meV lower than the antiferromagnetic state. The electronic states near Fermi energy are dominated by strong hybridization between O 2p and Ti 3d, which is just the origin of impurity band in Ti-doped ZnO and also implies that the Ti-O bond is quite covalent instead of purely ionic. Since there is no magnetic element in this compound, Ti-doped ZnO appears to be an unambiguous dilute magnetic semiconductor.     

Structural,electronic and optical properties of LiBeP in its normal and high pressure phases

An investigation on the structural stabilities, electronic and optical properties of LiBeP under high pressure was conducted using the all-electron density functional theory within the local density approximation. Our results show that the sequence of the pressure induced phase transition of LiBeP is the Cu₂Sb-type structure (P4/nmm), the MgSrSi-type structure (Pnma) and the LiGaGe-type structure (P6₃mc). The first transition (P4/nmm to Pnma) takes place at 2.95 GPa and the second (Pnma to P6₃mc) at 6.65 GPa. In the three phases, the bandgap is indirect and the valence band maximum is at the zone center. With increasing pressure LiBeP in the LiGaGe structure becomes a direct gap semiconductor at 19.75 GPa. The assignments of the structures in the optical spectra and the band structure transitions are discussed. The mean value of the optical dielectric constant for the Cu₂Sb phase is smaller than that for the MgSrSi and the LiGaGe ones. This compound has a positive uniaxial anisotropy in the LiGaGe structure. The absorption coefficient along the z   direction, _αzz${\alpha }_{\mathit{zz}}$, for the MgSrSi structure is higher than that in the other two structures in the visible regime.     

Electronic structure and optical properties of RbPb2Br5

We report on density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the total and partial densities of states of rubidium dilead pentabromide, RbPb₂Br₅, employing the augmented plane wave+local orbitals (APW+lo) method as incorporated in the WIEN2k package. The calculations indicate that the Pb 6s and Br 4p states are the dominant contributors to the valence band: their main contributions are found to occur at the bottom and at the top of the band, respectively. Our calculations reveal that the bottom of the conduction band is formed predominantly from contributions of the unoccupied Pb 6p states. Data of total DOS derived in the present DFT calculations are found to be in agreement with the experimental X-ray photoelectron valence-band spectrum of this compound. The predominant contributions of the Br 4p states at the top of the valence band of rubidium dilead pentabromide are confirmed by comparison on a common energy scale of the X-ray emission band representing the energy distribution of the valence Br p states and the X-ray photoelectron valence-band spectrum of the RbPb₂Br₅ single crystal. Main optical characteristics of RbPb₂Br₅, such as dispersion of the absorption coefficient, real and imaginary parts of dielectric function, electron energy-loss spectrum, refractive index, extinction coefficient and optical reflectivity are explored for RbPb₂Br₅ by the DFT calculations.     

Investigation of optical properties of annealed aluminum phthalocyanine derivatives thin films

Semiconducting molecular materials based on aluminum phthalocyanine chloride (AlPcCl) and bidentate amines have been successfully used to prepare thin films by using a thermal evaporation technique. The morphology of the deposited films was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Studies of the optical properties were carried out on films deposited onto quartz and (1 0 0) monocrystalline silicon wafers and films annealed after deposition. The absorption spectra recorded in the UV–vis region for the as-deposited and annealed samples showed two absorption bands, namely the Q- and B-bands. In addition, an energy doublet in the absorption spectra of the monoclinic form at 1.81 and 1.99 eV was observed. A band-model theory was employed in order to determine the optical parameters. The fundamental energy gap (direct transitions) was determined to be within the 2.47–2.59 and 2.24–2.44 eV ranges, respectively, for the as-deposited and annealed thin films.     

高压下LiNbO3晶体电子结构与光学性质的第一性原理研究

利用基于密度泛函理论的第一性原理超软赝势平面方法研究了外界压强对LiNbO3晶体波态密度,能带结构,电荷密度以及光学性质的影响.能带结构计算表明,价带顶主要由O-2p和Nb-4d态电子贡献,导带底主要由Nb-4d态电子贡献,且带隙随着压强的增加而线性增大.利用复介电函数计算了LiNbO3晶体在不同压强下光学性质的折射率、反射率、吸收系数,能量损失函数以及光电导率. 研究发现：外界压强大于10Gpa时,静态折射率保持不变,随外界压强的增加,反射率、吸收函数以及光电导率区间有一定程度的拓宽,损失函数峰发生“蓝移”.研究表明,高压可以有效调控LiNbO3晶体的电子结构和光学性质,为LiNbO3晶体的高压应用提供了有益的理论依据.     

高压下LiNbO_3晶体电子结构与光学性质的第一性原理研究

利用基于密度泛函理论的第一性原理超软赝势平面方法研究了外界压强对LiNbO_3晶体态密度,能带结构,电荷密度以及光学性质的影响.能带结构计算表明,价带顶主要由O-2p和Nb-4d态电子贡献,导带底主要由Nb-4d态电子贡献,且带隙随着压强的增加而线性增大.利用复介电函数计算了LiNbO_3晶体在不同压强下光学性质的折射率、反射率、吸收函数,能量损失函数以及光电导率.研究发现:外界压强大于10GPa时,静态折射率保持不变,随外界压强的增加,反射率、吸收函数以及光电导率区间有一定程度的拓宽,损失函数峰发生"蓝移".研究表明,外界高压可以有效调控LiNbO_3晶体的电子结构和光学性质,为LiNbO_3晶体的高压应用提供了有益的理论依据.     

First-principles study of structural, elastic, electronic and optical properties of SrMO3 (M=Ti and Sn)

We present structural, elastic, electronic and optical properties of the perovskites SrMO₃ (M=Ti, and Sn) for different pressure. The computational method is based on the pseudo-potential plane wave method (PP-PW). The exchange-correlation energy is described in the generalized gradient approximation (GGA). The calculated equilibrium lattice parameters are in reasonable agreement with the available experimental data. This work shows that the perovskites SrTiO₃, and SrSnO₃ are mechanically stable and present an indirect band gaps at the Fermi level. Applied pressure does not change the shape of the total valence electronic charge density and most of the electronic charge density is shifted toward O atom. Furthermore, in order to understand the optical properties of SrMO₃, the dielectric function, absorption coefficient, optical reflectivity, refractive index, extinction coefficient and electron energy-loss are calculated for radiation up to 80 eV. The enhancement of pressure decreases the dielectric function and refractive indices of SrTiO₃ and SrSnO₃.     

Size-dependent linear and non-linear optical response of single carrier two-dimensional quantum dots

We explore the pattern of size dependence of linear and non-linear optical (NLO) responses of one-electron quantum dots in two dimensions with or without anharmonicity in the confinement potential. For some fixed values of transverse magnetic field strength (ω_c) and harmonic confinement potential (ω₀), the influence of the size of the dot on the linear (), the first (β) and the second (γ) NLO responses of the system computed through a finite field linear variational route is analysed. Size-dependent maximization is predicted to be feasible for the quadratic hyperpolarizability.     

Europium doped strontium borate glasses and their optical properties

Optical absorption and luminescence spectra of europium doped strontium borate glasses prepared in different conditions are studied. It is found that the percentage of Eu³⁺ ions varies from 100 to 30% being controlled by the conditions of preparation. The mechanism, favoring reduction of europium to Eu²⁺ state in polycrystalline strontium tetraborate, is much weaker in glasses of the same composition. In samples containing mixed valence europium at densities of 8×10²⁰ cm⁻³, the efficient transfer of optical excitation from Eu³⁺ to Eu²⁺, suppressing the Eu³⁺ luminescence, has been found. The most reliable way of monitoring the percentage of europium ions in different valences for strontium borate glasses is the measuring of absorption at f-f transition ⁷F₀→⁵D₂ of Eu³⁺.     

First-principles study on the formation energies of intrinsic defects in LiNbO3

First-principles plane-wave ultrasoft pseudopotential method within local density approach (LDA) has been used to study three possible vacancy-defect models for non-stoichiometric lithium niobate (LiNbO₃): (1) the oxygen-vacancy model , (2) the niobium-vacancy model , and (3) the lithium-vacancy model . The corresponding formation energies are obtained via energy minimization of a supercell. In Nb-rich environment, the calculated defect formation energies, both under oxidation and reduction conditions, show little effect on the intrinsic defect structures. We find that the lithium vacancy model has the most stable configuration in the non-stoichiometric lithium niobate crystals. Our calculations also show that the formation of any type of neutral defects and Frenkel pairs in a Nb-rich environment is difficult.     

Ab-initio study of electronic and optical properties of InN in wurtzite and cubic phases

We have performed systematic first principle calculations for the electronic and optical properties of a narrow band gap semiconductor InN in cubic and wurtzite phases by ‘state-of-the-art’ DFT calculations within generalized gradient approximation (GGA) and Engel-Vosko's corrected generalized gradient approximation (EVGGA) using full potential linear augmented plane wave (FPLAPW) method as implemented in WIEN2k code. The total energy for the wurtzite phase of InN was found to be smaller by 0.0184 Ry/molecule by cubic phase which confirms the greater stability of the wurtzite structure than the cubic one. Band structure, effective masses, density of states, valence charge densities, and dielectric functions are computed and presented in detail. The critical points are extracted out of calculated dielectric function, compared with available measured data and are explained in terms of transitions occurred in the band structure along different symmetry and antisymmetry lines. The valence band maxima and conduction band minima are strongly dominated by N-2p states and located at the Γ-symmetrical line which predicts its direct band gap nature in both phases.     

First-principles studies of the electronic and elastic properties of Ti2GeC

We have performed first-principles studies on electronic structure and elastic properties of Ti₂GeC. The calculated band structure shows that this compound is electrical conductor. From the pressure dependence of elastic constants, we find that Ti₂GeC is most stable in the pressure range from 0 to 100 GPa. The strong Ti 3d, Ge 4p and C 2p hybridization may stabilize the structure of Ti₂GeC. By analyzing the ratio between the bulk and shear moduli, we conclude that Ti₂GeC is brittle in nature, and the brittleness of Ti₂GeC originated from the large value of Ti atom occupying the internal parameter z.     

First-principles study on electronic,magnetic properties and optical absorption of vanadium doped rutile TiO2

The electronic, magnetic properties and optical absorption of vanadium (V) doped rutile TiO₂ have been studied by the generalized gradient approximation GGA and GGA+U (Hubbard coefficient) approach respectively. On the one hand, we consider the influence of vanadium with different doping concentration on the electronic structure. On the other hand, we study double V atoms doped TiO₂, mainly study four V-doped TiO₂ configurations, and find the magnetic ground states are ferromagnetic state. For the TiO₂@V-V1, TiO₂@V-V3 and TiO₂@V-V4 configurations without O ion as bridge between V-V atoms, there will have a metastable state of antiferromagnetic configurations, while, for the TiO₂@V-V2 configurations with an O ion as bridge between V-V atoms, due to the existence of superexchange between V-O-V, there will only exist the ground state of ferromagnetic state and there are no other metastable configurations. Furthermore, the optical properties of V-doped TiO₂ are calculated. The results show that the V-doped TiO₂ has strong infrared light absorption and visible light absorption.     

First-principles study on the structural and electronic properties of AlNCx nanosheet

The structural and electronic properties of a hydrogen terminated hexagonally AlN nanoribbon with 6 zigzag Al-N chains across the ribbon width (6-ZAlNNR) and the hexagonally bonded hetero-sheets AlNC_x (x=2,4,6) consisting of AlN and graphite strips with zigzag shaped borders have been investigated systemically by using the first-principles. The results show that in 6-ZAlNNR, the states of the lowest unoccupied conduction band (LUCB) and the highest occupied valence band (HOVB) at zone boundary Z are edge states whose charges are localized at edge Al and N atoms, respectively. Introducing the graphite strip C_x and increasing its width lead to the LUCB and HOVB getting closer with each other especially in flat dispersion region around the zone boundary J_y, thus decreasing in the energy gap of the hetero-sheets AlNC₂, AlNC₄ and AlNC₆ successively. Similar to the edge states existing in zigzag edged AlNNR, the flat dispersion border states also exist in the zigzag borders of hexagonally networked hetero-sheets AlNC_x. Unlike the edge states whose charges are localized at one of the edge atoms, the border states are localized at two atoms of the borders with either bonding or antibonding character.     

Excitons in optical spectra of boron-nitride (BN) nanotubes

Exciton effects are studied in single-wall boron-nitride nanotubes. The Coulomb interaction dependence of the band gap, the optical gap, and the binding energy of excitons are discussed. The optical gap of the (5,0) nanotube is about 6 eV at the on-site interaction U=2t with the hopping integral t=1.1 eV. The binding energy of the exciton is 0.50 eV for these parameters. This energy agrees well with that of other theoretical investigations. We find that the energy gap and the binding energy are almost independent of the geometries of nanotubes. This novel property is in contrast with that of the carbon nanotubes, which show metallic and semiconducting properties depending on the chiralities.     

Charge distribution and transport properties in reduced ceria phases: A review

The question of the charge distribution in reduced ceria phases (CeO_2−x) is important for understanding the microscopic physics of oxygen storage capacity, and the electronic and ionic conductivities in these materials. All these are key properties in the application of these materials in catalysis and electrochemical devices. Several approaches have been applied to study this problem, including ab initio methods. Recently [1], we applied the bond valence model (BVM) to discuss the charge distribution in several different crystallographic phases of reduced ceria. Here, we compare the BVM results to those from atomistic simulations to determine if there is consistency in the predictions of the two approaches. Our analysis shows that the two methods give a consistent picture of the charge distribution around oxygen vacancies in bulk reduced ceria phases. We then review the transport theory applicable to reduced ceria phases, providing useful relationships which enable comparison of experimental results obtained by different techniques. In particular, we compare transport parameters obtained from the observed optical absorption spectrum, α(ω), dc electrical conductivity with those predicted by small polaron theory and the Harrison method. The small polaron energy is comparable to that estimated from α(ω). However, we found a discrepancy between the value of the electron hopping matrix element, t, estimated from the Marcus–Hush formula and that obtained by the Harrison method. Part of this discrepancy could be attributed to the system lying in the crossover region between adiabatic and nonadiabatic whereas our calculations assumed the system to be nonadiabatic. Finally, by considering the relationship between the charge distribution and electronic conductivity, we suggest the possibility of low temperature metallic conductivity for intermediate phases, i.e., x∼0.3. This has not yet been experimentally observed.     

First-principles study of the effect of iron doping on the electronic and magnetic properties of TbMn2O5

We have studied the electronic and magnetic properties of TbFe_xMn_2−xO₅ (x=0, 0.125, 0.25) samples using first-principles density functional theory within the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) schemes. The crystal structure of TbMn₂O₅ is orthorhombic containing Mn⁴⁺O₆ octahedra and Mn³⁺O₅ pyramids. The structure changes to monoclinic symmetry for the Fe-doping at the Mn sites. Our spin-polarized calculations give an insulating ground state for TbMn₂O₅ and a metallic ground state for Fe-doped TbMn₂O₅. Based on the magnetic properties calculations, it is found that the magnetic moment enhances with increase in the Fe-content in TbMn₂O₅. Most interestingly, the enhanced magnetic moment is due to a substantial reduction of the magnetic moments at the Fe sites.     

Ab initio calculations study of the electronic, optical and thermodynamic properties of NaMgH3, for hydrogen storage

The structural stability, electronic structure, optical and thermodynamic properties of NaMgH₃ have been investigated using the density functional theory. Good agreement is obtained for the bulk crystal structure using both the local density approximation (LDA) and the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) for the exchange-correlation energy. It is found from the electronic density of states (DOS) that the valence band is dominated by the hydrogen atoms while the conduction band is dominated by Na and Mg empty states. Also, the DOS reveals that NaMgH₃ is a large gap insulator with direct band gap 3.4 eV. We have investigated the optical response of NaMgH₃ in partial band to band contributions and the theoretical optical spectrum is presented and discussed in this study. Optical response calculation suggests that the imaginary part of dielectric function spectra is assigned to be the interband transition. The formation energy for NaMgH₃ is investigated along different reaction pathways. We compare and discuss our result with the measured and calculated enthalpies of formation found in the literature.     

闪锌矿结构AlN、AlP、AlAs和AlSb电子结构和光学性质的第一性原理研究

本文采用基于密度泛函理论下的第一性原理平面波赝势从头算量子力学方法,对闪锌矿结构AlN、AlP、AlAs和AlSb的电子结构和光学性质进行了研究。分析比较了这些化合物的能带结构、态密度、介电函数及折射率等性质,总结Al与不同Ⅴ族元素形成化合物时的性质变化规律。结果表明,四种材料有着相似的能带结构,都是间接带隙宽禁带半导体,但是在导带底AlN的能态结构与其它三种材料明显不同。随着从AlN到AlSb的变化,光学性质曲线发生红移。