Ultrastiff cubic TiO2 identified via first-principles calculations

The crystal structures and compressibilities of fluorite- and pyrite-structured TiO2 under varying hydrostatic pressures are calculated using gradient-corrected density functional as well as hybrid density functional-Hartree-Fock formulations. The results suggest that fluorite TiO2 is a highly incompressible solid with a large bulk modulus value (K(0) approximately 395 GPa), approaching that of ultrahard cotunnite TiO2 (K(0)=431 GPa). The bulk modulus obtained for pyrite TiO2 is considerably smaller (K(0) approximately 220-260 GPa), nonetheless larger than the value determined experimentally for cubic TiO2. Calculated shear modulus values indicate that fluorite TiO2 has the potential to be an ultrahard material, if it could be stabilized under ambient conditions.     

超导体MgB2弹性常数的第一原理计算

利用全势线性muffin-tin轨道(FP-LMTO)方法, 结合在密度泛函理论框架下的广义梯度近似, 研究了六角密堆积结构超导体MgB2的晶格参数, 弹性常数, 以及体积模量及其对压强的微分. 计算结果显示当晶格参数c和a的比率c/a大约为1.138时, MgB2的结构最稳定.本文所得到的计算结果与实验值及其他作者利用不同方法得到的计算值相符合.     

SrS相变和弹性性质的第一原理计算

利用平面波赝势密度泛函方法和准谐德拜模型研究了SrS从NaCl结构到CsCl结构的相变以及弹性性质.在零温下,我们计算的相变压强为17.9 GPa,这与实验值和其他作者的计算值符合很好.研究还表明:相变压强随温度增加而非线性地增加,然而力学不稳性的压强随温度增加而线性地增加.     

Transition phase and thermodynamic properties of GaN via first-principles calculations

The transition phase of GaN from zincblende (ZB) structure to rocksalt structure (RS) is investigated by ab initio plane-wave pseudopotential density functional theory method, and the thermodynamic properties of the ZB and RS structures are obtained through the quasi-harmonic Debye model. We find that the transition phase from the ZB structure to the RS structure occurs at the pressure of 42.2 GPa, which is in good agreement with other calculated values. Moreover, the dependences of the relative volume V/V₀ on the pressure P, the Debye temperature Θ and heat capacity C_V on the pressure P, as well as the heat capacity C_V on the temperature T are also successfully obtained.     

Phase transition and thermodynamic properties of SrS via first-principles calculations

The phase transition of SrS from NaCl structure （B1） to CsCl structure （B2） is investigated by means of ab initio plane-wave pseudopotential density functional theory, and the thermodynamic properties of the B1 and the B2 structures are obtained through the quasi-harmonic Debye model. It is found that the transition phase from the B1 to the B2 structures occurs at 17.9 GPa, which is in good agreement with experimental data and other calculated results. Moreover, the thermodynamic properties （including specific heat capacity, the Debye temperature, thermal expansion and Griineisen parameter） have also been obtained successfully.     

高压下CaPo弹性性质和热力学性质的第一性原理研究

利用密度泛函理论的平面波赝势方法预测研究了CaPo从岩盐结构(B1结构)到氯化铯结构(B2结构)的相变以及B1结构CaPo高压下的弹性性质以及热力学性质等.通过等焓原理发现B1→B2的相变压力为22.8GPa. 同时计算了B1结构CaPo高压下的弹性常数以及剪切模量、杨氏模量等相关弹性参数,结果发现当压力超过20GPa时,B1结构CaPo开始不稳定了,这和等焓原理所得结果相符合. 最后通过Debye模型成功获取了B1结构C 关键词： 相变 弹性性质 热力学性质 CaPo     

高压下Ni3Al热力学性质的第一性原理研究

运用第一性原理方法结合准谐Debye-Grüneisen模型研究了高压下Ni3Al的热力学性质,拟合了Ni3Al的状态方程,计算了不同压强下Ni3Al的弹性模量及吉布斯自由能等热力学性质随温度的变化关系. 计算结果表明：采用七阶Birch-Murnaghan方程拟合的晶格常数与实验测量结果吻合较好;零压下弹性模量、吉布斯自由能、焓、熵、热容和体膨胀系数随温度的变化与实验值符合较好;在特定压强下,Ni3Al的弹性模量和吉布斯自由能随温度升高而减小,焓、熵随温度升高而增加;预测的德拜温度约为500K,与实验值符合较好.     

Elastic,electronic and thermodynamic properties of fluoro-perovskite KZnF3 via first-principles calculations

The elastic, electronic and thermodynamic properties of fluoro-perovskite KZnF₃ have been calculated using the full-potential linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) method. The exchange-correlation potential is treated with the generalized gradient approximation of Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (GGA-PBE). Also, we have used the Engel and Vosko GGA formalism (GGA-EV) to improve the electronic band structure calculations. The calculated structural properties are in good agreement with available experimental and theoretical data. The elastic constants C _ij are calculated using the total energy variation with strain technique. The shear modulus, Young’s modulus, Poisson’s ratio and the Lamé coefficients for polycrystalline KZnF₃ aggregates are estimated in the framework of the Voigt-Reuss-Hill approximations. The ductility behavior of this compound is interpreted via the calculated elastic constants C _ij . Electronic and bonding properties are discussed from the calculations of band structure, density of states and electron charge density. The thermodynamic properties are predicted through the quasi-harmonic Debye model, in which the lattice vibrations are taken into account. The variation of bulk modulus, lattice constant, heat capacities and the Debye temperature with pressure and temperature are successfully obtained.     

Defects in hexagonal-AlN sheets by first-principles calculations

Theoretical calculations focused on the stability of an infinite hexagonal AlN (h-AlN)sheet and its structural and electronic properties were carried out within the frameworkof DFT at the GGA-PBE level of theory. For the simulations, an h-AlN sheet model systemconsisting in 96 atoms per super-cell has been adopted. For h-AlN, we predict an Al-N bondlength of 1.82 Å and an indirect gap of 2.81 eV as well as a cohesive energy which is by6% lower than that of the bulk (wurtzite) AlN which can be seen as a qualitativeindication for synthesizability of individual h-AlN sheets. Besides the study of a perfecth-AlN sheet, also the most typical defects, namely, vacancies, anti-site defects andimpurities were also explored. The formation energies for these defects were calculatedtogether with the total density of states and the corresponding projected states were alsoevaluated. The charge density in the region of the defects was also addressed.Energetically, the anti-site defects are the most costly, while the impurity defects arethe most favorable, especially so for the defects arising from Si impurities. Defects suchas nitrogen vacancies and Si impurities lead to a breaking of the planar shape of theh-AlN sheet and in some cases to the formation of new bonds. The defects significantlychange the band structure in the vicinity of the Fermi level in comparison to the bandstructure of the perfect h-AlN which can be used for deliberately tailoring the electronicproperties of individual h-AlN sheets.     

Half-metallic silicon nanowires: first-principles calculations

From first-principles calculations, we predict that specific transition metal (TM) atom-adsorbed silicon nanowires have a half-metallic ground state. They are insulators for one spin direction, but show metallic properties for the opposite spin direction. At high coverage of TM atoms, ferromagnetic silicon nanowires become metallic for both spin directions with high magnetic moment and may have also significant spin polarization at the Fermi level. The spin-dependent electronic properties can be engineered by changing the type of adsorbed TM atoms, as well as the diameter of the nanowire. Present results are not only of scientific interest, but also can initiate new research on spintronic applications of silicon nanowires.     

Novel magneto-electric multiferroics from first-principles calculations

Interest in first-principles calculations within the multiferroic community has been rapidly on the rise over the last decade. Initially considered as a powerful support to explain experimentally observed behaviours, the trend has evolved and, nowadays, density functional theory calculations have become also an essential predicting tool for identifying original rules to achieve multiferroism and design new magneto-electric compounds. This chapter aims at highlighting the key advances in the field of multiferroics, to which first-principles methods have contributed significantly. The essential theoretical developments that made this research possible are also briefly presented.     

Elastic stability and electronic structure of tantalum boride investigated via first-principles density functional calculations

The elastic properties, electronic structure and thermodynamic behavior of the TaB have been investigated for the first time in this work. Using first-principles plane-wave ultrasoft-pseudopotential density functional theory (DFT), the ground state properties and equation of state of TaB have been obtained. The average zero-pressure bulk modulus of TaB is 302 GPa. By analyzing the elastically anisotropic behavior and the relative structure parameters of TaB, we found that the crystal cell along the b-axis was more compressible than along the a and c axes. The calculated ratio of bulk modulus and shear modulus (B/G) for TaB is 1.58, demonstrating that TaB is rather brittle. From the elastic stiffness constants, we found that TaB in the Cmcm phase is mechanically stable. The calculated hardness of TaB is 28.6 GPa which is close to the previous data. Moreover, using the Gibbs 2 model, the thermodynamic properties such as the thermal expansion and Debye temperature of TaB have been obtained firstly. At the ambient temperature, the Debye temperatures of TaB are 792 K and 845 K from GGA calculation and LDA calculation, respectively.     

Boron diffusion in bcc-Fe studied by first-principles calculations

The diffusion mechanism of boron in bcc-Fe has been studied by first-principles calculations. The diffusion coefficients of the interstitial mechanism, the B–monovacancy complex mechanism, and the B–divacancy complex mechanism have been calculated. The calculated diffusion coefficient of the interstitial mechanism is D_0= 1.05 ×10~(-7)exp(-0.75 e V/k T) m~2· s~(-1), while the diffusion coefficients of the B–monovacancy and the B–divacancy complex mechanisms are D_1= 1.22 × 10~(-6)f1exp(-2.27 e V/k T) m~2· s~(-1)and D_2≈ 8.36 × 10~(-6)exp(-4.81 e V/k T) m~2· s~(-1), respectively. The results indicate that the dominant diffusion mechanism in bcc-Fe is the interstitial mechanism through an octahedral interstitial site instead of the complex mechanism. The calculated diffusion coefficient is in accordance with the reported experiment results measured in Fe–3%Si–B alloy(bcc structure). Since the non-equilibrium segregation of boron is based on the diffusion of the complexes as suggested by the theory, our calculation reasonably explains why the non-equilibrium segregation of boron is not observed in bcc-Fe in experiments.     

Structural stabilities and band structure characteristics of platinum nitride (PtN) via first-principles calculations

The structural phase transformations of the PtN compound with a 1:1 stoichiometric ratio of Pt:N were investigated using the framework of density functional theory (DFT). The full potential linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) method within the generalized gradient (PBE-GGA) and the Engel–Vosko generalized gradient (EV-GGA) approximations were used. A comparative study of the experimental and theoretical results is provided on the structural properties of zinc-blende (ZB), rock-salt (RS), cesium chloride (CsCl), wurtzite (WZ), nickel arsenide (NiAs), lead monoxide (PbO), and tungsten carbide (WC) phases. The calculated band structure using the modified version of the Becke and Johnson (mBJ) exchange potential reveals the metallic character of the PtN compound. The present study also shows that the PtN compound crystallizes in the WZ phase under ambient conditions. The theoretical transition pressures from WZ to RS, NiAs, PbO, and CsCl transformations are found to be 9.441 GPa, 7.705 GPa, 18.345 GPa and 31.9 GPa, respectively, using the PBE-GGA method.