Vacancy defects in delafossite СuАlO<Subscript>2</Subscript>: First-principles calculations

Electronic properties and formation energies of vacancy defects in delafossite CuAlO₂ have been investigated by using the first-principles density functional theory. The band structures and density of states of various vacancy defects have been obtained and analyzed. The results show that the V _Cu systems with different charge states influence the type of conductivity. The introduced vacancy defects enhance the hybridization between O-2p and Cu-3d states, which is good for p-type conductivity. The calculated formation energies indicate that the Cu vacancy is relatively easy to form and it trends to have positive charge.     

电荷俘获存储器数据保持特性第一性原理研究

本文研究HfO₂掺入Al替位Hf杂质和氧空位共同掺杂对电荷俘获型存储器存储特性的影响. HfO₂作为高介电常数材料由于具有缩小器件尺寸、提高器件性能等优势, 被广泛用于CTM的俘获层. 采用MS和VASP研究了HfO₂俘获层中掺入Al对氧空位形成能的影响. 同时计算了两种缺陷在不同距离下的相互作用能. 计算结果表明在HfO₂中掺入Al使得氧空位的形成能降低, 并且三配位氧空位的形成能比四配位氧空位的形成能降低的更多. 通过研究Al和三配位氧空位两种缺陷间不同距离的三种情况, 计算结果表明当缺陷间距为2.107 Å时, 体系的电荷俘获能最大; 量子态数最多; 布居数最小、Al–O键最长. 通过研究三种体系写入空穴后键长的变化, 得出当缺陷间距为2.107 Å时, 写入空穴后体系的Al–O键长变化最小. 以上研究结果表明, 掺入Al后可以有效提高电荷俘获型存储器的数据保持能力. 因而本文的研究为改善电荷俘获型存储器数据保持特性提供一定的理论指导.     

Cost-effective calculation of defects in Si using hybrid density functional with downsampled reciprocal grids

A deep understanding of defects in terms of stability and optoelectronic properties is essential for optimizing semiconductor devices. For faster and more accurate investigation of defects, we examined whether the hybrid density functional theory calculation can be performed cost-effectively by downsampling the k-point meshes for Fock exchange potential. The P dopant and Si self-interstitial defects were used to check the convergence of the total energy. Our calculation shows that the defect properties like the formation energy and the charge transition levels can be cost-effectively calculated by using downsampled k-point meshes. We also investigated the intrinsic vacancy defects and obtained consistent results with previous studies.     

LiF中空位形成能的第一性原理计算

采用平面波展开和基于密度泛函理论框架下的第一性原理赝势法,计算了102GPa下LiF化合物中Li空位和F空位的形成能及空间周围的原子弛豫,讨论了空位形成时电荷密度的重新分布,相应的电子态密度以及能带结构等性质.结果表明:LiF晶体中F空位的形成能比大于Li空位的形成能;F空位对LiF晶体的电子结构等性质的影响要比Li空位的大.     

LiF中空位形成能的第一性原理计算

采用平面波展开和基于密度泛函理论框架下的第一性原理赝势法,计算了102GPa下LiF化合物中Li空位和F空位的形成能及空间周围的原子弛豫,讨论了空位形成时电荷密度的重新分布,相应的电子态密度以及能带结构等性质.结果表明:LiF晶体中F空位的形成能比大于Li空位的形成能;F空位对LiF晶体的电子结构等性质的影响要比Li空位的大.     

六方氮化硼单层中一种(CN)3VB缺陷的第一性原理计算

二维六方氮化硼(hBN)的点缺陷最近被发现可以实现室温下的单光子发射,而成为近年的研究热点.尽管其具有重要的基础和应用研究意义,hBN中发光缺陷的原子结构起源仍然存在争议.本文采用基于密度泛函理论的第一性原理计算,研究hBN单层中一种B空位附近3个N原子被C替代的缺陷(CN)3VB.在hBN的B空位处,3个N原子各自带一个在平面内的悬挂键及相应的未配对电子,而通过C替换可以消除未配对的电子.系统研究了(CN)3VB缺陷的几何结构、电子结构以及光学性质,结果表明,缺陷可以由一个对称的亚稳态经过原子结构弛豫变成1个非对称的、3个C原子连在一起的基态结构.缺陷的形成在hBN中引入了一些由缺陷悬挂σ键及重构的π键贡献的局域缺陷态.这些缺陷态可以导致能量阈值在2.58 eV附近的可见光内部跃迁.本文的工作有助于进一步理解hBN中点缺陷的构成及光学性质,为实验上探讨发光点缺陷的原子结构起源及其性质提供理论依据.     

Vacancies in transition metals: Formation energy and formation volume

This work describes a calculation of the formation energy and volume for a vacancy in transition metals. One uses a tight-binding scheme for the d band and a Born-Mayer type potential to account for the repulsive part of the energy at small distances. The results show that the relaxation energy is small in all cases, less than 0.1 eV. This seems to be coherent with the good agreement obtained for the theoretical and experimental values of the formation energy E_f^v of the vacancy, without including relaxation. The center of the transitional series is found to give a contraction (formation volume of order ?0.4 at. vol.) whereas the edges are found to produce dilatations.     

Quantum-Size Dependence of the Energy for Vacancy Formation in Charged Small Metal Clusters. Drop Model

Self-consistent computations of the monovacancy formation energy are performed for Na _N , Mg _N , and Al _N (12 < N ≤ 168) spherical clusters in the drop model for stable jelly. Scenarios of the Schottky vacancy formation and “bubble vacancy blowing” are considered. It is shown that the asymptotic behavior of the size dependences of the energy for the vacancy formation by these two mechanisms is different and the difference between the characteristics of a charged and neutral cluster is entirely determined by the difference between the ionization potentials of clusters and the energies of electron attachment to them.     

Vacancy induced changes in the electronic structure of titanium carbide—I. Band structure and density of states

Results of a self-consistent “Augmented Plane Wave” (APW) band-structure calculation are presented for substoichiometric titanium carbide with 25% vacancies on the carbon sublattice sites (TiC_{0 75}) assuming a model structure with ordered vacancies Comparison with an earlier APW study on stoichiometric TiC reveals that the carbon vacancies induce two pronounced peaks in the density of states (DOS), 0.4 eV below and 0.8 eV above the Fermi energy E_γ, thus forming electronic states in a region where the DOS for stoichiometric TiC exhibits a minimum So-called “vacancy states” with an important amount of charge on the vacancy site are found to be derived from Ti 3d states extending into the vacancy muffin tin sphere An angular momentum decomposition with respect to the center of the vacancy muffin tin sphere shows that the s character predominates for the occupied and the p character for the unoccupied “vacancy states” The theoretical findings explain features near E_γ, observed in recently published X-ray emission spectra Furthermore, we find a slight increase of electronic charge in the carbon muffin tin spheres as compared with stoichiometnc TiC.     

Nonlinear conductivity in CaRuO3 thin films measured by short current pulses

We investigate the effects of carbon (C) on hydrogen (H) solubility in copper (Cu) using a first-principles method. We show C can increase the solution energy of H in the bulk Cu originated from the charge density redistribution, which leads to a weak repulsion between H and C in Cu. On the contrary, we demonstrate the C-vacancy (C-V) complex can serve as a trapping centre of H, and one C-V complex can hold up to six H atoms. Moreover, it is found that C can effectively decrease the solution energy of a single H in the vacancy, 0.68 eV lower than that of H in the C-free vacancy, changing the solution process of H in the vacancy from endothermic to exothermic. This can be attributed to the strong bonding interaction between H and C in the vacancy. Based on analyzing the role of C in different metals, we propose that the effects of C on the H solubility in the vacancy mainly depend on the difference between the H-C interaction and the C-metal atom interaction. These indicate that C plays a key role in H trapping behavior in Cu.     

Theoretical prediction of ion conductivity in solid state HfO2

A theoretical prediction of ion conductivity for solid state HfO2 is carried out in analogy to ZrO2 based on the density functional calculation. Geometric and electronic structures of pure bulks exhibit similarity for the two materials. Negative formation enthalpy and negative vacancy formation energy are found for YSH (yttria-stabilized hafnia) and YSZ (yttria- stabilized zirconia), suggesting the stability of both materials. Low activation energies (below 0.7 eV) of diffusion are found in both materials, and YSH’s is a little higher than that of YSZ. In addition, for both HfO2 and ZrO2 , the supercells with native oxygen vacancies are also studied. The so-called defect states are observed in the supercells with neutral and +1 charge native vacancy but not in the +2 charge one. It can give an explanation to the relatively lower activation energies of yttria-doped oxides and +2 charge vacancy supercells. A brief discussion is presented to explain the different YSH ion conductivities in the experiment and obtained by us, and we attribute this to the different ion vibrations at different temperatures.     

Towards understanding the carbon trapping mechanism in copper by investigating the carbon-vacancy interaction

We propose a vacancy trapping mechanism for carbon-vacancy (C-V) complex formation in copper (Cu) according to the first-principles calculations of the energetics and kinetics of C-V interaction. Vacancy reduces charge density in its vicinity to induce C nucleation. A monovacancy is capable of trapping as many as four C atoms to form CnV (n=1,2,3,4) complexes. A single C atom prefers to interact with neighboring Cu at a vacancy with a trapping energy of 0.21 eV. With multiple C atoms added, they are preferred to bind with each other to form covalent-like bonds despite of the metallic Cu environment. For the CnV complexes, C2V is the major one due to its lowest average trapping energy (1.31 eV). Kinetically, the formation of the CnV complexes can be ascribed to the vacancy mechanism due to the lower activation energy barrier and the larger diffusion coefficient of vacancy than those of the interstitial C.     

Evaluation of the formation entropy of a single vacancy by means of positron annihilation

Analyzing positron annihilation data it was found that the formation energy of a single vacancy is proportional to the characteristic temperature T_c in f.c.c. metals. Assuming that the equilibrium fractional concentrations of single vacancies at T_c are constant, one finds that the formation entropy of a single vacancy is (1.6 ± 0.1)k for all f.c.c. metals. For zinc and cadmium, the formation entropies are 2.5k and 3.3k respectively.     

空位缺陷对β-AgVO_3电子结构和光吸收性能的影响

基于密度泛函的第一性原理研究了Ag空位、O空位和Ag-O双空位对β-AgVO_3的电子结构及光学性质的影响.采用广义梯度近似平面波超软赝势GGA+U方法,对不同缺陷体系的形成能、能带结构、电子态密度、差分电荷密度和吸收光谱进行了计算和分析.通过比较不同Ag空位和O空位的形成能,确定了β-AgVO_3中主要形成Ag3空位和O1空位,并且Ag空位较O空位更容易形成.Ag3空位和O1空位的存在都使得β-AgVO_3带隙有一定程度的减小;Ag3空位使β-AgVO_3呈现p-型半导体性质,而O1空位和Ag3-O1双空位使β-AgVO_3呈现n-型半导体性质.Ag3和O1空位对晶体在可见光范围内的光吸收影响较小.     

分子空位缺陷对环三亚甲基三硝胺含能材料几何结构、电子结构及振动特性的影响

含能材料中的微观缺陷是导致“热点”形成并相继引发爆轰的重要因素. 然而, 由于目前人们对材料内部微观缺陷的认识不足, 限制了对含能材料中“热点”形成微观机理的理解, 进而阻碍了含能材料的发展和应用. 为了洞悉含能材料内部微观缺陷特性及探索缺陷引发“热点”的形成机理, 利用第一性原理方法研究了分子空位缺陷对环三亚甲基三硝胺(RDX) 含能材料的几何结构、电子结构及振动特性的影响, 探讨了微观缺陷对初始“热点”形成的基本机理. 采用周期性模型分析了分子空位缺陷对RDX几何结构、电子能带结构、电子态密度及前线分子轨道的影响. 采用团簇模型分析了分子空位缺陷对RDX振动特性的影响. 结果发现, 分子空位缺陷的存在使其附近的N–N键变长, 分子结构变得松弛; 使导带中很多简并的能级发生分离, 电子态密度减小, 并使由N-2p和O-2p轨道形成的导带底和价带顶均向费米面方向移动, 降低了能带隙值, 增加了体系活性. 前线分子轨道及红外振动光谱的计算分析表明, 分子缺陷使最高已占分子轨道电荷主要集中在缺陷附近的分子上, 且分子中C–H键和N–N键能减弱. 这些特性表明, 分子空位缺陷的存在使体系能带隙变小, 并使缺陷附近的分子结构松弛, 电荷分布增多, 反应活性增强; 在外界能量激发下, 缺陷附近分子将变得不稳定, 分子中的C–H键或N–N键较易先发生断裂, 发生化学反应释放能量, 进而成为形成“热点”的根源.     

First-principles calculations of oxygen vacancies and cerium substitution in lutetium pyrosilicate

Cerium-doped lutetium pyrosilicate (LPS:Ce) has attracted much attention for its extensive applications. However, oxygen vacancies will lower its luminescent efficiency. The charge transfer transition between cerium ions and neighboring oxygen vacancies has a long decay time. First-principles calculations on oxygen vacancies, cerium substitution and their complexes in LPS have been performed to research their influence on luminescence. The bridging-oxygen vacancy has the lowest formation energy among oxygen vacancies. We discuss the process of luminescence quenching due to oxygen vacancies. The cerium substitution is less favorable in the oxygen-rich condition. The defect complex of the cerium substitution and bridging-oxygen vacancy has the lowest formation energy among defect complexes. The charge transfer transition between cerium ions and neighboring oxygen vacancies is not related to it but to other two defect complexes. All defect complexes have high formation energies in oxygen-rich condition. We discuss the density of states of perfect and defective crystals.     

第一性原理研究氧空位对Ag在MgO(001)面吸附的影响

采用基于密度泛函理论的第一性原理研究方法,应用Vienna Ab-initio Simulation Package (VASP),计算了氧空位对Ag原子在MgO(001)面吸附的影响．通过成键过程中电荷密度的变化以及电荷转移的讨论,从原子尺度上分析了MgO(001)面空位点Fs和Fs+对其吸附、聚集与成核属性的影响以及吸附的能量属性.结果表明,相对清洁的MgO表面而言,Ag原子吸附在O空位时,能够更牢固地与MgO表面结合,并吸引更多的Ag原子聚集在一起,形成一个个独立的Ag原子岛.     

Elucidating hydrogen assisting vacancy formation in metals: Mo and Nb as examples

Impurity H is inclined to be trapped by some defects with more space such as vacancy and grain boundary when it dissolves in a metal. Inversely, H can also enhance formation of large amount of vacancies even if there are few vacancies in intrinsic metals initially. Using first-principles simulation combined with statistical model, Mo and Nb as examples, we quantitatively calculate the concentration of vacancies including pure vacancy and H _n -vacancy (H _n V) complexes. The concentrations of vacancies in the form of H _n V notably increase due to the decrease of effective formation energy of vacancy from H stimulation. Our finding solves a long-standing puzzle on the atomistic mechanism underlying H assisting vacancy formation in some metals.     

Ab initio study of the formation of vacancy and hydrogen-vacancy complexes in palladium and its hydride

We report on the results of ab initio calculations of vacancy and hydrogen-vacancy complexes in palladium and palladium hydride. Comparative analysis of the energies of the formation of defect complexes in palladium and its hydride has revealed that the formation of vacancy clusters is easier in the palladium hydride structure. Investigation of hydrogen-vacancy complexes in bulk crystalline palladium has shown that a hydrogen atom and a vacancy interact to form a stable hydrogen-vacancy (H-Vac) defect complex with a binding energy of E _b = ?0.21 eV. To investigate the initial stage in the formation of hydrogen-vacancy complexes (H _n -Vac _m ), we consider the clusterization of defects into clusters containing H-Vac and H₂-Vac complexes as a structural unit. It is found that hydrogen-vacancy complexes form 2D defect structures in palladium in the (100)-type planes.