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.     

GaN半导体中InN量子点的结构性质

采用第一性原理模拟计算纤锌矿结构GaN半导体中InN量子点的结构性质。建立64和128个原子的超原胞量子点模型,进行结构优化以获得稳定的吻合实际的系统,并模拟分析电子结构。从态密度空间分布图看到不同轴向的量子势阱形状各异、深度不一,说明量子点的限域效应存在着各向异性的特点。c轴极化方向引起量子点结构带边的弯曲形状与传统的量子阱结构不同,使得电子空穴没有发生空间分离,有利于电子空穴的跃迁几率的提高。     

Intrinsic electron accumulation at clean InN surfaces

The electronic structure of clean InN(0001) surfaces has been investigated by high-resolution electron-energy-loss spectroscopy of the conduction band electron plasmon excitations. An intrinsic surface electron accumulation layer is found to exist and is explained in terms of a particularly low Gamma-point conduction band minimum in wurtzite InN. As a result, surface Fermi level pinning high in the conduction band in the vicinity of the Gamma point, but near the average midgap energy, produces charged donor-type surface states with associated downward band bending. Semiclassical dielectric theory simulations of the energy-loss spectra and charge-profile calculations indicate a surface state density of 2.5 (+/-0.2)x10(13) cm(-2) and a surface Fermi level of 1.64+/-0.10 eV above the valence band maximum.     

Structural, electronic and vibrational properties of InN under high pressure

The structural, electronic and vibrational properties of InN under pressures up to 20 GPa have been investigated using the pseudo-potential plane wave method (PP-PW). The generalized-gradient approximation (GGA) in the frame of density functional theory (DFT) approach has been adopted. It is found that the transition from wurtzite (B4) to rocksalt (B1) phase occurs at a pressure of approximately 12.7 GPa. In addition, a change from a direct to an indirect band gap is observed. The mechanism of these changes is discussed. The phonon frequencies and densities of states (DOS) are derived using the linear response approach and density functional perturbation theory (DFPT). The properties of phonons are described by the harmonic approximation method. Our results show that phonons play an important role in the mechanism of phase transition and in the instability of B4 (wurtzite) just before the pressure of transition. At zero pressure our data agree well with recently reported experimental results.     

Effect of electron–phonon interaction on surface states in wurtzite nitride semiconductors under pressure

A variational theory is proposed to study the electronic surface states in semi-infinite wurtzite nitride semiconductors under the hydrostatic pressure. The electronic surface state energy level is calculated, by taking the effects of the electron–Surface–Optical–phonon interaction, structural anisotropy and the hydrostatic pressure into account. The numerical computation has been performed for the electronic surface state energy levels, coupling constants and the average penetrating depths of the electronic surface state wave functions under the hydrostatic pressure for wurtzite GaN, AlN and InN, respectively. The results show that electron–Surface–Optical–phonon interaction lowers the electronic surface state energy levels. It is also found that the electronic surface state energy levels decrease with the hydrostatic pressure in wurtzite GaN and AlN. But for wurtzite InN, the case is contrary. It is shown that the hydrostatic pressure raised the influence of electron–phonon interaction on the electronic surface states obviously. The effect of electron–Surface–Optical–phonon interaction under the hydrostatic pressure on the electronic surface states cannot be neglected, in specially, for materials with strong electron–phonon coupling and wide band gap.     

Study of band offsets in InN/Ge heterojunctions

InN layers were directly grown on Ge substrate by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy (PAMBE). The valence band offset (VBO) of wurtzite InN/Ge heterojunction is determined by X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS). The valence band of Ge is found to be 0.18 ± 0.04 eV above that of InN and a type-II heterojunction with a conduction band offset (CBO) of ~ 0.16 eV is found. The accurate determination of the VBO and CBO is important for the design of InN/Ge based electronic devices.     

Analysis of the polarization dependence of the N K edge X-ray absorption fine structure in InN

The polarization dependence of the x-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) of InN beyond the N K edge is calculated. The XANES calculations are performed for different values of the angle θ between the XY plane of crystalline indium nitride and the incident x-radiation (θ = 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 75°, and 90°). It is shown that, in the case of N K XANES for InN, a strong polarization dependence of the specific features of the spectrum is observed. The calculated spectra are compared with previously measured experimental spectra. The partial densities of the electronic states of InN are calculated near the top of the valence band and near the bottom of the conduction band.     

Vacancies in GaN bulk and nanowires: effect of self-interaction corrections

We investigate gallium and nitrogen vacancies in gallium nitride (GaN) bulk and nanowires using self-interaction corrected pseudopotentials (SIC). In particular, we examine the band structures to compare and contrast differences between the SIC results and standard density functional theory (DFT) results using a generalized gradient approximation (GGA) (Perdew et al 1996 Phys. Rev. Lett. 77 3865) functional. For pure nanowires, we observed similar trends in the bandgap behaviour, with the gap decreasing for increasing nanowire diameters (with larger bandgaps using SIC pseudopotentials). For gallium vacancies in bulk GaN and GaN nanowires, SIC results are similar to DFT-GGA results, albeit with larger bandgaps. Nitrogen vacancies in bulk GaN show similar defect-induced states near the conduction band, whilst a lower lying defect state is observed below the valence band for the DFT-GGA calculations and above the valence band for the SIC results. For nitrogen vacancies in GaN nanowires, similar defect states are observed near the conduction band, however, while the SIC calculations also show a defect state/s above the valence band, we were unable to locate this state for the DFT-GGA calculations (possibly because it is hybridized with edge states and buried below the valence band).     

Be, O共掺杂实现p型AlN的第一性原理研究

基于密度泛函理论框架下的第一性原理平面波超软赝势方法,研究了掺杂和非掺杂AlN体系的晶格参数、 能带结构、总体态密度、分波态密度、差分电荷分布及电荷集居数.计算结果表明: Be掺杂AlN晶体能够在能隙中形成深受主能级,空穴载流子局域于价带顶, 而引入了激活施主O原子的Be, O共掺杂方法,能使受主能带变宽、非局域化特征明显. 同时,受主能级向低能方向移动,形成了浅受主能级, 从而提高了Be原子的掺杂浓度和系统的稳定性. Be, O共掺杂更有利于获得p型AlN.     

纤锌矿CdxZn1-xO电子结构的第一性原理研究

采用第一性原理的平面波超软赝势方法,计算了纤锌矿ZnO及不同量Cd掺杂ZnO的电子结构.计算结果表明,Cd的掺杂导致ZnO晶体的禁带宽度变窄.主要原因在于Cd的掺入导致Zn4s轨道中能级越来越低的电子参与作用,使得决定导带底的反键Zn 4s态能级逐渐降低,同时由pd反键轨道控制的价带顶能级逐渐升高. 关键词： 密度泛函理论 超软赝势方法 Cd掺杂ZnO     

硅酸锌的电子结构

采用局域密度泛函理论和第一性原理的方法,计算四方结构和六角结构硅酸锌的平衡晶格常数、电子态密度和能带结构。计算结果表明,四方结构硅酸锌的平衡晶格常数为0.71048nm,六角结构为1.40877nm,两者与实验值的误差均在1%左右。态密度图显示,主要电子态分布在-7.18～0.00eV和2.79～10.50eV两个能量区域;同时,不同元素电子对导带和价带有不同贡献,其中氧的p态电子对价带顶贡献最大,锌的s态电子对导带底贡献最大。能带计算表明,四方与六角结构硅酸锌均为直接带隙半导体,禁带宽度分别为2.66,2.89eV。     

First principles study of half-metallic ferromagnetism in Zn1−xEuxS

Density functional theory calculations by using both generalized gradient approximation (GGA) method and the GGA with considering strong correlation effect (GGA+U) for various Eu concentrations x (=0.00, 0.25, 0.50, and 0.75). It is found that after the Europium incorporation, a new localized band appears between the valence and conduction bands, which corresponds to the majority spin of Eu-4f states, the strong correlation effects is very important for the 4f orbit of the Eu atom in ZnEuS. We find that Zn_1−xEu_xS exhibits a half-metallic characteristic, and the ferromagnetic state is more favorable in energy than the antiferromagnetic state. Structural properties are determined from the total energy calculations, and we discuss the electronic structures, total and partial densities of states and local moments.     

Band transitions in wurtzite GaN and InN determined by valence electron energy loss spectroscopy

Valence electron energy loss spectroscopy (VEELS) was applied to determine band transitions in wurtzite InN, deposited by molecular beam epitaxy on (0001) sapphire substrates or GaN buffer layers. The GaN buffer layer was used as VEELS reference. At room temperature a band transition for wurtzite InN was found at (1.7±0.2 eV) and for wurtzite GaN at (3.3±0.2 eV) that are ascribed to the fundamental bandgap. Additional band transitions could be identified at higher and lower energy losses. The latter may be related to transitions involving defect bands. In InN, neither oxygen related crystal phases nor indium metal clusters were observed in the areas of the epilayers investigated by VEELS. Consequently, the obtained results mainly describe the properties of the InN host crystal.     

First-principles study on electronic structure of Sr2Bi2O5 crystal

The electronic structure of Sr₂Bi₂O₅ is calculated by the GGA approach. Both of the valence band maximum and the conduction band minimum are located at Γ-point. This means that Sr₂Bi₂O₅ is a direct band-gap material. The wide energy-band dispersions near the valence band maximum and the conduction band minimum predict that holes and electrons generated by band gap excitation have a high mobility. The conduction band is composed of Bi 6p, Sr 4d and O 2p energy states. On the other hand, the valence band can be divided into two energy regions ranging from −9.5 to −7.9 eV (lower valence band) and from −4.13 to 0 eV (upper valence band). The former mainly consists of Bi 6s states hybridizing with O 2s and O 2p states, and the latter is mainly constructed from O 2p states strongly interacting with Bi 6s and Bi 6p states.     

GaN中与C和O有关的杂质能级第一性原理计算

用局域密度泛函线性丸盒轨道大型超原胞方法(32个原子),对纯纤锌矿结构的GaN用调节计算参数(如原子球与“空球”的占空比)在自洽条件下使Eg的计算值(323eV)接近实验值(35eV).然后以原子替代方式自洽计算杂质能级在Eg中的相对位置.模拟计算了六角结构GaN中自然缺陷以及与C和O有关的杂质能级位置,包括其复合物.计算结果表明,单个缺陷如镓空位VGa、氮空位VN、氧代替氮ON、炭代替氮CN、炭代替镓CGa等与已有的计算结果基本一致.计算结果表明杂质复合物会导致单个杂质能级位置的相对变化.计算了CNON,CGaCN,CNOV和CGaVGa,其中CNON分别具有深受主与浅施主的特征,是导致GaN黄光的一种可能的结构. 关键词： GaN 杂质能级 电子结构     

不同价态Mn掺杂InN电子结构、磁学和光学性质的第一性原理研究

采用密度泛函理论体系下的广义梯度近似GGA+U平面波超软赝势方法,在构建了纤锌矿结构的InN超胞及三种不同有序占位Mn~(2+),Mn~(3+)价态分别掺杂InN超胞模型,并进行几何优化的基础上,计算了掺杂前后体系的电子结构、能量以及光学性质.计算结果表明:Mn掺杂后体系总能量和形成能降低,稳定性增加,并在费米能级附近引入自旋极化杂质带,体系具有明显的自旋极化现象.掺杂不同价态的Mn元素对体系电子结构和磁学性质产生了不同的影响.电子结构和磁性分析表明掺杂体系的磁性来源于p-d交换机制和双交换机制的共同作用,Mn~(3+)价态掺杂有利于掺杂体系的居里温度达到室温以上.与未掺杂InN相比,不同价态Mn元素掺杂后体系的静态介电函数显著增大,掺杂体系介电函数虚部和吸收光谱在低能区域出现了较强的新峰,分析认为这些新峰主要来自与费米能级附近自旋极化杂质带相关的跃迁.     

The electronic structure,electronic charge density and optical properties of the diamond-like semiconductor Ag2ZnSiS4

The electronic structure, electronic charge density and optical properties of the diamond-like semiconductor Ag₂ZnSiS₄ compound with the monoclinic structure have been investigated using a full-relativistic version of the full-potential augmented plane-wave method based on the density functional theory, within local density approximation (LDA), generalized gradient approximation (GGA), Engel–Vosko GGA (EVGGA) and modified Becke Johnson (mBJ) potential. Band structures divulge that this compound is a direct energy band gap semiconductor. The obtained energy band gap value using mBJ is larger than those obtained within LDA, GGA and EVGGA. There is a strong hybridization between Si-s and S-s/p, Si-p and Zn-s, Ag-s/p and Zn-s, and Ag-s and Ag-p states. The analysis of the site and momentum-projected densities shows that the bonding possesses covalent nature. The dielectric optical properties were also calculated and discussed in detail.     

Electronic structure of wurtzite and zinc-blende AlN

The electronic structure of AlN in wurtzite and zinc-blende phases is studied experimentally and theoretically. By using X-ray emission spectroscopy, the Al 3p, Al 3s and N 2p spectral densities are obtained. The corresponding local and partial theoretical densities of states (DOS), as well as the total DOS and the band structure, are calculated by using the full potential linearized augmented plane wave method, within the framework of the density functional theory. There is a relatively good agreement between the experimental spectra and the theoretical DOS, showing a large hybridization of the valence states all along the valence band. The discrepancies between the experimental and theoretical DOS, appearing towards the high binding energies, are ascribed to an underestimation of the valence band width in the calculations, or to extra states in the optical and ionic gaps due to the presence of point defects or impurities. Differences between the wurtzite and zinc-blende phases are small and reflect the slight variations between the atomic arrangements of both phases.Received: 25 October 2004, Published online: 23 December 2004PACS: 78.70.En X-ray emission spectra and fluorescence - 71.20.Nr Semiconductor compounds - 71.15.Mb Density functional theory, local density approximation, gradient and other corrections     

Specific features of the electronic band structure and x-ray spectra of boron nitride in sphalerite and wurtzite modifications

The electronic band structure of boron nitride compounds with crystal lattices of the sphalerite (c-BN) and wurtzite (w-BN) types is calculated by the local coherent potential method in the cluster muffin-tin approximation within the framework of the multiple scattering theory. The local partial densities of 2p states for boron and nitrogen in c-BN and w-BN modifications are compared with the experimental boron and nitrogen K x-ray emission spectra and band-structure calculations. A comparison of the total densities of states in c-BN and w-BN with the x-ray photoelectron spectra and the band calculations has revealed both similarities and differences in the electronic structures of these modifications. The fine structure in the vicinity of the valence band top of boron nitride in different crystal modifications is theoretically calculated for the first time. The specific features of the electronic structure and the x-ray spectra of boron nitride in different modifications are discussed.     

MgxZn1-xO结构性质

采用第一性原理计算模拟了不同组分的Mg_xZn_1-xO半导体混晶的晶格常数、总能、结构,以及禁带宽度的变化。计算结果显示,随着Mg组分的增加,晶格常数逐渐减小,晶体逐渐偏离纤锌矿结构。对各种不同的Mg原子排列情况进行比较认为,Mg_xZn_1-xO的结构随组分x的增大,发生从纤锌矿到岩盐矿的结构相变的可能性高于发生相分离。另一方面,禁带宽度随组分增大主要由价带顶的移动所致。进一步分析Mg原子各种电子态对价带的影响表明,Mg对价带顶附近能带的贡献依次来自p、d、s态电子。随着组分x的增加,p态电子在价带顶附近的密度明显提高,说明sp轨道杂化不但对晶体的几何结构产生影响,而且对其电子结构也起重要作用。