Theoretical study of selenium and tellurium impurities in (ZnO)6 clusters using DFT and TDDFT

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures have attracted much interest due to their potential applications in various fields including optoelectronics, glass industries, and solar cells. These compounds hold the promise of creating new materials that can advance energy technologies. In this work, a series of (ZnO)₆ clusters with selenium and tellurium applied as substitutional impurities has been studied. The investigated structures have been produced through the doping of (ZnO)₆ clusters by replacing an oxygen atom with a selenium or a tellurium atom at each time. The ground state geometric parameters of (ZnO)₆ structures, containing selenium or tellurium atoms as substitutional impurities, were calculated using density functional theory (DFT) with B3LYP and LanL2DZ basis set. Excited state energies and absorption wavelengths were computed using time‐dependent‐DFT (TDDFT). For the calculation of emission wavelengths, Hartree–Fock configuration interaction singles (HF/CIS) has been used in order to perform the excited state geometry optimization. This work led to some important results that can be helpful for developing novel THz sensitive materials and imaging detectors that may be an alternative to x‐rays detectors for radiology as well as for the development of solar cells and electroluminescent diodes. Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures have attracted growing interest due to their potential applications in many technological fields, including optoelectronics, the glass industry, and energy. The presence of impurities, in particular selenium and tellurium, in ZnO‐based clusters can affect their structural and spectroscopic properties. Some of these doped nanostructures have favorable Terahertz emission characteristics that make them good candidates for applications in biology and medicine.     

Generalized energy-based fragmentation approach for computing the ground-state energies and properties of large molecules

We present a generalized energy-based fragmentation (GEBF) approach for approximately predicting the ground-state energies and molecular properties of large molecules, especially those charged and polar molecules. In this approach, the total energy (or properties) of a large molecule can be approximately obtained from energy (or properties) calculations on various small subsystems, each of which is constructed to contain a certain fragment and its local surroundings within a given distance. In the quantum chemistry calculation of a given subsystem, those distant atoms (outside this subsystem) are modeled as background point charges at the corresponding nuclear centers. This treatment allows long-range electrostatic interaction and polarization effects between distant fragments to be taken into account approximately, which are very important for polar and charged molecules. We also propose a new fragmentation scheme for constructing subsystems. Our test calculations at the Hartree-Fock and second-order M?ller-Plesser perturbation theory levels demonstrate that the approach could yield satisfactory ground-state energies, the dipole moments, and static polarizabilities for polar and charged molecules such as water clusters and proteins.     

Heterogeneous multicomponent nucleation theorems for the analysis of nanoclusters

In this paper we present a new form of the nucleation theorems applicable to heterogeneous nucleation. These heterogeneous nucleation theorems allow, for the first time, direct determination of properties of nanoclusters formed on pre-existing particles from measured heterogeneous nucleation probabilities. The theorems can be used to analyze the size (first theorem) and the energetics (second theorem) of heterogeneous clusters independent of any specific nucleation model. We apply the first theorem to the study of small water and n-propanol clusters formed at the surface of 8 nm silver particles. According to the experiments the size of the two-component critical clusters is found to be below 90 molecules, and only less than 20 molecules for pure water, less than 300 molecules for pure n-propanol. These values are drastically smaller than the ones predicted by the classical nucleation theory, which clearly indicates that the nucleating clusters are too small to be quantitatively described using a macroscopic theory.     

Study of selenium clusters

The aim of this paper is to study the properties of selenium clusters produced by vapor condensation technique. Simulation of nucleation process up to 50 atoms are in favour of a structure close to the amorphous structure. Doubly charged clusters are also obtained in the mass spectra.     

Monte Carlo simulations of critical cluster sizes and nucleation rates of water

We have calculated the critical cluster sizes and homogeneous nucleation rates of water at temperatures and vapor densities corresponding to experiments by Wolk and Strey [J. Phys. Chem B 105, 11683 (2001)]. The calculations have been done with an expanded version of a Monte Carlo method originally developed by Vehkamaki and Ford [J. Chem. Phys. 112, 4193 (2000)]. Their method calculates the statistical growth and decay probabilities of molecular clusters. We have derived a connection between these probabilities and kinetic condensation and evaporation rates, and introduce a new way for the calculation of the work of formation of clusters. Three different interaction potential models of water have been used in the simulations. These include the unpolarizable SPC/E [J. Phys. Chem. 91, 6269 (1987)] and TIP4P [J. Chem. Phys. 79, 926 (1983)] models and a polarizable model by Guillot and Guissani [J. Chem. Phys. 114, 6720 (2001)]. We show that TIP4P produces critical cluster sizes and a temperature and vapor density dependence for the nucleation rate that agree well with the experimental data, although the magnitude of nucleation rate is constantly overestimated by a factor of 2 x 10(4). Guissani and Guillot's model is somewhat less successful, but both the TIP4P and Guillot and Guissani models are able to reproduce a much better experimental temperature dependency of the nucleation rate than the classical nucleation theory. Using SPC/E results in dramatically too small critical clusters and high nucleation rates. The water models give different average binding energies for clusters. We show that stronger binding between cluster molecules suppresses the decay probability of a cluster, while the growth probability is not affected. This explains the differences in results from different water models.     

An improved clusterion-photoelectron coincidence technique for the investigation of the ionisation dynamics of clusters

The introduction of photoion-photoelectron coincidence techniques has made it possible to investigate photoionisation properties of heavy clusters, which are not accessible by conventional mass spectrometry. This technique has been further developed in combination with a zero-volt electron energy analyser and greatly improved in performance. The method has been applied to the investigation of different homogeneous and heterogeneous clusters. This type of cluster experiment requires both a very high resolution and a large dynamic range in order to identify also clusters present in low abundance. As an example, a series of coincidence mass spectra of Xe clusters has been recorded at different wavelengths. Below a photon energy of 11.1 eV, the range of observable clusters shifts to higher cluster sizes with decreasing energy. Appearance potentials and the binding energy of different cluster ions were obtained. Intensity fluctuations, already observed in spectra with electron bombardment ionisation (magic numbers), have also been detected in the coincidence spectra and become most pronounced near the ionisation threshold. This indicates that these fluctuations are caused by the size-dependent stability of the ionic and not the neutral cluster. Furthermore, the threshold size does not change linearly with cluster size. The binding energy per particle seems to change drastically aroundn=13 which indicates the existence of a shell structure in the cluster ion.     

Improved mapping of protein binding sites

Computational mapping methods place molecular probes – small molecules or functional groups – on a protein surface in order to identify the most favorable binding positions by calculating an interaction potential. Mapping is an important step in a number of flexible docking and drug design algorithms. We have developed improved algorithms for mapping protein surfaces using small organic molecules as molecular probes. The calculations reproduce the binding of eight organic solvents to lysozyme as observed by NMR, as well as the binding of four solvents to thermolysin, in good agreement with x-ray data. Application to protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B shows that the information provided by the mapping can be very useful for drug design. We also studied why the organic solvents bind in the active site of proteins, in spite of the availability of alternative pockets that can very tightly accommodate some of the probes. A possible explanation is that the binding in the relatively large active site retains a number of rotational states, and hence leads to smaller entropy loss than the binding elsewhere else. Indeed, the mapping reveals that the clusters of the ligand molecules in the protein's active site contain different rotational-translational conformers, which represent different local minima of the free energy surface. In order to study the transitions between different conformers, reaction path and molecular dynamics calculations were performed. Results show that most of the rotational states are separated by low free energy barriers at the experimental temperature, and hence the entropy of binding in the active site is expected to be high.     

Developments on the Chemistry of Tellurium and Selenium Azides

Abstract

We have been carrying out systematic studies on the preparation and properties of tellurium halide and pseudohalide compounds with a focus on tellurium azides. We were successful in the synthesis of various tellurium azides of both covalent and ionic nature. Several tellurium(IV) azides, tellurium(II) azides, and the first tellurium(VI) azides can be prepared in reasonable amounts. The first structural information of selenium azides is obtained for covalent and ionic derivatives, and spectroscopic data for the existence of selenium(iv) polyazides.     

Experimental studies on selenium cluster structures

In this paper, we report properties of selenium clusters produced by vapor condensation technique. Impact electronic ionization is performed on clusters in the size range from 2 to 36 atoms. The measured ionization potentials exhibit small oscillation corresponding to the wiggles observed on the mass distribution. An attempt to connect these experimental observations with the geometrical structure of the molecules is made in the discussion.     

Recent developments in the kinetic theory of nucleation

A review of recent progress in the kinetics of nucleation is presented. In the conventional approach to the kinetic theory of nucleation, it is necessary to know the free energy of formation of a new-phase particle as a function of its independent variables at least for near-critical particles. Thus the conventional kinetic theory of nucleation is based on the thermodynamics of the process. The thermodynamics of nucleation can be examined by using various approaches, such as the capillarity approximation, density functional theory, and molecular simulation, each of which has its own advantages and drawbacks. Relatively recently a new approach to the kinetics of nucleation was proposed [Ruckenstein E, Nowakowski B. J Colloid Interface Sci 1990;137:583; Nowakowski B, Ruckenstein E. J Chem Phys 1991;94:8487], which is based on molecular interactions and does not employ the traditional thermodynamics, thus avoiding such a controversial notion as the surface tension of tiny clusters involved in nucleation. In the new kinetic theory the rate of emission of molecules by a new-phase particle is determined with the help of a mean first passage time analysis. This time is calculated by solving the single-molecule master equation for the probability distribution function of a surface layer molecule moving in a potential field created by the rest of the cluster. The new theory was developed for both liquid-to-solid and vapor-to-liquid phase transitions. In the former case the single-molecule master equation is the Fokker-Planck equation in the phase space which can be reduced to the Smoluchowski equation owing to the hierarchy of characteristic time scales. In the latter case, the starting master equation is a Fokker-Planck equation for the probability distribution function of a surface layer molecule with respect to both its energy and phase coordinates. Unlike the case of liquid-to-solid nucleation, this Fokker-Planck equation cannot be reduced to the Smoluchowski equation, but the hierarchy of time scales does allow one to reduce it to the Fokker-Plank equation in the energy space. The new theory provides an equation for the critical radius of a new-phase particle which in the limit of large clusters (low supersaturations) yields the Kelvin equation and hence an expression for the macroscopic surface tension. The theory was illustrated with numerical calculations for a molecular pair interaction potential combining the dispersive attraction with the hard-sphere repulsion. The results for the liquid-to-solid nucleation clearly show that at given supersaturation the nucleation rate depends on the cluster structure (for three cluster structures considered-amorphous, fcc, and icosahedral). For both the liquid-to-solid and vapor-to-liquid nucleation, the predictions of the theory are consistent with the results of classical nucleation theory (CNT) in the limit of large critical clusters (low supersaturations). For small critical clusters the new theory provides higher nucleation rates than CNT. This can be accounted for by the fact that CNT uses the macroscopic interfacial tension which presumably overpredicts the surface tension of small clusters, and hence underpredicts nucleation rates.     

Comparison between the classical theory predictions and molecular simulation results for heterogeneous nucleation of argon

We have performed Monte Carlo simulations of homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleations of Lennard-Jones argon clusters. The simulation results were interpreted using the major concept posing a difference between the homogeneous and heterogeneous classical nucleation theories-the contact parameter. Our results show that the multiplication concept of the classical heterogeneous nucleation theory describes the cluster-substrate interaction surprisingly well even for small molecular clusters. However, in the case of argon nucleating on a rigid monolayer of fcc(111) substrate at T=60 K, the argon-substrate atom interaction being approximately one-third as strong as the argon-argon interaction, the use of the classical theory concept results in an underestimation of the heterogeneous nucleation rate by two to three orders of magnitude even for large clusters. The main contribution to this discrepancy is induced by the failure of the classical theory of homogeneous nucleation to predict the energy involved in bringing one molecule from the vapor to the cluster for clusters containing less than approximately 15 molecules.     

On the different adsorption behavior of bismuth,sulfur, selenium and tellurium on a Pt(775) stepped surface

The deposition behavior of sulfur, selenium, tellurium and bismuth on the Pt(775) surface has been studied by cyclic voltammetry. It has been found that bismuth and tellurium deposit preferentially on the step sites. Once the step sites are fully covered by these adatoms, the deposition on the terrace starts. Conversely, step decoration cannot be achieved with sulfur and selenium. For these adatoms, the deposition takes place preferentially on the terrace. The different behavior of the adatoms is related to differences in their electronic properties.     

Large thermoelectric figure of merit in hexagonal phase of 2D selenium and tellurium

We found a large thermoelectric figure of merit in the hexagonal phase of 2D selenium and tellurium from first-principles calculations. The hexagonal phase (α) is obtained from three atomic layers truncated along the [001] direction of trigonal Te and Se bulk in the equilibrium structure. We found the α-Se structure dynamically stable. The calculated electronic structures of α-Se and α-Te show interesting semiconductor character for both electronic and optoelectronic applications. Furthermore, the obtained elastic properties show that hexagonal tellurene is a softer material than selenene. The thermoelectric figure of merit for hexagonal 2D phase (∼1.0) is larger than those reported for the tetragonal 2D phase (∼0.75) of selenium and tellurium. Additionally, the computed electrical and phonon transport parameters indicate that selenene and tellurene are promising thermoelectric materials; both offer an alternative to recovering residual heat and transforming it into electricity.     

Excess electron and lithium atom solvation in water clusters at finite temperature: an ab initio molecular dynamics study of the structural, spectral, and dynamical behavior of (H2O)6- and Li(H2O)6

The roles of hydrogen bonds in the solvation of an excess electron and a lithium atom in water hexamer cluster at 150 K have been studied by means of ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. It is found that the hydrogen bonded structures of (H(2)O)(6)(-) and Li(H(2)O)(6) clusters are very different from each other and they dynamically evolve from one conformer to other along their simulation trajectories. The populations of the single acceptor, double acceptor, and free type water molecules are found to be significantly high unlike that in pure water clusters. Free hydrogens of these type of water molecules primarily capture the unbound electron density in these clusters. It is found that the binding motifs of the free electron evolve with time and the vertical detachment energy of (H(2)O)(6)(-) and vertical ionization energy of Li(H(2)O)(6) also change with time. Assignments of the observed peaks in vibrational power spectra are done, and we found direct correlations between the time-averaged population of water molecules in different hydrogen bonding states and the spectral features. The dynamical aspects of these clusters have also been studied through calculations of time correlations of instantaneous stretch frequencies of OH modes which are obtained from the simulation trajectories through a time series analysis.     

Thermodynamics of epitaxial calcite nucleation on self-assembled monolayers

Classical heterogeneous nucleation theory is used to describe the epitaxial nucleation of calcite on self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). Both spherical and faceted clusters are considered. The use of faceted clusters reveals a useful relation between the shape of very small crystals and the ratio of the heterogeneous and homogeneous nucleation barriers. The experimental approach of this paper concerns the measurement of the threshold driving forces for both homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleation of calcite. This is accomplished by preparing solutions with well-defined driving forces and by measuring the resulting types of nucleation that are observed after a fixed experimental time. The results of the experiments and the theoretical shape analysis are compared, and it is shown that in the experiments no homogeneous nucleation of calcite occurs for driving forces up to at least Deltamu/k(B)T approximately equal to 6.0. A calculation of the critical cluster size for heterogeneous nucleation results in a range of 2-28 growth units and faceted critical clusters from 3-28 growth units, depending on the value of the surface free energy of calcite. These sizes are 50-100 times smaller than the crystalline domain sizes of SAMs and therefore small enough to explain the promoting effect of the substrate.     

Ab initio studies of properties of small potassium clusters

We have studied the properties of various isomers of potassium clusters containing even number of atoms ranging from 2 to 20 at the ab initio level. The geometry optimization calculations of the isomers of each cluster are performed by using all-electron density functional theory with gradient corrected exchange-correlation functional. Using the optimized geometries of different isomers we investigate the evolution of binding energy, ionization potential, and static polarizability with the increasing size of the clusters. The polarizabilities are calculated by employing M?ller-Plesset perturbation theory and time-dependent density functional theory. The polarizabilities of dimer and tetramer are also calculated by employing large basis set coupled cluster theory with single and double excitations and perturbative triple excitations. The time-dependent density functional theory calculations of polarizabilities are carried out with two different exchange-correlation potentials: (i) an asymptotically correct model potential and (ii) within the local density approximation. A systematic comparison with the other available theoretical and experimental data for various properties of small potassium clusters mentioned above has been performed. These comparisons reveal that both the binding energy and the ionization potential obtained with gradient-corrected potential match quite well with the already published data. Similarly, the polarizabilities obtained with M?ller-Plesset perturbation theory and with model potential are quite close to each other and also close to experimental data.     

An ab initio comparison of dichalcogen hydrides

A theoretical study of HSH, HSeH, HTeH, HSSH, HSeSH, HSeSeH, HTeSH, HTeSeH, and HTeTeH was carried out by ab initio molecular orbital methods employing minimal Gaussian basis sets MINI-1 and MINI-1* of Huzinaga and his group. Both basis sets yield accurate estimates on the equilibrium geometries of monochalcogen hydrides. In the case of dichalcogen hydrides, however, the inclusion of d-polarization functions for sulfur, selenium, and tellurium greatly improve the accuracy of the geometry prediction. The unpolarized MINI-1 basis sets yield essentially correct orbital energies and therefore suffice for the comparative study on the electronic structures in similar molecules. The results with both basis sets imply close similarities in the electronic structures of SS, SeS, and SeSe bonds with more marked differences in bonds containing tellurium as a consequence of notably smaller orbital energy of the 5s- orbital of tellurium as compared to the corresponding orbitals in sulfur and selenium. The barriers to internal rotation about the chalcogen—chalcogen bond in all dichalcogen hydrides are similar. The cis- and trans-barrier heights are ca. 23 and 14 kJ mol⁻¹, respectively. The relative stabilities of different hydrides are discussed.     

Evaluation of different implementations of the Thomson liquid drop model: comparison to monovalent and divalent cluster ion experimental data

The Thomson model, used for calculating thermodynamic properties of cluster ions from macroscopic properties, and variations of this model were compared to each other and to experimental data for both hydrated mono- and divalent ions. Previous models that used the Thomson equation to calculate sequential binding thermodynamic values of hydrated ions, either continuously or discretely including an ion-dipole interaction term, were compared to a discrete model that includes the excluded volume of an impurity ion. All models, given their limitations, provided reasonable agreement to data for monovalent ions. For divalent cluster ions, the continuous model, and a discrete model that includes the ion-exclusion volume provide significantly better agreement to both the binding enthalpy and the binding entropy data as compared to the model that includes an ion-dipole term. A systematic deviation in the continuous model resulted in significantly lower binding enthalpies than the discrete model for clusters with fewer than about nine and 19 water molecules for mono- and divalent ions, respectively, but this difference became negligible for larger clusters. Previous investigations of the various Thomson model implementations used parameters for bulk water at 313 K. Using parameters at 298 K has a negligible effect at small cluster sizes, but at larger sizes, the binding enthalpies are 0.2 kcal/mol higher than with the 313 K parameters. Although small, the effect is significant for ion nanocalorimetry experiments in which thermochemical information is obtained from the number of water molecules lost upon activating large clusters.     

Electrocrystallization of rhodium clusters on thiolate-covered polycrystalline gold

This study reports on the electrochemical deposition of rhodium metal clusters on a polycrystalline gold electrode, modified with a monolayer of dodecanethiol through self-assembly from solution. The deposition process was investigated using cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, and electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance. It is shown that the presence of the thiol monolayer drastically alters the nucleation and growth mechanism compared with the mechanism on the bare gold electrode. The small uncovered gold domains, located at the imperfections in the thiolate monolayer which are induced by the gold nanoroughness, act as nucleation sites for small rhodium clusters. At longer times, these clusters can outgrow the organic monolayer. The resulting surface morphology was characterized by scanning electron microscopy. Rhodium electrocrystallization on the bare gold substrate resulted in an ensemble of a very large amount of very small clusters that are difficult to distinguish from the gold roughness. In contrast, in the presence of a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of dodecanethiol covalently attached to the gold electrode, the resulting deposit consisted of an ensemble of hemispherical particles. The size distribution of the rhodium particles obtained by using double step chronoamperometry was compared to the ones obtained with cyclic voltammetry and "classical" chronoamperometry. It is shown by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy that the SAM is still present after rhodium deposition on the thiolate-covered gold substrate. Because the rhodium clusters are directly attached to the gold substrate and can thus easily be electrified, the resulting interface could be used as a composite electrode consisting of a random array of gold supported rhodium nano/microparticles separated from each other by an organic phase. On the other hand, it is shown that the SAM is easily removed by electrochemical oxidation without dissolving the rhodium clusters and, thus, leaving a different array of rhodium clusters on the gold surface compared with the topography obtained in the absence of the SAM. From this point of view, substrate modification with such "removable" organic monolayers was found to be an interesting tool to tune the nano- or microtopography of electrochemically deposited rhodium.     

Evolution of the properties of Al(n)N(n) clusters with size

A global optimization of stoichiometric (AlN)(n) clusters (n = 1-25, 30, 35, ..., 95, 100) has been performed using the basin-hopping (BH) method and describing the interactions with simple and yet realistic interatomic potentials. The results for the smaller isomers agree with those of previous electronic structure calculations, thus validating the present scheme. The lowest-energy isomers found can be classified in three different categories according to their structural motifs: (i) small clusters (n = 2-5), with planar ring structures and 2-fold coordination, (ii) medium clusters (n = 6-40), where a competition between stacked rings and globular-like empty cages exists, and (iii) large clusters (n > 40), large enough to mix different elements of the previous stage. All the atoms in small and medium-sized clusters are in the surface, while large clusters start to display interior atoms. Large clusters display a competition between tetrahedral and octahedral-like features: the former lead to a lower energy interior in the cluster, while the latter allow for surface terminations with a lower energy. All of the properties studied present different regimes according to the above classification. It is of particular interest that the local properties of the interior atoms do converge to the bulk limit. The isomers with n = 6 and 12 are specially stable with respect to the gain or loss of AlN molecules.