Contribution of Surface Defects to the Interface Conductivity of SrTiO_3/LaAlO_3

Based on the first-principles method,the structural stability and the contribution of point defects such as O,Sr or Ti vacancies on two-dimensional electron gas of n-and p-type LaAlO_3/SrTiO_3 interfaces are investigated.The results show that O vacancies at p-type interfaces have much lower formation energies,and Sr or Ti vacancies at n-type interfaces are more stable than the ones at p-type interfaces under O-rich conditions.The calculated densities of states indicate that O vacancies act as donors and give a significant compensation to hole carriers,resulting in insulating behavior at p-type interfaces.In contrast,Sr or Ti vacancies tend to trap electrons and behave as acceptors.Sr vacancies are the most stable defects at high oxygen partial pressures,and the Sr vacancies rather than Ti vacancies are responsible for the insulator-metal transition of n-type interface.The calculated results can be helpful to understand the tuned electronic properties of LaAlO_2/SrTiO_3 heterointerfaces.     

Mass-transport driven by surface instabilities in metals under reactive plasma/ion beam treatment at moderate temperature

This paper presents a generalized approach to the mechanisms of oxidation, hydrogenation and nitriding of metals under ion irradiation with reactive particles at elevated temperatures. Experimental results on the plasma oxidation of bilayered Y/Zr films, the plasma hydrogenation of Mg films and the ion beam (1.2 keV N ₂ ⁺ ) nitriding of stainless steel are presented and discussed. We make special emphasis on the analysis of surface effects and their role in the initiation of mixing of bilayered films, the ingress of reactive species in the bulk and the restructuring of the surface layers. It is suggested that primary processes driving reactive atoms from the surface into the bulk are surface instabilities induced by thermal and ballistic surface atom relocations under reactive adsorption and ion irradiation, respectively. The diffusion of adatoms and vacancies, at temperature when they become mobile, provide the means to relax the surface energy. It is recognized that the stabilizing effect of surface adatom diffusion is significant at temperatures below 300–350°C. As the temperature increases, the role of surface adatom diffusion decreases and processes in the bulk become dominant. The atoms of subsurface monolayers occupy energetically favorable sites on the surface, and result in reduced surface energy.     

Stable cation inversion at the MgAl2O4(100) surface

From an interplay of atom-resolved noncontact atomic force microscopy, surface x-ray diffraction experiments, and density functional theory calculations, we reveal the detailed atomic-scale structure of the (100) surface of an insulating ternary metal oxide, MgAl2O4 (spinel). We surprisingly find that the MgAl2O4(100) surface is terminated by an Al and O-rich structure with a thermodynamically favored amount of Al atoms interchanged with Mg. This finding implies that so-called Mg-Al antisites, which are defects in the bulk of MgAl2O4, become a thermodynamically stable and integral part of the surface.     

六方AlN本征缺陷的第一性原理研究

用基于密度泛函理论平面波赝势法首先对六方AlN本征点缺陷(氮空位、铝空位、氮替代铝、铝替代氮、氮间隙、铝间隙)存在时的晶格结构进行优化，得到其稳定结构；然后通过各缺陷形成能的计算可得知其在生长过程中形成的难易程度；最后从态密度的角度对各种本征点缺陷引起的缺陷能级及电子占据情况进行了分析.发现除氮空位外其他本征缺陷在带隙中形成的能级都很深，要得到n型或p型AlN必须要引入外来杂质.计算得到的本征缺陷能级对于分析AlN的一些非带边辐射机理有重要帮助. 关键词： 六方AlN 形成能 缺陷能级 态密度     

MEAM study of carbon atom interaction with Ni nano particle

Carbon, Ni, and C-Ni alloy modified embedded atom method (MEAM) potentials were developed to study the initial process of carbon nanotube growth on Ni catalyst particles. The MEAM potentials were used to study the atomistic interaction between a carbon atom and a fcc Ni nano particle, both on the particle surfaces and inside the Ni nano particles. The result shows that surface carbon atom is more stable than those in the bulk and sub-surface interstitial positions. Carbon atoms are expected to diffuse from the bulk to the surface, and the single walled and double-walled carbon nanotubes would be more favorable to form on Ni nano particle catalyst. The carbon and Ni nano particle interaction calculation shows that the corner and the edge of the particle are the energetically more favorable sites for the carbon adatom. The carbon nanotube may grow from the corner and edge of the particle.     

Fermi-level tuning of epitaxial Sb2Te3 thin films on graphene by regulating intrinsic defects and substrate transfer doping

High-quality Sb2Te3 films are obtained by molecular beam epitaxy on a graphene substrate and investigated by in situ scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy. Intrinsic defects responsible for the natural p-type conductivity of Sb2Te3 are identified to be the Sb vacancies and Sb(Te) antisites in agreement with first-principles calculations. By minimizing defect densities, coupled with a transfer doping by the graphene substrate, the Fermi level of Sb2Te3 thin films can be tuned over the entire range of the bulk band gap. This establishes the necessary condition to explore topological insulator behaviors near the Dirac point.     

Energetics of native point defects in cubic silicon carbide

In this work we present a detailed investigation of native point defects energetics in cubic SiC, using state-of-the-art first principles computational method. We find that, the carbon vacancy is the dominant defect in p-type SiC, regardless the growth conditions. Silicon and carbon antisites are the most common defects in n-type material in Si-rich and C-rich conditions respectively. Interstitial defects and silicon vacancy are less favorite from the energetic point of view. The silicon vacancy tends to transform into a carbon vacancy-antisite complex and the carbon interstitial atom prefers to pair to a carbon antisite. The dumbbell structure is the lowest-energy configuration for the isolated carbon interstitial defect, and the tetrahedral interstitial silicon is a stable structure in p-type and intrinsic conditions, while in n-type material the dumbbell configuration is the stable one. Our results suggest that, in samples grown in Si-rich stoichiometric conditions, native defects are a source of n-doping and of compositional unbalance of nominally intrinsic SiC, in accord with experimental evidence.Received: 9 January 2004, Published online: 28 May 2004PACS: 61.72.Ji Point defects (vacancies, interstitials, color centers, etc.) and defect clusters - 68.55.Ln Defects and impurities: doping, implantation, distribution, concentration, etc. - 74.62.Dh Effects of crystal defects, doping and substitution     

The first-principle calculation of structures and defect energies in tetragonal PbTiO3

The first-principle calculation had been adopted to investigate various neutral vacancies and vacancy pairs under seven thermodynamic conditions in bulk PbTiO₃. The electronic structures, atomic relaxations, and formation energies of vacancies were obtained. Depending on the thermodynamic condition, the main and stable defects are different. It was found that V_O is the main defect under the reducing condition, whereas V_Pb becomes dominating under the oxidizing condition. The Pb-O vacancy pair forms more easily than the isolated vacancies under certain thermodynamic condition. Due to the introducing of vacancies, the acceptorlike levels and donorlike levels appear in the cases of the cation and anion vacancies, respectively.     

First-principles study of MgB2 film on the MgO(111) polar surface

First-principles density functional calculations are applied to study the growth behavior of MgB₂(0001) film on MgO(111) polar surface. The surface energy calculations show that under Mg-rich conditions, Mg-terminated MgO(111) is favored, while the O-terminated is more favorable under O-rich conditions. By exploring three typical models, we calculate the interface energy that is examined as a function of the chemical potentials of Mg. It is found that the most stable structure is preferred to be Mg-terminated MgO(111)-(1×1)-BMgB-structure, where B atom is bonded to Mg atom at a hollow (top) site in interface.     

SIA energetic and structural morphology of α-iron

In this paper, the stability of various atomic configurations containing a self-interstitial atom (SIA) in a model representing α-iron is investigated. From the energy panorama maps of the SIA located in possible non-equivalent interstitial sites, six relatively stable self-interstitial sites are found, whose structures and formation energies have been described and calculated using the modified analytical embedded atom method and molecular dynamics. The simulation results indicate that the [110] dumbbell interstitial is the energetically most favorable configuration, which is in good agreement with the experimental and ab initio results, and the distances between two displaced atoms that compose the [100], [110] and [111] direction dumbbells have been computed to be 0.68a, 0.65a and 0.29a, respectively, not all being about 0.75a apart. The relaxed displacements up to the fifth-nearest-neighbor atoms around the SIA in O interstitial position are also calculated.     

嵌入原子法计算金属钚中点缺陷的能量

钚因放射性衰变而出现老化效应.钚中点缺陷的性质和行为是理解钚老化效应的一个基础和前提.运用分子动力学模拟技术,计算了金属钚中点缺陷和点缺陷团簇的形成能和结合能.其中钚-钚、钚-氦和氦-氦相互作用势分别采用嵌入原子多体势、Morse对势和Lennard-Jones对势.计算结果表明,单个自间隙原子易以〈100〉哑铃状形态存在;间隙氦原子在理想晶格的八面体间隙位置相对较为稳定;氦原子与空位的结合能较大,在钚的自辐照过程中两者易于结合并形成氦-空位团簇;氦-空位团簇的形成能随氦原子数的增加而增大,当氦与空位的数     

First principles study of the magnetism driven by cation defects in CeO₂:the important role of O2p states

The magnetism driven by cation defects in undoped CeO 2 bulk and thin films is studied by the density functional theory corrected for on-site Coulomb interactions (DFT+U) with U = 5 eV for the Ce4f states and U = 7 eV for the O2p states. It is found that the Ce vacancies can induce a magnetic moment of the ～ 4 μ B /supercell, which arises mainly from the 2p hole state of the nearest neighbouring O atom (～ 1 μ B on per oxygen) to the Ce vacancy. The effect of the methodology is investigated, indicating that U = 7 eV for the O2p state is necessary to obtain the localized O2p hole state in defective ceria with cation vacancies.     

Theoretical study of the magnetic interaction of Cr-doped ZnO with and without vacancies

First-principles density-functional theory (DFT) calculations have been performed to study the magnetic properties of ZnO:Cr with and without vacancies. The results indicate that the doping of Cr in ZnO induces obvious spin polarization around the Fermi level and a total magnetic moment of 3.77μ_B. The ferromagnetism (FM) exchange interaction between Cr atoms is short-ranged and decreases with increasing Cr separation distance. It is suggested that the FM state is not stable with low concentration of Cr. The presence of O vacancies can make the half-metallic FM state of the system more stable, so that higher Curie temperature ferromagnetism may be expected. Nevertheless, Zn vacancies can result in the FM stability decreasing slightly. The calculated formation energy shows that V_Zn+Cr_Zn complex forms spontaneously under O-rich conditions. However, under Zn-rich conditions, the complex of V_O+Cr_Zn forms more easily. Thus, ZnO doped with Cr may exhibit a concentration of vacancies that influence the magnetic properties.     

Molecular dynamics simulation of defect formation in an aluminum crystal under low-energy ion bombardment

Atomic collision cascades initiated by Ar and Xe ions (with energies of 25, 40, and 50 eV) normally incident on the Al(100) crystal surface at a crystal temperature of 300 K have been simulated by the molecular dynamics technique. The formation of vacancies and radiation-adsorbed and interstitial atoms in a cascade is discussed. It is demonstrated that the numbers of surface and bulk vacancies formed in cascades under bombardment of the Al(100) surface by Xe ions reach two maxima within 0.2–0.3 and 0.7–1.0 ps after the cascade initiation, whereas the number of vacancies generated under bombardment by Ar ions reaches one maximum within 0.2–0.3 ps after the cascade initiation.     

铝中氦原子行为的密度泛函研究

用密度泛函理论计算了大量He原子存在时He在金属铝中不同位置的能量,并在理论上预测了铝中的氦原子行为。结果表明,铝晶胞内He原子择优占位区是空位,而在整个晶体范围,最有利于容纳He原子的区域是晶界,其次是空位和位错。在fcc-铝的两种间隙位中,He原子优先充填四面体间隙位。间隙He原子的迁移能很小,易于通过迁移在晶内聚集,或被空位、晶界、位错等缺陷束缚。     

铝中氦原子行为的密度泛函研究

用密度泛函理论计算了大量He原子存在时He在金属铝中不同位置的能量,并在理论上预测了铝中的氦原子行为.结果表明,铝晶胞内He原子择优占位区是空位,而在整个晶体范围,最有利于容纳He原子的区域是晶界,其次是空位和位错.在fcc-铝的两种间隙位中,He原子优先充填四面体间隙位.间隙He原子的迁移能很小,易于通过迁移在晶内聚集,或被空位、晶界、位错等缺陷束缚.     

Defect formation and water incorporation in Y2O3

The molecular statics method is used to study the formation of defects and water incorporation in Y₂O₃. The crystal structure, the isothermal compressibility, and the formation enthalpy of Y₂O₃ calculated with the chosen interaction potentials are in good agreement with the experimental data. The formation energies of intrinsic and impurity defects are evaluated. The binding energy of protons and oxygen vacancies with an acceptor impurity at different distances is calculated. Various water incorporation reactions in the oxide are examined, including the mechanisms involving oxygen interstitial sites and oxygen vacancies produced by the acceptor doping. It is shown that the water incorporation in pure Y₂O₃ is energetically less favorable than in the acceptor doped oxide.     

First-principles study of polarization and piezoelectricity behavior in tetragonal PbTiO_3-based superlattices

Using first-principles calculation, the contribution of A-site and B-site atoms to polarization and piezoelectricity d33 in the tetragonal Pb TiO_3/KNbO_3 and PbTiO_3/LaAlO_3 superlattices is investigated in this paper. It is shown that PbTiO_3/KNbO_3 superlattice has larger polarization and d33 than PbTiO_3/LaAlO_3 superlattice, because there is stronger charge transfer between A(B)-site atoms and oxygen atom in PbTiO_3/KNbO_3 superlattice. InPbTiO_3/KNbO_3 superlattice,B-site atoms(Ti, Nb) make larger contribution to the total polarization and d33 than the A-site atoms(Pb, K) because of the strong covalent interactions between the transition metal(Ti, Nb) and the oxygen atoms, while piezoelectricity in PbTiO_3/LaAlO_3 superlattice mainly ascribes to piezoelectric contribution of Pb atom and Ti atom in PbTiO_3 component.Furthermore, by calculating the proportion of the piezoelectric contribution from Pb TiO_3 component in superlattices, we find there is different response of strain to piezoelectric contribution from Pb TiO_3 component in two superlattices but still with a value larger than 50%. InPbTiO_3/KNbO_3 superlattice, the c-axis strain reduces the proportion, especially under tensile condition. Meanwhile in PbTiO_3/LaAlO_3 superlattice, Pb TiO_3 plays a leading role to the total d33, especially under compressive condition, and the proportion decreases as the tensile strain increases.     

Magnetism without magnetic ions: percolation, exchange, and formation energies of magnetism-promoting intrinsic defects in CaO

We investigate theoretically the prospects of ferromagnetism being induced by cation vacancies in nonmagnetic oxides. A single Ca vacancy V(0)(Ca) has a magnetic moment due to its open-shell structure but the ferromagnetic interaction between two vacancies extends only to four neighbors or less. To achieve magnetic percolation on a fcc lattice with such an interaction range one needs a minimum of 4.9% vacancies, or a concentration 1.8 x 10(21) cm(-3). Total-energy calculations for CaO show, however, that due to the high vacancy formation energy even under the most favorable growth conditions one can not obtain more than 0.003% or 10(18) cm(-3) vacancies at equilibrium, showing that a nonequilibrium vacancy-enhancement factor of 10(3) is needed to achieve magnetism in such systems.     

Aluminum and nitrogen impurities in Wurtzite ZnO: first-principles studies

First-principles calculations have been performed to investigate the doping behaviors of Al and N dopant impurities in ZnO. According to the results, in the Al mono-doping case, the impurity states are quite delocalized, the corresponding effective masses are small, and the formation energy is as low as −9.71 eV. In the N mono-doping case, the impurity states are localized, the effective masses are large, and the formation energy is high (4.55 eV in the most favorable extreme O-rich conditions). In the Al-N codoping case, the corresponding effective masses are marked decreased compared to the N mono-doping situations, and the formation energy of the N-Al-N system is as low as −2.54 eV in the O-rich condition. The above results can explain the electrical behaviors of the doped or codoped ZnO systems observed in experiments.