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.     

Electronic structure and calculated x-ray photoemission spectra of substoichiometric cubic molybdenum nitride

Total and partial densities of states of substoichiometric cubic MoN _x have been calculated for several concentrationsx by means of the KKR-CPA method. There are significant differences to the results of Papaconstantopoulos and Pickett [1] obtained by the LCAO-CPA method. In particular, the concentration dependence of the DOS at the Fermi energy is quite different. Using the single-scatterer final-state approximation, Al–K-XPS spectra have been calculated. It is found that the first peak in the valence band spectra is due mainly to metal-p rather than nonmetal-p states. The vacancy states in the DOS of substoichiometric MoN _x give also rise to an additional peak in the XPS spectra.     

Electronic structure of graphite-like and rhombohedral boron nitride

The electronic spectra of the valence and conduction bands of the hexagonal graphite-like h-BN and rhombohedral r-BN modifications of boron nitride are presented. The electronic structures are calculated by the pseudopotential technique with an auxiliary parameter introduced which takes into account anisotropy of the crystal pseudopotential; the parameter is chosen to ensure agreement with the optical data for h-BN. The electronic structures of both modifications are qualitatively similar but differ slightly (up to 0.2 eV) with respect to interband energies. Both modifications are indirect-band dielectrics with minimal indirect and direct band gaps of 4.65 and 5.27 eV, respectively, for h-BN amd 4.8 and 5.5 eV for r-BN. The anisotropy of the electronic structure and its possible alterations on intercalation of the BN lattice with carbon are discussed.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 2, pp. 27–32, February, 1992.     

Optical spectra and electron structure of cubic boron nitride

On the basis of the known reflection spectrum, we calculate a complete set of fundamental optical functions for cubic boron nitride (c-BN) in the region of 2–23 eV. The integral spectrum of dielectric permeability is decomposed into 16 elementary components. Three main parameters (maximum energy, half-width, and oscillator force) for each of the components are determined. Using the well-known theoretical calculations for bands of boron nitride as the base we suggest a scheme of the nature of these dielectric permeability components. To whom correspondence should be addressed. Udmurtiya State University, 1, Universitetskaya Str., Izhevsk, 426034, Russia:e-mail: sobolev@matsim.udmurtia.su. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 66, No. 4, pp. 579–583, July–August, 1999.     

Electronic structure of boron nitride nanostructures doped with a carbon atom

We have investigated, using first-principles calculations, the role of a substitutional carbon atom on the electronic properties of boron nitride monolayers, nanotubes, and nanocones. It is shown that electron states in the energy-gap are independent of the curvature, being the same for the monolayer, for the cone and for the tube. It is also found, that the presence of carbon in the boron nitride compounds induces a spin polarization, with magnetic moment of 1.0 μ_B, which does not depend on the curvature.     

Ultraviolet and infrared spectra of cubic boron nitride

Ultraviolet absorption spectra of cubic boron nitride crystals indicate a minimum value for the band gap of 6.4 ± 0.5 eV. This value is in good agreement with a previously reported maximum value of 6.0 ± 0.5 eV obtained experimentally from soft X-ray spectra. Infrared absorption spectra differ significantly from previously published data.     

Electronic structure of LiMnO : X-ray emission and photoelectron spectra and band structure calculations

The electronic structure of LiMnO₂ and Li₂MnO₃ was studied by means of X-ray photoelectron and soft X-ray emission spectroscopy. For LiMnO₂, LSDA and LSDA+U calculations were carried out. The LSDA+U calculations are in rather good agreement with the measured valence-band structure as well as with the magnetic and electrical properties of LiMnO₂. It is shown that the band gap in LiMnO₂ is determined by the charge-transfer effect. Received 15 March 1999 and Received in final form 14 July 1999     

Valence band x-ray emission spectra of compressed germanium

We report measurements of the valence band width in compressed Ge determined from x-ray emission spectra below the Ge K edge. The width of the valence band does not show any pressure dependence in the semiconducting diamond-type structure of Ge below 10 GPa. On the other hand, in the metallic beta-Sn phase above 10 GPa the valence band width increases under compression. Density-functional calculations show an increasing valence band width under compression both in the semiconducting phase (contrary to experiment) and in the metallic beta-Sn phase of Ge (in agreement with observed pressure-induced broadening). The pressure-independent valence band width in the semiconducting phase of Ge appears to require theoretical advances beyond the density-functional theory or the GW approximation.     

Formation and structure of boron nitride conical nanotubes

Nanotubes exhibiting a novel structure - boron nitride (BN) conical nanotubes whose walls consist of conical layers with their cone axis parallel to the tube axis, as opposed to ordinary nanotubes, composed of concentric cylindrical layers with their normal perpendicular to the tube axis - were synthesized simultaneously with BN nanotubes by using carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as templates. The diameters of the BN conical nanotubes are typically about 15 nm, which is similar to those of the starting CNTs. Apex angles and inner diameters of most BN conical nanotubes are about 40° and 1 nm, respectively. The lengths of the BN conical nanotubes range from 50 nm to up to several micrometers.     

Electronic structure and X-ray photoelectron spectra of TiC and ZrC: Cluster and band structure approaches

The electronic structure for titanium and zirconium monocarbides have been calculated with the SCF MS X_α-cluster method. The results are compared with the experimental X-ray photoelectron spectra and augmented plane wave (APW) calculations.     

Computer simulation of the structure and raman spectra of GaAs polytypes

The structure, energy of formation, and Raman spectra of several polytypes (3C, 2H, 4H, and 8H) of gallium arsenide GaAs have been investigated using quantum mechanical calculations based on the local density functional theory. It has been found that the energy of the formation of hexagonal polytypes increases with an increase in the length of the periodicity and approaches the value corresponding to the ground state, i.e., to the structure of the 3C polytype. It has been shown that the calculated frequencies of normal vibrations of different polytypes are consistent, with good accuracy (±6 cm^?1), with the scheme of folding of the phonon branches. In the calculated Raman spectra of the polytypes, there are new lines (forbidden in the spectrum of the 3C polytype) which can serve as characteristic lines of other polytypes. Similar lines can be found in the Raman spectra of GaAs nanowhiskers. This result has opened up new prospects for the application of Raman spectroscopy to the characterization of the structure of these nano-objects.     

Theoretical study on structure of boron nitride fullerenes

We propose the parameters of the Stillinger-Weber potential for hexagonal boron nitride (BN) structures. For the reliability of these parameters, the structural property of BN fullerenes is investigated. The stability of BN fullerenes increases with increasing the number of atoms, due to the reduction of the curvature effect of BN fullerenes. The structures of the relative stable fullerenes are B₁₆N₁₆, B₁₈N₁₈, B₂₂N₂₂, B₂₅N₂₅, and B₂₈N₂₈.     

The near edge structure of cubic boron nitride

We compare the near edge structure (NES) of cubic boron nitride (cBN) measured using both electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) with that calculated using three commonly used theoretical approaches. The boron and nitrogen K-edges collected using EELS and XAS from cBN powder were found to be nearly identical. These experimental edges were compared to calculations obtained using an all-electron density functional theory code (WIEN2k), a pseudopotential density functional theory code (CASTEP) and a multiple scattering code (FEFF). All three codes were found to reproduce the major features in the NES for both ionisation edges when a core-hole was included in the calculations. A partial core hole (1/2 of a 1s electron) was found to be essential for correctly reproducing features near the edge threshold in the nitrogen K-edge and to correctly obtain the positions of all main peaks. CASTEP and WIEN2k were found to give almost identical results. These codes were also found to produce NES which most closely matched experiment based on χ² calculations used to qualitatively compare theory and experiment. This work demonstrated that a combined experimental and theoretical approach to the study of NES is a powerful way of investigating bonding and electronic structure in boron nitride and related materials.