First principles study of pressure induced structural phase transition in hydrogen storage material—MgH2

First principles calculation were performed using Vienna ab-initio simulation package within the frame work of density functional theory (DFT) to understand the electronic properties of magnesium hydride. At normal pressure, the most stable structure of MgH₂ is rutile type with a wide band gap of 3.52 eV, which agrees well with the available data. A pressure induced semi-conductor to metallic transition at a pressure of 92.54 GPa is predicted. Our results indicate a sequence of pressure induced structural phase transition in MgH₂. The obtained sequence of phase transition was α→γ→β→δ→ε at a pressure of 0.37 GPa, 3.89 GPa,7.23 GPa and 11.26 GPa, respectively. Thus our results indicate that MgH₂ is one of the best hydrogen storage material and the maximum storage capacity achieved was 7.7%.     

Ab-initio study of structural and electronic properties of AlAs

The structural properties, i.e. equilibrium lattice constant, transition pressure, bulk modulus and its pressure derivatives, together with electronic properties, i.e. energy bands, Compton profile and autocorrelation function, of AlAs are presented in this work. The linear combination of atomic orbitals (LCAO) method of the CRYSTAL code was applied considering the Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof correlation energy functional and Becke's ansatz for the exchange. The total energy of AlAs as a function of primitive cell volume has also been calculated for the zincblende (B3), nickel arsenide (B8), sodium chloride (B1) and cesium chloride (B2) phases. Structural parameters of the B3, B8, B1 and B2 phases are determined. The calculated structural parameters are found to be in good agreement with the results of previous investigations. The spherically averaged theoretical values of Compton profile are in good agreement with an earlier measurement. The LCAO calculation shows an indirect band gap of 1.85?eV, in reasonable agreement with earlier data. On the basis of the equal-valence-electron-density Compton profile, it is found that AlAs is more ionic compared to AlSb.     

Exactly solvable model of a structural phase transition

An exactly solvable d-dimensional model for the structural phase transition with long-range anharmonic interaction is considered. Classical as well as purely quantum regimes are discussed within the framework of the method of approximating Hamiltonians.     

First-principles study of electronic structure of transition metal nitride: ReN under normal and high pressure

First-principles calculation was performed using tight-binding LMTO method with local density approximation (LDA) and atomic sphere approximation (ASA) to understand the electronic properties of rhenium nitride. The equilibrium geometries, the electronic band structure, the total and partial DOS are obtained under various pressures and are analyzed in comparison with the available experimental data. The most stable structure of ReN is NiAs like structure. Our results indicate that ReN can be used as a super-hard conductor. We estimated the average electron-phonon coupling constant to be 1.65 and superconducting transition temperature (T_c) is 5.1 K. The T_c value increases with the increase in pressure.     

Mg2C高压性质的从头计算法研究

运用基于密度泛函理论的平面波赝势方法,结合广义梯度近似,系统地研究了Mg2C在高压下的结构相变、电子结构和光学性质。计算结果表明Mg2C在高压下将发生两次相变,一次是从反萤石到反氯化铅结构的一阶相变在30.09 GPa,另一次是从反氯化铅结构到Ni2In型结构的二阶相变在260 GPa。此外,对压力下电子结构和光学性质的分析表明,Mg2C的带隙宽度随着压力增加而增加,与Mg2Si在压力下表现出金属性有很大不同。     

第一性原理研究硫化镉高压相变及其电子结构与弹性性质

采用第一性原理研究了CdS的六方纤锌矿(WZ), 立方闪锌矿(ZB) 和岩盐矿(RS)相在高压条件下的相稳定性、 相变点、电子结构以及弹性性能.WZ相与RS 相可以在相应的压强范围内稳定存在, 而ZB相不能稳定存在.压强大于2.18 GPa时, WZ相向RS相发生金属化相变.WZ相中S原子电负性大于Cd, 且电负性差值小于1.7, CdS的WZ相为共价晶体.高压作用下, S原子半径被强烈压缩, 有效核电荷增加, 对层外电子吸引能力提高, 电负性急剧增大, 导致S与Cd的电负性差值大于1.7, CdS的RS相以离子晶体存在. WZ相的C₄₄随压强增加呈下降趋势, 导致WZ相力学不稳定, 并向RS相转变.当压强大于2.18 GPa时, RS相C₁₁, C₁₂随压强增加而增大, 并且C₄₄保持稳定, 说明RS相具有良好的高压稳定性与力学性能. 关键词： 第一性原理 相变 电子结构 弹性性质     

ZnS结构相变、电子结构和光学性质的研究

运用第一性原理平面波赝势和广义梯度近似方法, 对闪锌矿结构(ZB)和氯化钠结构(RS) ZnS的状态方程及其在高压下的相变进行计算研究, 分析相变点附近的电子态密度、能带结构和光学性质的变化机理. 结果表明: 通过状态方程得到ZB相到RS相的相变压强值为18.1 GPa, 而利用焓相等原理得到的相变压强值为18.0 GPa; 在结构相变过程中, sp³轨道杂化现象并未消失, RS相ZnS的金属性明显增强; 与ZB相ZnS相比, RS相ZnS的介电常数主峰明显增强, 并向低能方向出现了明显偏移, 使得介电峰向低能方向拓展, 在低能区电子跃迁大大增强. 关键词： 硫化锌 相变 电子结构 光学性质     

Phase transition, structural and thermodynamic properties of Mg2Si polymorphs

The plane-wave pseudo-potential method within the framework of first principles is used to investigate the structural and elastic properties of Mg 2 Si in its intermediate pressure(Pnma) and high pressure phases(P 6 3 /mmc).The lattice constants,the band structures.The bulk moduli of the Mg 2 Si polymorphs are presented and discussed.The phase transition from anti-cotunnite to Ni 2 In-type Mg 2 Si is successfully reproduced using a vibrational Debye-like model.The phase boundary can be described as P = 24.02994 + 3.93 × 10 3 T 4.66816 × 10 5 T 2 2.2501 × 10 9 T 3 + 2.33786 × 10 11 T 4.To complete the fundamental characteristics of these polymorphs we have analysed thermodynamic properties,such as thermal expansion and heat capacity,in a pressure range of 0-40 GPa and a temperature range of 0-1300 K.The obtained results tend to support the available experimental data and other theoretical results.Therefore,the present results indicate that the combination of first principles and a vibrational Debye-like model is an efficient scheme to simulate the high temperature behaviours of Mg 2 Si.     

First principles study of the structural,electronic, mechanical and superconducting properties of WX (X=C,N)

The structural, electronic, mechanical and superconducting properties of tungsten carbide (WC) and tungsten nitride (WN) are investigated using first principles calculations based on density functional theory (DFT). The computed ground state properties, such as equilibrium lattice constant and cell volume, are in good agreement with the available experimental data. A pressure induced structural phase transition is observed in both tungsten carbide and nitride, from a tungsten carbide phase (WC) to a zinc blende phase (ZB), and from a zinc blende phase (ZB) to a wurtzite phase (WZ). The electronic structure reveals that these materials are metallic at ambient conditions. The calculated elastic constants obey the Born-Huang criteria, suggesting that they are mechanically stable at normal and high pressure. Also, the superconducting transition temperature is estimated for the WC and WN in stable structures at atmospheric pressure.     

Pressure induced phase transition in mercurous chloride

Pressure induced phase transition in mercurous chloride has been studied by high pressure x-ray diamond anvil cell. The change in diffraction pattern started and ended at a pressure of about 5 kbar and 20 kbar respectively. The patterns recorded at 20 kbar could be indexed basing on an orthorhombic lattice, with lattice parametersa=4.23 Å,b=4.54 Å andc=10.44 Å.     

First-principles calculations for transition phase and thermodynamic properties of GaAs

The transition phase of GaAs from the zincblende (ZB) structure to the rocksalt (RS) structure is investigated by ab initio plane-wave pseudopotential density functional theory method, and the thermodynamic properties of the ZB and RS structures are obtained through the quasi-harmonic Debye model. It is found that the transition from the ZB structure to the RS structure occurs at the pressure of about 16.3\,GPa, this fact is well consistent with the experimental data and other theoretical results. The dependences of the relative volume V/V₀ on the pressure P, the Debye temperature \Th and specific heat C_V on the pressure P, as well as the specific heat C_V on the temperature T are also obtained successfully.     

ZnTe结构相变、电子结构和光学性质的研究

运用密度泛函理论体系下的投影缀加波方法, 对闪锌矿和朱砂相结构的ZnTe在高压下的状态方程和结构相变进行了研究, 并分析了相变前后的原胞体积、电子结构和光学性质. 结果表明: 闪锌矿结构转变为朱砂相结构的相变压力为8.6 GPa, 并没有出现类似材料高压导致的金属化现象, 而是表现出间接带隙半导体特性. 相变后, 朱砂相结构Zn和Te原子态密度分布均向低能级方向移动, 带隙变小; 轨道杂化增强, 更有利于Te 5p与Zn 3d间的电子跃迁, 介电常数虚部主峰明显增强, 但宏观介电常数不受压力的影响.     

Pressure-induced phase transition and structural properties of CrO2

The structural properties and pressure-induced phase transitions of CrO₂ have been investigated using the pseudopotential plane-wave method based on the density functional theory (DFT). The rutile-type (P4₂/mnm), CaCl₂-type (Pnnm), pyrite-type (Pā3), and CaF₂-type (Fm-3m) phases of CrO₂ have been considered. The structural properties such as lattice parameters, bulk moduli and its pressure derivative are consistent with the available experimental data. The second-order phase-transition pressure of CrO₂ from the rutile phase to CaCl₂ phase is 10.9?GPa, which is in good agreement with the experimental result. The sequence of these phases is rutile-type?→?CaCl₂-type?→?pyrite-type?→?CaF₂-type with the phase-transition pressures 10.9, 23.9, and 144.5?GPa, respectively. The equation of state of different phases has also been presented. It is more difficult to compress with the increase of pressure for different phases of CrO₂.     

Theoretical investigation on first-principles electronic and thermal properties of some CdRE intermetallics

Ab initio calculation on B2-cadmium rare earth (RE), CdRE (RE=La, Ce and Pr) intermetallics has been performed at T=0 K with respect to their structural, electronic and thermal properties. The structural and electronic properties are derived using self-consistent tight binding linear muffin tin orbital method at ambient and at high pressure. Other properties like lattice parameter, bulk modulus, density of states, electronic specific heat coefficient, cohesive energy, heat of formation, Debye temperature and Grüneisen constant for CdRE are also estimated. The RE-f effect can be seen in CdPr in terms of variation in the density of states and opens a possibility of structural instability. A pressure induced variation of Debye temperature is also presented for three cadmium rare earth intermetallics.     

High pressure structural,electronic and vibrational properties of InN and InP

A first-principles plane wave self-consistent method with the Ultrasoftpseudopotential scheme in the framework of density functional theory is performed to study the high pressure structural, electronic and vibrational properties of InX (X = N, P) for the zinc-blende (ZnS/B3), rock-salt (NaCl/B1) and cesium-chloride (CsCl/B2) phases. We also calculate the phase transition pressures among these different phases. Conclusions based on electronic energy band structure, phonon dispersion and phonon density of states at high pressure phases along phase transition regions are outlined.     

First principles study on the structural, electronic, and elastic properties of Na-As systems

We have performed the first principles calculation by using the plane-wave pseudopotential approach with the generalized gradient approximation for investigating the structural, electronic, and elastic properties Na-As systems (NaAs in NaP, LiAs and AuCu-type structures, NaAs₂ in MgCu₂-type structure, Na₃As in Na₃As, Cu₃P and Li₃Bi-type structures, and Na₅As₄ in A₅B₄-type structure). The lattice parameters, cohesive energy, formation energy, bulk modulus, and the first derivative of bulk modulus (to fit to Murnaghan’s equation of state) of the related structures are calculated. The second-order elastic constants and the other related quantities such as Young’s modulus, shear modulus, Poisson’s ratio, sound velocities, and Debye temperature are also estimated.     

Models of a structural phase transition with general anharmonicity and disorder

It is shown how the self-consistent phonon Ansatz leads to a new class of exactly soluble models of a structural phase transition. Both nonpolynomial anharmonicity and disorder are analyzed in detail. In the classical limit, the thermodynamics is obtained and sufficient conditions on the anharmonicity are given to ensure a soft-mode phase transition. Diagonal disorder has been studied numerically. It is found that in three dimensions a pronounced mobility edge, separating localized and delocalized phonon states, may exist.     

拓扑相MoS2电子结构及光学性质的第一性原理研究

基于密度泛函理论的第一性原理对二维拓扑相1T′-MoS₂和2M-MoS₂的电子结构、有效质量和光学性质进行研究,并将其与二维H-MoS₂进行对比分析.研究表明,电子有效质量大小关系为：2M-MoS₂22,空穴有效质量大小关系为：T′-MoS₂<2M-MoS₂2,但2M-MoS₂的空穴有效质量和T′-MoS₂相差不大,二者均适用于高性能电子器件.由于拓扑相1T′-MoS₂和2M-MoS₂均存在能带反转,导致带间相关性以及导带和价带的波函数重叠增强,进而光电流响应增强,二者的光学性质均优于H-MoS₂. 2M-MoS₂具有较大的吸收系数和光电导率,2M-MoS₂对红外光和紫外光有着优...     

Ab-initio study of phase transition and momentum density in PbTe

In this article, the high-pressure structural phase transition and electron momentum density in PbTe have been studied by means of first-principles total energy calculations which are based on the linear combination of atomic orbitals method within generalized gradient approximation. It is observed that the stable phase of PbTe is rocksalt (B1) type and it transforms to an orthorhombic Pnma (B27, FeB type) structure at 6.77?GPa. Further, structural phase transition from the Pnma phase to the cesium chloride (B2) phase has been observed at 13.04?GPa. The anisotropies in theoretical directional Compton profiles indicate larger occupied states along the [100] direction. On the basis of equal-valence-electron-density profiles, it is found that PbTe shows less ionicity as compared to PbS and PbSe.     

Ferroelastic phase transition in elpasolite Tl2KInF6

A new elpasolite Tl₂KInF₆ has been synthesized. This compound undergoes at 228 K a ferroelastic phase transition from a room-temperature Fm3m variety to a monoclinic variety. X-ray, optical, calorimetric and DTA studies under hydrostatic pressure have been performed and compared with other elpasolite-type fluorides.