First Principles Investigation of Electronic Property and High Pressure Phase Stability of SrnN

An investigation of electronic property and high pressure phase stability of SmN has been conducted using first principles calculations based on density functional theory. The elec- tronic properties of Stun show a striking feature of a half metal, the majority-spin electrons are metallic and the minority-spin electrons are semiconducting. It was found that Stun undergoes a pressure-induced phase transition from NaCl-type （B1） to CsCl-type structure （B2） at 117 GPa. The elastic constants of Stun satisfy Born conditions at ambient pressure, indicating that B1 phase of SmN is mechanically stable at 0 GPa. The result of phonon spectra shows that B1 structure is dynamically stable at ambient pressure, which agrees with the conclusion derived from the elastic constants.

Interfacial Charge Transfer Induced Electronic Property Tuning of MoS_2 by Molecular Functionalization

The modulation of electrical properties of MoS_2 has attracted extensive research interest because of its potential applications in electronic and optoelectronic devices.Herein,interfacial charge transfer induced electronic property tuning of MoS_2 are investigated by in situ ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements.A downward band-bending of MoS_2-related electronic states along with the decreasing work function,which are induced by the electron transfer from Cs overlayers to MoS_2,is observed after the functionalization of MoS_2 with Cs,leading to n-type doping.Meanwhile,when MoS_2 is modified with 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane(F_4-TCNQ),an upward band-bending of MoS_2-related electronic states along with the increasing work function is observed at the interfaces.This is attributed to the electron depletion within MoS_2 due to the strong electron withdrawing property of F_4-TCNQ,indicating p-type doping of MoS_2.Our findings reveal that surface transfer doping is an effective approach for electronic property tuning of MoS_2 and paves the way to optimize its performance in electronic and optoelectronic devices.

Structural feature and electronic property of an (8, 0) carbon-silicon carbide nanotube heterojunction

A supercell of a nanotube heterojunction formed by an （8, 0） carbon nanotube （CNT） and an （8, 0） silicon carbide nanotube （SiCNT） is established, in which 96 C atoms and 32 Si atoms are included. The geometry optimization and the electronic property of the heterojunction are implemented through the first-principles calculation based on the density functional theory （DFT）. The results indicate that the structural rearrangement takes place mainly on the interface and the energy gap of the heterojunction is 0.31 eV, which is narrower than those of the isolated CNT and the isolated SiCNT. By using the average bond energy method, the valence band offset and the conduction band offset are obtained as 0.71 and -0.03 eV, respectively.

Effect of microstructure on the mechanical, thermal, and electronic property measurement of ceramic coatings

Ceramic materials were investigated as thermal barrier coatings and electrolytes. Electrophoretic deposition（EPD） and physical vapor deposition（PVD） were employed to fabricate samples, and the mechanical properties and microstructure were examined by nanoindentation and microscopy, respectively. Yttria-stabilized zirconia/alumina（YSZ/Al2O3） composite coatings, a candidate for thermal barrier coatings, yield a kinky, rather than smooth, load–displacement curve. Scanning electron microscope（SEM） examination reveals that the kinky curve is because of the porous microstructure and cracks are caused by the compression of the indenter. Li0.34La0.51 Ti O2.94（LLTO） on Si/Sr Ru O3（Si/SRO） substrates, an ionic conductor in nature, demonstrates electronic performance. Although SEM images show a continuous and smooth microstructure, a close examination of the microstructure by transmission electron microscopy（TEM） reveals that the observed spikes indicate electronic performance. Therefore, we can conclude that ceramic coatings could serve multiple purposes but their properties are microstructure-dependent.

Effect of strain on structure and electronic properties of monolayer C_(4)N_(4)

The first-principles calculations are performed to examine structural,mechanical,and electronic properties at large strain for a monolayer C_(4)N_(4),which has been predicted as an anchoring promising material to attenuate shuttle effect in Li–S batteries stemming from its large absorption energy and low diffusion energy barrier.Our results show that the ideal strengths of C_(4)N_(4)under tension and pure shear deformation conditions reach 13.9 GPa and 12.5 GPa when the strains are 0.07 and 0.28,respectively.The folded five-membered rings and diverse bonding modes between carbon and nitrogen atoms enhance the ability to resist plastic deformation of C_(4)N_(4).The orderly bond-rearranging behaviors under the weak tensile loading path along the[100]direction cause the impressive semiconductor–metal transition and inverse semiconductor–metal transition.The present results enrich the knowledge of the structure and electronic properties of C_(4)N_(4)under deformations and shed light on exploring other two-dimensional materials under diverse loading conditions.

Structure,electronic,and nonlinear optical properties of superalkaline M_(3)O(M=Li,Na)doped cyclo[18]carbon

Cyclo[18]carbon has received considerable attention thanks to its novel geometric configuration and special electronic structure.Superalkalis have low ionization energy.Doping a superalkali in cyclo[18]carbon is an effective method to improve the optical properties of the system because considerable electron transfer occurs.In this paper,the geometry,bonding properties,electronic structure,absorption spectrum,and nonlinear optical(NLO)properties of superalkaline M_(3)O(M=Li,Na)-doped cyclo[18]carbon were studied by using density functional theory.M_(3)O and the C_(18) rings are not coplanar.The C_(18) ring still exhibits alternating long and short bonds.The charge transfer between M_(3)O and C_(18) forms stable[M_(3)O]+[C_(18)]-ionic complexes.C_(18)M_(3)O(M=Li,Na)shows striking optical nonlinearity,i.e.,their first-and second-order hyperpolarizability(βvec andγ||)increase considerably atλ=1907 nm and 1460 nm.

Structural, Electronic and Optical Properties of ScxAl1-xN alloys within DFT Calculations

Structural, electronic and optical properties of Sc-based aluminum-nitride alloy have been carried out with first-principles methods using both local density approximation (LDA) and Heyd-Scuseria-Ernzerhof (HSE) hybrid functional. This latter provides a more accurate description of the lattice parameters, enthalpy of formation, electronic and optical properties of our alloy than standard DFT. We found the transition from wurtzite to rocksalt structures at 61% of Sc concentration. By increasing the scandium concentration, the lattice parameters and the band gap decrease. The HSE band gap is in good agreement with available experimental data. The existence of the strong hybridization between Sc 3d and N 2p indicates the transport of electrons from Sc to N atoms. Besides, it is shown that the insertion of the Sc atom leads to the redshift of the optical absorption edge. The optical absorption of ScxAl1-xN is found to decrease with increasing Sc concentrations in the low energy range. Because of this, ScxAl1-xN have a great potential for applications in photovoltaics and photocatalysis.

Investigation of the structural, electronic and mechanical properties of CaO–SiO_(2) compound particles in steel based on density functional theory

CaO–SiO_(2)compounds compromise one of the most common series of oxide particles in liquid steels, which could significantly affect the service performance of the steels as crack initiation sites. However, the structural, electronic, and mechanical properties of the compounds in CaO–SiO_(2)system are still not fully clarified due to the difficulties in the experiments. In this study, a thorough investigation of these properties of CaO–SiO_(2)compound particles in steels was conducted based on first-principles density functional theory. Corresponding phases were determined by thermodynamic calculation, including gamma dicalcium silicate(γ-C2S), alpha-prime(L) dicalcium silicate(αL′-C2S), alpha-prime(H) dicalcium silicate(αH′-C2S), alpha dicalcium silicate(α-C2S), rankinite(C3S2), hatrurite(C3S), wollastonite(CS), and pseudowollastonite(Ps-CS). The results showed that the calculated crystal structures of the eight phases agree well with the experimental results. All the eight phases are stable according to the calculated formation energies, and γ-C2S is the most stable. O atom contributes the most to the reactivity of these phases. The Young’s modulus of the eight phases is in the range of 100.63–132.04 GPa. Poisson’s ratio is in the range of0.249–0.281. This study provided further understanding concerning the CaO–SiO_(2)compound particles in steels and fulfilled the corresponding property database, paving the way for inclusion engineering and design in terms of fracture-resistant steels.

Structure stability, electronic property and voltage profile of LiFe_(1-n)NnP_(1-m)M_(m)O_(4) olivine cathode material

First-principles computational studies under density functional theory(DFT) framework were used to investigate the structural stability, conductivity and voltage profile of LiFe_(1-n)NnP_(1-m)M_(m)O_(4)(N, M = Si or S) electrode materials. It is found that the Li FeP_(7/8)Si_(1/8)O_(4) system has the most stable structure. After doping, the band gap values of the systems decrease gradually, and LiFe_(7/8)S_(1/8)PO_(4) system has a minimum band gap of 1.553 e V, attributed to the hybridization of the Fe-d and S-p orbital electrons. The Li Fe P7/8 S1/8 O4 system demonstrates the characteristic of n-type semiconductor, and other doping systems have the feature of p-type semiconductor. Charge density difference maps show that the covalent property of Si-O bond is enhanced in the Li FeP_(7/8)Si_(1/8)O_(4) system. The average distance of Li and O atoms in the S doping systems increases from 0.21026 to 0.21486 and 0.21129 nm, respectively,indicating that doping broadens significantly the channel of Li ion de-intercalation in LiFe_(7/8)S_(1/8)PO_(4) and LiFeP_(7/8)S_(1/8)O_(4). Additionally, the results of lithium intercalation potential imply that the voltages of the doping systems fallinto the range of 2.23-2.86 V.

Carbon, Nitrogen, and Chalcogen Substitution Effects on 2,1,3-Benzothiadiazole Derivative： Theoretical Investigations of Electronic, Optical, and Charge Transport Properties

A series of CH2, NH, O, and Se substituted 2,1,3-benzothiadiazote derivatives have been designed and investigated computationally to elucidate their potential as organic light-emitting materials for organic light-emitting diodes. Both ab initio Hartree-Foek and hybrid density functional methods are used. It is found that S by CH2, NH, O, and Se makes it possible transport properties of the pristine molecule adjusting the central aromatic ring by replacing to fine-tune the electronic, optical, and charge

Theoretical insights into the structures and fundamental properties of pnictogen nitrides

Recent experimental advancements reported a chemical reaction between antimony and nitrogen under high temperature and high pressure,yielding crystalline antimony nitride(Sb_(3)N_(5))with an orthorhombic structure.Motivated by this statement,we calculate the stability,elastic properties,electronic properties and energy density of the Cmc2_(1) structure for pnictogen nitrides X_(3)N_(5)(X=P,As,Sb,and Bi)using first-principles calculations combined with particle swarm optimization algorithms.Calculations of formation enthalpies,elastic constants and phonon spectra show that P_(3)N_(5),As_(3)N_(5) and Sb_(3)N_(5) are thermodynamically,mechanically and kinetically stable at 35 GPa,whereas Bi_(3)N_(5) is mechanically and kinetically stable but thermodynamically unstable.The computed electronic density of states shows strong covalent bonding between the N atoms and the phosphorus group atoms in the four compounds,confirmed by the calculated electronic localization function.We also calculate the energy densities for Sb_(3)N_(5) and find it to be a potentially high-energy-density material.

Density Functional Theory Study on Electronic and Magnetic Properties of Mn-doped （MgO）n （n=2-10） Clusters

We study the geometries, stabilities, electronic and magnetic properties of （MgO）n （n=2-10） clusters doped with a single Mn atom using the density functional theory with the gener- alized gradient approximation. The optimized geometries show that the impurity Mn atom prefers to replace the Mg atom which has low coordination number in all the lowest-energy MnMgn-1On （n=2-10） structures. The stability analysis clearly represents that the average binding energies of the doped clusters are larger than those of the corresponding pure （MgO）n clusters. Maximum peaks of the second order energy differences are observed for MnMg~_1On clusters at n=6, 9, implying that these clusters exhibit higher stability than their neighboring clusters. In addition, all the Mn-doped Mg clusters exhibit high total magnetic moments with the exception of MnMgO2 which has 3.00μB. Their magnetic behavior is attributed to the impurity Mn atom, the charge transfer modes, and the size of MnMgn- 1On clusters.

First-Principles Calculation of the Topological Nodal-Line Semimetal FeGe_(2)

The electronic and topological properties of FeGe2 with a tetragonal crystal structure were investigated via first-principles calculations.The results demonstrate that FeGe2 in this structure exhibits anti-ferromagnetism,with two bands crossing the Fermi level nesting each other at high-symmetry points in the Brillouin zone,forming a nodal ring where the nodes intersect in momentum space.Additionally,it possesses nontrivial topological surface states.Upon inclusion of SOC(spin-orbit coupling),there are no significant changes observed in the band structure,nodal features,or surface states,indicating the persistence of its topological nodal-line characteristics.

Density functional theory study of influence of impurity on electronic properties and reactivity of pyrite

The electronic property of pyrite supercell containing As,Se,Te,Co or Ni hetero atoms were calculated using density functional theory（DFT）,and the reactivities of pyrite with oxygen and xanthate were discussed by frontier orbital methods.The cell volume expands due to the presence of impurity.Co and Ni mainly affect the bands near Fermi levels,while As mainly affects the shallow and deep valence bands,and Se and Te mainly affect the deep valence bands.Electronic density analysis suggests that there exists a strong covalent interaction between hetero atom and its surrounding atoms.By frontier orbital calculation,it is suggested that As,Co and Ni have greater influence on the HOMO and LUMO of pyrite than Se and Te.In addition,pyrite containing As,Co or Ni is easier to oxidize by oxygen than pyrite containing Se or Te,and pyrite containing Co or Ni has greater interaction with collector.These are in agreement with the observed pyrite practice.

First-principles study of phase stability and electronic properties of RhZr

First-principles calculations were carried out to investigate the structural stabilities and electronic properties of RhZr.The plane wave based pseudopotential method was used,in which both the local density approximation（LDA） and the generalized gradient approximation（GGA） implanted in the CASTEP code were employed.The internal positions of atoms in the unit cell were optimized and the ground state properties such as lattice parameter,density of state,cohesive energies and enthalpies of formation of ortho-RhZr and cubic-RhZr were calculated.The calculation results indicate that ortho-RhZr can form more easily than cubic-RhZr and the ortho-RhZr is more stable than cubic-RhZr.The density of states（DOS） reveals that the strong bonding in the Rh-Zr and Rh-Rh or Zr-Zr interaction chains accounts for the structural stability of ortho-RhZr and the hybridization between Rh-4d states and Zr-4d states is strong.

Structural,electronic,and magnetic properties of CrN under high pressure

The structural, electronic and magnetic properties of CrN under high pressure are investigated by first-principles calculations. The antiferromagnetic orthorhombic structure is identified to be the preferred ground state structure. It possesses a bulk modulus of 252.8 GPa and the nonzero magnetic moment of 2.33 μB per Cr ion, which agree well with the experimental results. CrN undergoes structural and magnetic transitions from an antiferromagnetic rocksalt structure to a non-magnetic Pnma phase at 132 GPa. Under compression, the magnetic moment of the Cr ion reduces rapidly near the equilibrium and phase transition point, and the distribution of the density of states is broadened, but the form of overlap between the orbitals of Cr d and N p remains unchanged. The broadening of the band induces spin flipping, which consequently results in the smaller magnetic moment of the Cr ion.

Equilibrium geometries and electronic properties of Be_nLi (n=2-15) clusters from first principles

This paper studies the equilibrium geometries and electronic properties of Ben and BenLi clusters, up to n=15, by using density-functional theory（DFT） at B3LYP/6-31G（d） level. The lowest-energy structures of Ben and BenLi clusters were determined. The results indicate that a single lithium impurity enhances the stability and chemical reactivity of the beryllium clusters. It finds that the geometries of the host clusters change significantly after the addition of the lithium atom for n ≥8. The lithium impurity prefers to be on the periphery of beryllium clusters, and occupies vertex sites. Both Be4Li, Be9Li, and Be13Li were found to be particularly stable with higher average binding energy, local peaks of second-order energy difference and fragmentation energies. For all the BenLi clusters studied, we found charge transfers from the Li to Be site and co-existence of covalent and metallic bonding characteristics.

First principles investigation of protactinium-based oxide-perovskites for flexible opto electronic devices

The structural,elastic,mechanical,electronic,and optical properties of KPaO_3 and RbPaO_3 compounds are investigated from first-principles calculations by using the WIEN2 k code in the frame of local density approximation（LDA） and generalized gradient approximation（GGA）.The calculated ground state quantities,such as lattice constant（α_0）,ground state energy（E）,bulk modulus（S）,and their pressure derivative（B_p） are in reasonable agreement with the present analytical and previous theoretical results and available experimental data.Based on several elastic and mechanical parameters,the structural stability,hardness,stiffness and the brittle and ductile behaviors are discussed,which reveal that protactiniumbased oxide series of perovskites is mechanically stable and possesses weak resistance to shear deformation compared with resistance to unidirectional compression while flexible and covalent behaviors are dominated in them.The analysis of band profile through Trans-Blaha modified Becke-Johnson（TB-mBJ） potential highlights the underestimation of bandgap with traditional density functional theory（DFT） approximation.Specific contribution of electronic states is investigated by means of total and partial density of states and it can be evaluated that both compounds are（Γ-Γ） direct bandgap semiconductors.All fundamental optical properties are analyzed while attention is paid to absorption and reflection spectra to explore extensive absorptions and reflections of these compounds in high frequency regions.The present method represents an influential approach to calculating the whole set of elastic,mechanical,and opto-electronic parameters,which would conduce to the understanding of various physical phenomena and empower the device engineers to implement these materials in flexible opto-electronic applications.

All-electron study of ultra-incompressible superhard material ReB_2: structural and electronic properties

This paper investigates the structural and electronic properties of rhenium diboride by first-principles calculation based on density functional theory. The obtained results show that the calculated equilibrium structural parameters of ReB2 are in excellent agreement with experimental values. The calculated bulk modulus is 361 GPa in comparison with that of the experiment. The compressibility of ReB2 is lower than that of well-known OsB2. The anisotropy of the bulk modulus is confirmed by c/a ratio as a function of pressure curve and the bulk modulus along different axes along with the electron density distribution. The high bulk modulus is attributed to the strong covalent bond between Re-d and B-p orbitals and the wider pseudogap near the Fermi level, which could be deduced from both electron charge density distribution and density of states. The band structure and density of states of ReB2 exhibit that this material presents metallic behavior. The good metallicity and ultra-incompressibility of ReB2 might suggest its potential application as pressure-proof conductors.

Review of thermal transport and electronic properties of borophene

In recent years, two-dimensional boron sheets （borophene） have been experimentally synthesized and theoretically proposed as a promising conductor or transistor with novel thermal and electronic properties. We first give a general survey of some notable electronic properties of borophene, including the superconductivity and topological characters. We then mainly review the basic approaches, thermal transport, as well as the mechanical properties of borophene with different configurations. This review gives a general understanding of some of the crucial thermal transport and electronic properties of borophene, and also calls for further experimental investigations and applications on certain scientific community.