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Srolovitz, David J.

Publications and source records attributed to Srolovitz, David J..

At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Energy Frontier Research Centers: Center for the Computational Design of Functional Layered Materials (CCDM) August 1, 2014 - July 31, 2018; Center for Complex Materials from First Principles (CCM) August 1, 2018 - July 31, 2021 (Final Report)

The mission of the DOE Energy Frontier Research Centers CCDM (2014-2018) and CCM (2018-2021) was to theoretically develop, computationally apply, and experimentally validate electronic structure methods for all materials, with a focus on the complex materials, especially layered and two-dimensional materials, strongly-correlated materials, and liquid water. This was achieved by over 200 published journal articles authored by about 17 senior investigators from physics and chemistry and from theory, computation, and experiment, plus their collaborators. In particular, the Centers confirmed the predictive power of the SCAN (strongly constrained and appropriately normed) density functional, which was constructed to satisfy 17 known exact constraints and several appropriate norms. Without being fitted to real bonded systems, and at a modest computational cost, SCAN correctly predicted covalent, ionic, metallic, hydrogen, and van der Waals bonds in many challenging materials. SCAN gave an improved description of defects in semiconductors, surface properties of metals, seven phases of ice, liquid water, liquid and supercooled silicon, subtle structural distortions in ferroelectrics, formation energies and structural predictions for solids, and critical pressures for structural phase transitions. Perhaps most remarkably, SCAN correctly described some strongly-correlated materials that were previously believed to be beyond the reach of density-functional approximations. SCAN is the only density functional that correctly predicts the band gap closing under chemical doping of the cuprate high-temperature superconducting materials. SCAN also predicts a landscape of competing stripe and magnetic phases in the cuprates. For some materials with some codes, SCAN has convergence problems that are greatly reduced by the CCM-developed r 2 SCAN, without loss of accuracy or rigor. SCAN and r 2 SCAN still make some self-interaction error, which is greatly reduced by the CCDM/ CCM-developed local orbital scaling correction (LOSC). These Centers further proved that the fundamental energy gaps of a solid from an orbital energy difference and from total energy differences are the same for a large class of generalized Kohn-Sham (GKS) functionals, including SCAN and standard hybrid functionals, and that symmetry breaking arises when a dynamic density fluctuation drops to zero frequency. The Centers identified new mechanisms for catalysis in layered materials with ions intercalated between the layers, investigated charge density waves both in model systems and in real layered materials, studied changes of band gap with the number of layers, and explored topological ultrathin films, bent nanoribbons, and defects.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2022

Geometrically necessary dislocation fingerprints of dislocation loop absorption at grain boundaries

Here we present a numerical methodology to compute the Nye-tensor fingerprints of dislocation loop absorption at grain boundaries (GBs) for comparison with TEM observations of irradiated polycrystals. Our approach links atomistic simulations of self-interstitial atom (SIA) prismatic loops gliding toward and interacting with GBs in body-centered cubic iron with experimentally extracted geometrically necessary dislocation (GND) maps to facilitate the interpretation of damage processes. The Nye-tensor analysis is strongly mesh-size dependent—corresponding to resolution-dependent TEM observations. The method computes GND fingerprints from discretized dislocation line segments extracted from molecular dynamics simulations of dislocation loops being absorbed at a GB. Specifically, we perform MD simulation of prismatic loops of two diameters and monitor the three stages of the absorption process: loop glide, the partial, and full absorption of the loops at a [1 0 0] symmetric tilt GB. These methods provide a framework for future investigations of the nature of defect absorption by grain boundaries under irradiation conditions.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Large-area epitaxial growth of curvature-stabilized ABC trilayer graphene

The properties of van der Waals (vdW) materials often vary dramatically with the atomic stacking order between layers, but this order can be difficult to control. Trilayer graphene (TLG) stacks in either a semimetallic ABA or a semiconducting ABC configuration with a gate-tunable band gap, but the latter has only been produced by exfoliation. Here we present a chemical vapor deposition approach to TLG growth that yields greatly enhanced fraction and size of ABC domains. The key insight is that substrate curvature can stabilize ABC domains. Controllable ABC yields ~59% were achieved by tailoring substrate curvature levels. ABC fractions remained high after transfer to device substrates, as confirmed by transport measurements revealing the expected tunable ABC band gap. Substrate topography engineering provides a path to large-scale synthesis of epitaxial ABC-TLG and other vdW materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2019

The MoSeS dynamic omnigami paradigm for smart shape and composition programmable 2D materials

The properties of 2D materials can be broadly tuned through alloying and phase and strain engineering. Shape programmable materials offer tremendous functionality, but sub-micron objects are typically unachievable with conventional thin films. Here we propose a new approach, combining phase/strain engineering with shape programming, to form 3D objects by patterned alloying of 2D transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) monolayers. Conjugately, monolayers can be compositionally patterned using non-flat substrates. For concreteness, we focus on the TMD alloy MoSe 2c S 2 (1–c) ; i.e., MoSeS. These 2D materials down-scale shape/composition programming to nanoscale objects/patterns, provide control of both bending and stretching deformations, are reversibly actuatable with electric fields, and possess the extraordinary and diverse properties of TMDs. Utilizing a first principles-informed continuum model, we demonstrate how a variety of shapes/composition patterns can be programmed and reversibly modulated across length scales. Furthermore, the vast space of possible designs and scales enables novel material properties and thus new applications spanning flexible electronics/optics, catalysis, responsive coatings, and soft robotics.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Anomalous diffusion along metal/ceramic interfaces

Interface diffusion along a metal/ceramic interface present in numerous energy and electronic devices can critically affect their performance and stability. Hole formation in a polycrystalline Ni film on an α-Al 2 O 3 substrate coupled with a continuum diffusion analysis demonstrates that Ni diffusion along the Ni/α-Al 2 O 3 interface is surprisingly fast. Ab initio calculations demonstrate that both Ni vacancy formation and migration energies at the coherent Ni/α-Al 2 O 3 interface are much smaller than in bulk Ni, suggesting that the activation energy for diffusion along coherent Ni/α-Al 2 O 3 interfaces is comparable to that along (incoherent/high angle) grain boundaries. Based on these results, we develop a simple model for diffusion along metal/ceramic interfaces, apply it to a wide range of metal/ceramic systems and validate it with several ab initio calculations. These results suggest that fast metal diffusion along metal/ceramic interfaces should be common, but is not universal.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Domain morphology and mechanics of the H / T ' transition metal dichalcogenide monolayers

The properties of two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) monolayers can be dynamically controlled via strain-induced displacive structural transformations between semiconducting (H) and metallic or semimetallic ( T ' ) crystal structures. The shapes, symmetries, and kinetics of crystalline domains generated during these transformations and the mechanical response of transforming monolayers are of fundamental and applied interest in, e.g., phase change memory devices and the study of topologically protected edge states in quantum spin Hall insulating T ' crystals. We quantitatively characterize T ' domain morphologies during H → T ' transformations in both flat and bendable TMD monolayers using a combination of first principles and continuum calculations. Wulff constructions for MoTe 2 and MoS 2 show that T ' domains within much larger T ' domains are either rhombi of fixed proportions (if nonmisfitting) or rectangles whose aspect ratio $A_R$ increases with domain size $L_0$ (if misfitting). Isolated T ' domains within much larger H domains undergo a morphological crossover from compact to elongated shapes at $L_0$ ≈ 100 – 200 nm if the sheet is constrained to be flat or $L_0$ $≳$ 2 $μ$m if the sheet is free to bend. This crossover is driven by a competition between anisotropic interfacial energy and elastic misfit energy, and its position can be tuned via the monolayer-substrate interaction strength. It is shown that the aspect ratio $A_R$ obeys a scaling law $A_R$ $~$ $L^{2/3}_0$. Stress-strain response characterized as a function of strain orientation reveals extreme anisotropy in the effective elastic modulus through H / T ' coexistence. Ferroelastic multidomain T ' - WTe 2 monolayers are found to exhibit two to three regimes of reversible mechanical response, and localized buckling in freely suspended T ' monolayers is shown to qualitatively alter T ' domain symmetries.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Observation of Anisotropic Charge Density Wave in Layered 1T-TiSe 2

Material systems containing charge density waves (CDWs) are ideal for studying structural symmetry breaking induced by electron modulation that would give rise to unconventional macroscopic phenomena such as high-T c superconductivity and colossal magnetoresistance. Layered 1T-TiSe 2 has attracted particular research interests given its rich phase diagram consisting of commensurate and incommensurate CDWs, as well as superconductivity. These phases can be tuned by temperature, pressure, electric field, or intercalation. Moreover, superconductivity is found to be strongly connected to the formation of CDW domain walls. Here, we conduct a full-scale study on 1T-TiSe 2 using an integration of techniques to investigate, at cryogenic temperatures, the real space, reciprocal space, and energy space properties. Our results show that the CDW forms three- dimensional cylinder shape domain, with different in-plane and out-of-plane coherence lengths. First principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations are integrated to explore the electronic feature of CDW in 1T-TiSe 2 .

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2017

Equation of Motion for a Grain Boundary

Grain boundary (GB) migration controls many forms of microstructural evolution in polycrystalline materials. Recent theory, simulations, and experiments demonstrate that GB migration is controlled by the motion of discrete line defects or disconnections. We present a continuum equation of motion for grain boundary derived from the underlying discrete disconnection mechanism. We also present an equation of motion for the junctions where multiple grain boundaries meet—as is always the case in a polycrystal. The resulting equation of motion naturally exhibits junction drag—a widely observed phenomena in junction dynamics in solids and liquids.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2017

Anisotropic charge density wave in layered 1 T - TiS e 2

We present a three-dimensional study on the anisotropy of the charge density wave (CDW) in 1T-TiSe 2 , by means of in situ atomically resolved electron microscopy at cryogenic temperatures in both reciprocal and real spaces. Using coherent nanoelectron diffraction, we observed short-range coherence of the in-plane CDW component while the long-range coherence of out-of-plane CDW component remains intact. An in-plane CDW coherence length of ~10 nm and an out-of-plane CDW coherence length of 17.5 nm, as a lower bound, were determined. The electron modulation was observed using electron energy-loss spectroscopy and verified by an orbital-projected density of states. Our integrated approach reveals anisotropic CDW domains at the nanoscale, and illustrates electron modulation-induced symmetry breaking of a two-dimensional material in three dimensions, offering an opportunity to study the effect of reduced dimensionality in strongly correlated systems.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2017

Dynamic Phase Engineering of Bendable Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Monolayers

Current interest in two-dimensional (2D) materials is driven in part by the ability to dramatically alter their optoelectronic properties through strain and phase engineering. A combination of these approaches can be applied in quasi-2D transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) monolayers to induce displacive structural transformations between semiconducting (H) and metallic/semimetallic (T') phases. We classify such transformations in Group VI TMDs, and formulate a multiscale, first-principles-informed modeling framework to describe evolution of microstructural domain morphologies in elastically bendable 2D monolayers. We demonstrate that morphology and mechanical response can be controlled via application of strain either uniformly or through local probes to generate functionally patterned conductive T' domains. Such systems form dynamically programmable electromechanical 2D materials, capable of rapid local switching between domains with qualitatively different transport properties. Finally, this enables dynamic “drawing” of localized conducting regions in an otherwise semiconducting TMD monolayer, opening several interesting device-relevant functionalities such as the ability to dynamically “rewire” a device in real time.

2D materials↗
DOE OSTI2017

Triple junction drag effects during topological changes in the evolution of polycrystalline microstructures

Experiments, theory and atomistic simulations show that finite triple junction mobility results in non-equilibrium triple junction angles in evolving polycrystalline systems. These angles have been predicted and verified for cases where grain boundary migration is steady-state. Yet, steady-state never occurs during the evolution of polycrystalline microstructures as a result of changing grain size and topological events (e.g., grain face/edge switching - “T 1 ” process, or grain disappearance “T 2 ” or “T 3 ” processes). We examine the non-steady evolution of the triple junction angle in the vicinity of topological events and show that large deviations from equilibrium and/or steady-state angles occur. We analyze $\tau$ the characteristic relaxation time of triple junction angles τ by consideration of a pair of topological events, beginning from steady-state migration. Using numerical results and theoretical analysis we predict how the triple junction angle varies with time and how τ varies with triple junction mobility. We argue that it is precisely those cases where grain boundaries are moving quickly (e.g., topological process in nanocrystalline materials), that the classical steady-state prediction of the triple junction angle about finite triple junction mobility is inapplicable and may only be applied qualitatively.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Structure and energetics of interlayer dislocations in bilayer graphene

We present a general hybrid model based upon the continuum generalized Peierls-Nabarro model (with density functional theory parametrization) to describe interlayer dislocations in bilayer systems. In this model, the bilayer system is divided into two linear elastic 2D sheets. The strains in each sheet can be relaxed by both elastic in-plane deformation and out-of-plane buckling; this deformation is described via classical linear elastic thin plate theory. The interlayer bonding between these two sheets is described by a three-dimensional generalized stacking-fault energy (GSFE) determined from first principle calculations and based upon the relative displacement between the sheets. The structure and energetics of various interlayer dislocations in bilayer graphene was determined by minimizing the elastic and bonding energy with respect to all displacements. The dislocations break into partials, and pronounced buckling is observed at the partial dislocation locations to relax the strain induced by their edge components. Here, the partial dislocation core width is reduced by buckling. An analytical model is also developed based upon the results obtained in numerical simulation. We develop an analytical model for the bilayer structure and energy and show that these predictions are in excellent agreement with the numerical results.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2015

van der Waals bilayer energetics: Generalized stacking-fault energy of graphene, boron nitride, and graphene/boron nitride bilayers

The structure, thermodynamics, and band gaps in graphene/graphene, boron nitride/boron nitride, and graphene/boron nitride bilayers are determined using several different corrections to first-principles approaches to account for the dispersion interactions. While the density functional dispersion correction, van der Waals density functional, meta–generalized gradient approximation, and adiabatic fluctuation-dissipation theorem methods (ACFDT-RPA) all lead to qualitatively similar predictions, the best accuracy is obtained through the application of the computationally expensive ACFDT-RPA method. We present an accurate ACFDT-RPA-based method to determine bilayer structure, generalized stacking-fault energy (GSFE), and band gaps as a function of the relative translation states of the two layers. The GSFE data clearly identify all of the stable and metastable bilayer translations as well as the barriers between them. Furthermore, this is key for predicting the sliding, formation, and adhesion energies for homo- and hetero-bilayers, as well as for the determination of defects in such multilayer van der Waals systems. These, in turn, provide an accurate approach for determining and manipulating the spatial variation of electronic structure.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗