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At least 379 records · Page 21
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Electron Tomography and Machine Learning for Understanding the Highly Ordered Structure of Leafhopper Brochosomes

Insects known as leafhoppers (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) produce hierarchically structured nanoparticles known as brochosomes that are exuded and applied to the insect cuticle, thereby providing camouflage and anti-wetting properties to aid insect survival. Although the physical properties of brochosomes are thought to depend on the leafhopper species, the structure–function relationships governing brochosome behavior are not fully understood. Brochosomes have complex hierarchical structures and morphological heterogeneity across species, due to which a multimodal characterization approach is required to effectively elucidate their nanoscale structure and properties. In this work, we study the structural and mechanical properties of brochosomes using a combination of atomic force microscopy (AFM), electron microscopy (EM), electron tomography, and machine learning (ML)-based quantification of large and complex scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image data sets. This suite of techniques allows for the characterization of internal and external brochosome structures, and ML-based image analysis methods of large data sets reveal correlations in the structure across several leafhopper species. Our results show that brochosomes are relatively rigid hollow spheres with characteristic dimensions and morphologies that depend on leafhopper species. Nanomechanical mapping AFM is used to determine a characteristic compression modulus for brochosomes on the order of 1–3 GPa, which is consistent with crystalline proteins. Altogether, this work provides an improved understanding of the structural and mechanical properties of leafhopper brochosomes using a new set of ML-based image classification tools that can be broadly applied to nanostructured biological materials.

Chemical structure↗
DOE OSTI2016

Direct Measurement of the Tunable Electronic Structure of Bilayer MoS 2 by Interlayer Twist

Using angle-resolved photoemission on micrometer-scale sample areas, we directly measure the interlayer twist angle-dependent electronic band structure of bilayer molybdenum-disulfide (MoS 2 ). Our measurements, performed on arbitrarily stacked bilayer MoS 2 flakes prepared by chemical vapor deposition, provide direct evidence for a downshift of the quasiparticle energy of the valence band at the Brillouin zone center ($\bar{Γ}$ point) with the interlayer twist angle, up to a maximum of 120 meV at a twist angle of ~40°. Our direct measurements of the valence band structure enable the extraction of the hole effective mass as a function of the interlayer twist angle. While our results at $\bar{Γ}$agree with recently published photoluminescence data, our measurements of the quasiparticle spectrum over the full 2D Brillouin zone reveal a richer and more complicated change in the electronic structure than previously theoretically predicted. The electronic structure measurements reported here, including the evolution of the effective mass with twist-angle, provide new insight into the physics of twisted transition-metal dichalcogenide bilayers and serve as a guide for the practical design of MoS 2 optoelectronic and spin-/valley-tronic devices.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Quantum Yield Heterogeneity among Single Nonblinking Quantum Dots Revealed by Atomic Structure-Quantum Optics Correlation

Physical variations in colloidal nanostructures give rise to heterogeneity in expressed optical behavior. This correlation between nanoscale structure and function demands interrogation of both atomic structure and photophysics at the level of single nanostructures to be fully understood. In this paper, by conducting detailed analyses of fine atomic structure, chemical composition, and time-resolved single-photon photoluminescence data for the same individual nanocrystals, we reveal inhomogeneity in the quantum yields of single nonblinking “giant” CdSe/CdS core/shell quantum dots (g-QDs). We find that each g-QD possesses distinctive single exciton and biexciton quantum yields that result mainly from variations in the degree of charging, rather than from volume or structure inhomogeneity. We further establish that there is a very limited nonemissive “dark” fraction (<2%) among the studied g-QDs and present direct evidence that the g-QD core must lack inorganic passivation for the g-QD to be “dark”. Finally and therefore, in contrast to conventional QDs, ensemble photoluminescence quantum yield is principally defined by charging processes rather than the existence of dark g-QDs.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Laser Spectroscopic and Theoretical Studies of the Structures and Encapsulation Motifs of Functional Molecules

Extensive laser spectroscopic and theoretical studies have been recently carried out with the aim to reveal the structure and dynamics of encapsulation complexes in the gas phase. The characteristics of the encapsulation complexes are governed by the fact that (i) most of the host molecules are flexible and (ii) the complexes form high dimensional structures by using weak non-covalent interactions. These characteristics result in the possibility of the coexistence of many conformers in close energetic proximity. The combination of supersonic jet/laser spectroscopy and high level quantum chemical calculations is essential in tackling these challenging problems. In this report we describe our recent studies on the structures and dynamics of the encapsulation complexes formed by calix[4]arene (C4A), dibenzo-18-crown-6-ether (DB18C6), and benzo-18-crown-6-ether (B18C6) "hosts" interacting with N2, acetylene, water, and ammonia "guest" molecules. The gaseous host-guest complexes are generated under jet-cooled conditions. We apply various laser spectroscopic methods to obtain the conformer- and isomer-specified electronic and IR spectra. The experimental results are complemented with quantum chemical calculations ranging from density functional theory to high level first principles calculations at the MP2 and CCSD(T) levels of theory. We discuss the possible conformations of the bare host molecules, the structural changes they undergo upon complexation, and the key interactions that are responsible in stabilizing the specific complexes

electronic structure calculations↗
DOE OSTI2016

A fingerprint based metric for measuring similarities of crystalline structures

Measuring similarities/dissimilarities between atomic structures is important for the exploration of potential energy landscapes. However, the cell vectors together with the coordinates of the atoms, which are generally used to describe periodic systems, are quantities not directly suitable as fingerprints to distinguish structures. Based on a characterization of the local environment of all atoms in a cell, we introduce crystal fingerprints that can be calculated easily and define configurational distances between crystalline structures that satisfy the mathematical properties of a metric. This distance between two configurations is a measure of their similarity/dissimilarity and it allows in particular to distinguish structures. The new method can be a useful tool within various energy landscape exploration schemes, such as minima hopping, random search, swarm intelligence algorithms, and high-throughput screenings.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

Structural stability, electronic structure and mechanical properties of actinide carbides AnC (An = U, Np)

Ab initio calculations are performed to investigate the structural stability, electronic structure and mechanical properties of actinide carbides AnC (An=U, Np) for three different crystal structures, namely NaCl, CsCl and ZnS. Among the considered structures, NaCl structure is found to be the most stable structure for these carbides at normal pressure. A pressure induced structural phase transition from NaCl to ZnS is observed. The electronic structure reveals that these carbides are metals. The calculated elastic constants indicate that these carbides are mechanically stable at normal pressure.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2011

Local Structure of Cerium in Aluminophosphate and Silicophosphate Glasses

The local structure of cerium in two systematic compositional series of glasses, nominally CeP{sub 3}O{sub 9}-AlP{sub 3}O{sub 9} and CeP{sub 3}O{sub 9}-SiP{sub 2}O{sub 7}, was interrogated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy. XPS revealed that, for glasses melted in air, {>=}95% of cerium ions are Ce{sup 3+}. This was independently confirmed using X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES). Ce K-edge extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) has been used to determine the local structure of Ce{sup 3+}. Near the metaphosphate composition, cerium was found to have an average cerium coordination number of {approx}7.0 and an average cerium-oxygen bond length of 2.41 {angstrom}. The average cerium coordination number and average cerium-oxygen bond distance were found to increase with decreasing cerium concentration in both compositional series. Rare-earth clustering is suggested based on numerical calculations for glasses containing {>=}14 and {>=}15 mol% Ce{sub 2}O{sub 3} for the aluminophosphate and silicophosphate series, respectively.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Electronic Structures and Magnetism of Zr-, Th-, and U-based Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) by Density Functional Theory

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have recently gained wide interest as candidate materials for nuclear waste immobilization. While the fundamental thermodynamic properties, such as the substitution energies determine the favorability of radionuclide sequestration by utilization of a MOF matrix, the studies of MOF electronic structure reveal the role of d-, and/or f-electrons on changes in physical properties of actinide-containing materials. We use density functional theory (DFT) calculations to investigate the electronic structures of Zr-, Th-, and U-MOFs, including their electronic band structures and, where appropriate, their magnetic properties. We employ various DFT methods including DFT+U, collinear spin-polarization, spin-orbit coupling, and different flavors of exchange-correlation functionals to assess the robustness to the specific exchange-correlation functional. Unlike the Zr-, and Th-MOFs, the U-MOF is found to be sensitive to electron localization and spin; hence we explore the magnetic structure of the U-MOF in further detail.

Metal-Organic Framework, MOF, Actinides, DFT↗
DOE OSTI2012

The first 3D malonate bridged copper [Cu(O{sub 2}C-CH{sub 2}-CO{sub 2}H){sub 2}{center_dot}2H{sub 2}O]: Structure, properties and electronic structure

A new inorganic-organic compound [Cu(O{sub 2}C-CH{sub 2}-CO{sub 2}H){sub 2}{center_dot}2H{sub 2}O] ([Cumal]) was hydrothermally synthesized and characterized by IR spectroscopy, thermal analysis and single crystal X-ray diffraction. [Cumal] is the first three-dimensional compound existing in the system Cu(II)-malonic acid-H{sub 2}O. Its framework is built up through carboxyl bridged copper where CuO{sub 6} octahedra are elongated with an almost D{sub 4h} symmetry (4+2) due to the Jahn-Teller effect. The magnetic properties were studied by measuring its magnetic susceptibility in the temperature range of 2-300 K indicating the existence of weak ferromagnetic interactions. The electronic structure of [Cumal] was calculated within the density functional theory (DFT) framework. Structural features are well reproduced using DFT structural optimizations and the optical spectra, calculated within the dielectric formalism, explain very well the light blue colour of the compound. It is shown that a GGA+U approach with a U{sub eff} value of about 6 eV is necessary for a better correlation with the experiment. - Graphical abstract: [Cu(O{sub 2}C-CH{sub 2}-CO{sub 2}H){sub 2}{center_dot}2H{sub 2}O]: the first 3D hybrid organic-inorganic compound built up carboxyl groups. The network presents a diamond-like structure achieved via carboxyl. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A new organic-inorganic material with an unprecedented topology is synthesized. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Crystallographic structure is determined using single crystal X-ray diffraction. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Electronic structure is obtained from DFT, GGA+U calculation. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Framework can be described as formed from CuC{sub 4} tetrahedron sharing four corners. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer This structure can be classified as an extended diamond structure.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2012

Mild hydrothermal synthesis, crystal structure, photoluminescence properties and emission quantum yield of a new zirconium germanate with garnet-type structure

The mild hydrothermal synthesis, crystal structure, photoluminescence properties and emission quantum yield of a new sodium zirconium germanate are reported. This material and the method for its preparation represent for the first time a germanium garnet-type material synthesized at autogenous pressure and temperature at 230 Degree-Sign C. The crystal structure was determined by starting from the crystallographic parameters of a common garnet structure and it represents not only a new chemical combination of atoms but also combination of oxidation states in garnet structure. The framework consists of interconnected corner sharing GeO{sub 4} tetrahedra and ZrO{sub 6} octahedra which form small cavities that accommodate charge compensation Na{sup +} cations. In the course of synthesis the structure can be functionalized by in situ doping with different percentage of Eu{sup 3+} ions. This structural flexibility is used to explore the photoluminescent behavior of the active centers embedded in garnet-type host. The materials display the Eu{sup 3+5}D{sub 0}{yields}{sup 7}F{sub 0-4} transitions under excitation via intra-{sup 4}f{sub 6} excitation levels and through the O{sup 2-}{yields}Eu{sup 3+} ligand-to-metal charge transfer. A maximum {sup 5}D{sub 0} quantum efficiency and emission quantum yield values (ca. 0.28 and 0.04{+-}0.01, respectively) were found for the low Eu{sup 3+}-containing sample, suggesting the presence of concentration quenching effects at higher Eu{sup 3+}-content (5%). - Graphical abstract: Na{sub 3}Zr{sub 1.8}Ge{sub 3}O{sub 10}(OH){sub 2} prepared at mild hydrothermal conditions. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer New zirconogermanate with garnet-type structure. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Hydrothermal synthesis. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Crystal structure. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Photoluminescent properties.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2014

New tetragonal derivatives of cubic NaZn{sub 13}-type structure: RNi{sub 6}Si{sub 6} compounds, crystal structure and magnetic ordering (R=Y, La, Ce, Sm, Gd–Yb)

Novel RNi{sub 6}Si{sub 6} compounds adopt the new CeNi{sub 6}Si{sub 6}-type structure for R=La–Ce (tP52, space group P4/nbm N 125-1) and new YNi{sub 6}Si{sub 6}-type structure for R=Y, Sm, Gd–Yb (tP52, space group P4{sup ¯}b2N 117) that are tetragonal derivative of NaZn{sub 13}-type structure, like LaCo{sub 9}Si{sub 4}-type. The CeNi{sub 6}Si{sub 6}, GdNi{sub 6}Si{sub 6}, TbNi{sub 6}Si{sub 6}, DyNi{sub 6}Si{sub 6} and HoNi{sub 6}Si{sub 6} compounds are Curie–Weiss paramagnets down to ∼30 K, and do not order magnetically down to 5 K. However, the inverse paramagnetic susceptibility of LaNi{sub 6}Si{sub 6} does not follow Curie–Weiss law. The DyNi{sub 6}Si{sub 6} shows ferromagnetic-like saturation behaviour at 5 K in applied fields of 50 kOe, giving rise to a magnetic moment value of 6.5 μ{sub B}/f.u. in 50 kOe. The powder neutron diffraction study in zero applied filed indicates square modulated the c-collinear antiferromagnetic ordering of TbNi{sub 6}Si{sub 6} with K=[±1/4, ±1/4, 0] wave vector below ∼10 K. - Graphical abstract: Novel (La, Ce)Ni{sub 6}Si{sub 6} compounds adopt the new CeNi{sub 6}Si{sub 6}-type structure and (Y, Sm, Gd–Yb) adopt the new YNi{sub 6}Si{sub 6}-type structure that are tetragonal derivative of NaZn{sub 13}-type structure, like LaCo{sub 9}Si{sub 4}-type. The CeNi{sub 6}Si{sub 6}, GdNi{sub 6}Si{sub 6}, TbNi{sub 6}Si{sub 6}, DyNi{sub 6}Si{sub 6} and HoNi{sub 6}Si{sub 6} compounds are Curie–Weiss paramagnets down to ∼30 K, and do not order magnetically down to 4.2 K. The powder neutron diffraction study in zero applied filed indicates square modulated the c-collinear antiferromagnetic ordering of TbNi{sub 6}Si{sub 6} with K=[±1/4, ±1/4, 0] wave vector below ∼10 K. Display Omitted - Highlights: • The new (La, Ce)Ni{sub 6}Si{sub 6} compounds adopt the new CeNi{sub 6}Si{sub 6}-type structure. • The new (Y, Sm, Gd–Yb)Ni{sub 6}Si{sub 6} compounds adopt the new YNi{sub 6}Si{sub 6}-type structure. • TbNi{sub 6}Si{sub 6} has square modulated c-collinear antiferromagnetic ordering below ∼10 K.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2015

GeP and (Ge{sub 1−x}Sn{sub x})(P{sub 1−y}Ge{sub y}) (x≈0.12, y≈0.05): Synthesis, structure, and properties of two-dimensional layered tetrel phosphides

GeP and Sn-doped GeP were synthesized from elements in bismuth and tin flux, respectively. The layered crystal structures of these compounds were characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Both phosphides crystallize in a GaTe structure type in the monoclinic space group C2/m (No. 12) with GeP: a=15.1948(7) Å, b=3.6337(2) Å, c=9.1941(4) Å, β=101.239(2)°; Ge{sub 0.93(3)}P{sub 0.95(1)}Sn{sub 0.12(3)}: a=15.284(9) Å, b=3.622(2) Å, c=9.207(5) Å, β=101.79(1)°. The crystal structure of GeP consists of 2-dimensional GeP layers held together by weak electron lone pair interactions between the phosphorus atoms that confine the layer. Each layer is built of Ge–Ge dumbbells surrounded by a distorted antiprism of phosphorus atoms. Sn-doped GeP has a similar structural motif, but with a significant degree of disorder emphasized by the splitting of all atomic positions. Resistivity measurements together with quantum-chemical calculations reveal semiconducting behavior for the investigated phosphides. - Graphical abstract: Layered phosphides GeP and Sn-doped GeP were synthesized from elements in bismuth and tin flux, respectively. The crystal structure of GeP consists of 2-dimensional GeP layers held together by weak electron lone pair interactions between the phosphorus atoms that confine the layer. Sn-doped GeP has a similar structural motif with a significant degree of disorder emphasized by the splitting of all atomic positions. Resistivity measurements together with quantum-chemical calculations reveal semiconducting behavior for the investigated phosphides. - Highlights: • GeP crystallizes in a layered crystal structure. • Doping of Sn into GeP causes large structural distortions. • GeP is narrow bandgap semiconductor. • Sn-doped GeP exhibits an order of magnitude higher resistivity due to disorder.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2017

Structure Determination of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Serine Protease Hip1 (Rv2224c)

The Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) serine protease Hip1 (hydrolase important for pathogenesis; Rv2224c) promotes tuberculosis (TB) pathogenesis by impairing host immune responses through proteolysis of a protein substrate, Mtb GroEL2. The cell surface localization of Hip1 and its immunomodulatory functions make Hip1 a good drug target for new adjunctive immune therapies for TB. Here, we report the crystal structure of Hip1 to a resolution of 2.6 Å and the kinetic studies of the enzyme against model substrates and the protein GroEL2. The structure shows a two-domain protein, one of which contains the catalytic residues that are the signature of a serine protease. Surprisingly, a threonine is located within the active site close enough to hydrogen bond with the catalytic residues Asp463 and His490. Mutation of this residue, Thr466, to alanine established its importance for function. Our studies provide insights into the structure of a member of a novel family of proteases. Knowledge of the Hip1 structure will aid in designing inhibitors that could block Hip1 activity

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2012

Crystal Structures of Xanthomonas campestris OleA Reveal Features That Promote Head-to-Head Condensation of Two Long-Chain Fatty Acids

OleA is a thiolase superfamily enzyme that has been shown to catalyze the condensation of two long-chain fatty acyl-coenzyme A (CoA) substrates. The enzyme is part of a larger gene cluster responsible for generating long-chain olefin products, a potential biofuel precursor. In thiolase superfamily enzymes, catalysis is achieved via a ping-pong mechanism. The first substrate forms a covalent intermediate with an active site cysteine that is followed by reaction with the second substrate. For OleA, this conjugation proceeds by a nondecarboxylative Claisen condensation. The OleA from Xanthomonas campestris has been crystallized and its structure determined, along with inhibitor-bound and xenon-derivatized structures, to improve our understanding of substrate positioning in the context of enzyme turnover. OleA is the first characterized thiolase superfamily member that has two long-chain alkyl substrates that need to be bound simultaneously and therefore uniquely requires an additional alkyl binding channel. The location of the fatty acid biosynthesis inhibitor, cerulenin, that possesses an alkyl chain length in the range of known OleA substrates, in conjunction with a single xenon binding site, leads to the putative assignment of this novel alkyl binding channel. Structural overlays between the OleA homologues, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) synthase and the fatty acid biosynthesis enzyme FabH, allow assignment of the two remaining channels: one for the thioester-containing pantetheinate arm and the second for the alkyl group of one substrate. A short {beta}-hairpin region is ordered in only one of the crystal forms, and that may suggest open and closed states relevant for substrate binding. Cys143 is the conserved catalytic cysteine within the superfamily, and the site of alkylation by cerulenin. The alkylated structure suggests that a glutamic acid residue (Glu117{beta}) likely promotes Claisen condensation by acting as the catalytic base. Unexpectedly, Glu117{beta} comes from the other monomer of the physiological dimer.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2015

Atomic Structure of Pt 3 Ni Nanoframe Electrocatalysts by in Situ X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy

Understanding the atomic structure of a catalyst is crucial to exposing the source of its performance characteristics. It is highly unlikely that a catalyst remains the same under reaction conditions when compared to as-synthesized. Hence, the ideal experiment to study the catalyst structure should be performed in situ. Here, we use X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) as an in situ technique to study Pt3Ni nanoframe particles which have been proven to be an excellent electro catalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The surface characteristics of the nanoframes were probed through electrochemical hydrogen underpotential deposition and carbon monoxide electrooxidation, which showed that nanoframe surfaces with different structure exhibit varying levels of binding strength to adsorbate molecules. It is well-known that Pt-skin formation on Pt-Ni catalysts will enhance ORR activity by weakening the binding energy between the surface and adsorbates. Ex situ and in situ XAS results reveal that nanoframes which bind adsorbates more strongly have a rougher Pt surface caused by insufficient segregation of Pt to the surface and consequent Ni dissolution. In contrast, nanoframes which exhibit extremely high ORR activity simultaneously demonstrate more significant segregation of Pt over Ni-rich subsurface layers, allowing better formation of the critical Pt-skin. This work demonstrates that the high ORR activity of the Pt3Ni hollow nanoframes depends on successful formation of the Pt-skin surface structure.

Becknell, Nigel↗
DOE OSTI2015

Structure, Morphology, and Assembly Behavior of Kafirin

Prolamins from grains have attracted intensive attention in recent years due to their potential in satisfying the demand for environmentally friendly (biodegradable), abundantly available (sustainable), and cost-effective biomaterials. However, for kafirin, the prolamin from sorghum, its composition, structure, morphology, and self-assembly behaviors have not been fully characterized. In this paper, kafirin was extracted from the whole sorghum grain and found to contain 68, 14, 6, and 12% of α-, β-, and γ-fractions and cross-linked kafirin, respectively. Freeze-dried kafirin contained ~49% α-helix in the solid state. When dissolved in 65% (v/v) isopropanol, 60% (v/v) tert-butanol, and 85% (v/v) ethanol aqueous solvents, the relative α-helix content in kafirin increased with the decrease of solvent polarity. Structural analysis using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) indicated that kafirin (2 mg/mL) took stretched and extended conformations with dimensions of 118 × 15 × 15 and 100 × 11 × 11 Å in 60% tert-butanol and 65% isopropanol, respectively. More elongated conformation of individual kafirin with high-order assembly was observed in 85% ethanol. Protein aggregation occurred as protein concentration increased in its good solvent. The morphology of kafirin assemblies captured by atomic force microscopy (AFM) revealed that kafirin protein took uniform particle morphology at low concentration, and disk-like or rod-like structures resulting from solvent evaporation induced particle interactions emerged at high concentrations. These results suggest that both protein concentration and solvent polarity can effectively regulate kafirin assemblies from thick rod-like to slim rod-like structures, a convenient way to tune the fibrillation of prolamin-based biomaterials.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2012

Impact of Point Defects on Electronic Structure in Y₂Ti₂O₇

With many technologies and applications downscaling to nanometer dimensions, the influence of single point defects on electronic structure has shown an increasingly profound impact on optical and electrical properties, and advancing fundamental understanding is critical to defect engineering and control of materials properties. In the present study, first-principles calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) are carried out to study the effects of Ti point defects on the electronic structure of Y₂Ti₂O₇. In the literature, it has been demonstrated that conventional DFT tends to produce delocalized holes and electrons in defective oxide materials due to insufficient cancellation of the self-interaction energy and underestimation of the band gap, which results in an incorrect description of the electronic structure of the system. In an effort to better understand the accuracy of DFT in describing the behavior of Y₂Ti₂O₇ with point defects, the calculated results obtained from DFT and DFT+U methods are compared, including the geometrical distortion, the localization of the defect states and the position of the defect levels in the band gap. Using DFT, distorted geometries around the Ti vacancy and interstitial are found, along with localized oxygen holes and Ti electrons, both of which compare well with the DFT+U results, suggesting that the conventional DFT can be used to describe the localization of the Ti defects in Y₂Ti₂O₇. One major difference in the DFT and DFT+U calculations is the energy position of the defect levels, for which DFT+U results in the states positioned deep in the band gap. Since the DFT+U method suffers from the dependence of the results on the empirical parameter U and no experimental results on the energy position of the defect states are available to tune this U value, care must be taken in applying DFT+U to electronic structure calculations of Y₂Ti₂O₇ with point defects. Based on the DFT method, the most preferred charge state is determined by the formation energies for charged point defects. Moving the Fermi level across the band gap has slight effects on the charge state, and the Ti vacancy and interstitial are found to be in 24 and +4 charge states, respectively.

Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory↗