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At least 1,027 records · Page 57

First-principles study of structural, elastic, electronic, transport properties, and dielectric breakdown of Cs 2 Te photocathode

The pursuit to operate photocathodes at high accelerating gradients to increase brightness of electron beams is gaining interests within the accelerator community, particularly for applications such as free electron lasers (FEL) and compact accelerators. Cesium telluride (Cs 2 Te) is a widely used photocathode material and it is presumed to offer resilience to higher gradients because of its wider band gap compared to other semiconductors. Despite its advantages, crucial material properties of Cs 2 Te remain largely unknown both in theory and experiments. In this study, we employ first-principles calculations to provide detailed structural, elastic, electronic and transport properties of Cs 2 Te. It is found that Cs 2 Te has an intrinsic mobility of 20 cm 2 /Vs for electrons and 2.0 cm 2 /Vs for holes at room temperature. The low mobility is primarily limited by the strong polar optical phonon scattering. Cs 2 Te also exhibits ultralow lattice thermal conductivity of 0.2 W/(m*K) at room temperature. Based on the energy gain/loss balance under external field and electron–phonon scattering, we predict that Cs 2 Te has a dielectric breakdown field in the range from ~ 60 to ~ 132 MV/m at room temperature dependent on the doping level of Cs 2 Te. Our results are crucial to advance the understanding of applicability of Cs 2 Te photocathodes for high-gradient operation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

The structural, electronic and phonon behavior of CsPbI{sub 3}: A first principles study

Metal halide perovskites are optoelectronic materials that have attracted enormous attention as solar cells with power conversion efficiencies reaching 20%. The benefit of using hybrid compounds resides in their ability to combine the advantage of these two classes of compounds: the high mobility of inorganic materials and the ease of processing of organic materials. In spite of the growing attention of this new material, very little is known about the electronic and phonon properties of the inorganic part of this compounds. A theoretical study of structural, electronic and phonon properties of metal-halide cubic perovskite, CsPbI{sub 3} is presented, using first-principles calculations with planewave pseudopotential method as personified in PWSCF code. In this approach local density approximation (LDA) is used for exchange-correlation potential.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Revealing the role of nitrogen on hydride nucleation and stability in pure niobium using first-principles calculations

Niobium provides the basis for all superconducting radio frequency (SRF) cavities in use, however, hydrogen is readily absorbed by niobium during cavity fabrication and subsequent niobium hydride precipitation when cooled to cryogenic temperatures degrades its superconducting properties. In the last few years the addition of dopant elements such as nitrogen has been experimentally shown to significantly improve the quality factor of niobium SRF cavities. One of the contributors to Q degradation can be presence of hydrides; however, the underlying mechanisms associated with the kinetics of hydrogen and the thermodynamic stability of hydride precipitates in the presence of dopants are not well known. Using first principles calculations, the effects of nitrogen on the energetic preference for hydrogen to occupy interstitial sites and hydride stability are examined. In particular, the presence of nitrogen significantly increased the energy barrier for hydrogen diffusion from one tetrahedral site to another interstitial site. Furthermore, the beta niobium hydride precipitate became energetically unstable upon addition of nitrogen in the niobium matrix. Through electronic density of states and valence charge transfer calculations, nitrogen showed a strong tendency to accumulate charge around itself, thereby decreasing the strength of covalent bonds between niobium and hydrogen atoms leading to a very unstable state for hydrogen and hydrides. These calculations show that the presence of nitrogen during processing plays a critical role in controlling hydride precipitation and subsequent SRF properties.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

First-Principles Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Ammonia Adsorption onto MFI Zeolite Nanosheets

MFI zeolite nanosheet membranes are promising candidates for ammonia separation from nitrogen and hydrogen gases, yet questions remain on the origin of their high selectivity. Silanols, Si–OH, are present in high concentration at the surface of zeolite nanosheets, and force-field-based simulations indicate that surface adsorption at the silanols contributes to selectivity. Acidic silanol groups can chemically react with ammonia via transfer of a proton to form ammonium ions, which may further contribute to the ability of zeolite nanosheet membranes to separate ammonia from other gases. In this work, we used first-principles molecular dynamics techniques to simulate ammonia’s behavior within stacked MFI zeolite nanosheets. We found that at 523 K and a loading corresponding to 35 bar, conditions desired for the ammonia separation, about 30% of ammonia reacts with surface silanols. Our work explored H-bonding and proton transfer within this system.

ammonia↗

A first-principles machine-learning force field for heterogeneous ice nucleation on microcline feldspar

The formation of ice in the atmosphere affects precipitation and cloud properties, and plays a key role in the climate of our planet. Although ice can form directly from liquid water at deeply supercooled conditions, the presence of foreign particles can aid ice formation at much warmer temperatures. Over the past decade, experiments have highlighted the remarkable efficiency of feldspar minerals as ice nuclei compared to other particles present in the atmosphere. However, the exact mechanism of ice formation on feldspar surfaces has yet to be fully understood. Here, we develop a first-principles machine-learning model for the potential energy surface aimed at studying ice nucleation at microcline feldspar surfaces. The model is able to reproduce with high-fidelity the energies and forces derived from density-functional theory (DFT) based on the SCAN exchange and correlation functional. Our training set includes configurations of bulk supercooled water, hexagonal and cubic ice, microcline, and fully-hydroxylated feldspar surfaces exposed to vacuum, liquid water, and ice. In this work, we apply the machine-learning force field to study different fully-hydroxylated terminations of the (100), (010), and (001) surfaces of microcline exposed to vacuum. Our calculations suggest that terminations that do not minimize the number of broken bonds are preferred in vacuum. We also study the structure of supercooled liquid water in contact with microcline surfaces, and find that water density correlations extend up to around 10 Å from the surfaces. Finally, we show that the force field maintains a high accuracy during the simulation of ice formation at microcline surfaces, even for large systems of around 30,000 atoms. Future work will be directed towards the calculation of nucleation free energy barriers and rates using the force field developed herein, and understanding the role of different microcline surfaces on ice nucleation.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

First-Principles Calculation of Vibrational Mode Lifetimes in Complex Materials (Final Report)

The major goal of this project was to develop and apply the moments-based calculation of frequencies and lifetimes of vibrational modes in solids. Most of the effort went into calculation of frequencies (dependence on temperature) and in comparing to experiment. We were successful in reaching that goal. There were three stage: 1) Test levels of approximation and understand their range of validity; 2a) Write an application program for empirical potentials (Jazz, a wrapper for LAMMPS) and use it to perform calculations for interesting materials; 2b) Write a similar application program for a first-principles electronic structure code; 3) Apply the codes to the study of anharmonicity in a variety of materials (bulk silicon, graphene, fullereness, and carbon nanotubes).

42 ENGINEERING↗

First-Principles Calculations to Investigate the Structural, Electronic, and Half-Metallic Properties of Ti{sub 2}RhSn{sub 1-x}Si{sub x}, Ti{sub 2}RhSn{sub 1-x}Ge{sub x}, and Ti{sub 2}RhGe{sub 1-x}Si{sub x} (x = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1) Quaternary Heusler Alloys

The structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of Ti{sub 2}RhSn{sub 1-x}Si{sub x}, Ti{sub 2}RhSn{sub 1-x}Ge{sub x}, and Ti{sub 2}RhGe{sub 1-x}Si{sub x} (x = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1) quaternary Heusler alloys have been investigated using first-principles density functional theory within generalized gradient approximation (GGA) and local spin-density approximation with Hubbard-U corrections (LSDA+U). The calculations have been performed using the full-potential linearized augmented Plane wave plus local orbitals method. The crystal structures of Ti{sub 2}RhSn{sub 1-x}Si{sub x}, Ti{sub 2}RhSn{sub 1-x}Ge{sub x}, and Ti{sub 2}RhGe{sub 1-x}Si{sub x} were found to be cubic in (F-43m) symmetry for x = 0, 1 and cubic in (P-43m) symmetry for x = 0.25, 0.75, while tetragonal in (P-4m2) symmetry for x = 0.5. The results show that all Ti{sub 2}RhSn1-xSix, Ti{sub 2}RhGe{sub 0.75}Si{sub 0.25}, and Ti{sub 2}RhGe alloys are half-metallic ferrimagnetic. These new materials are good candidates for potential applications in spintronic.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

$\alpha$-Clustering in atomic nuclei from first principles with statistical learning and the Hoyle state character

A long-standing crucial question with atomic nuclei is whether or not α clustering occurs there. An α particle (helium-4 nucleus) comprises two protons and two neutrons, and may be the building block of some nuclei. This is a very beautiful and fascinating idea, and is indeed plausible because the α particle is particularly stable with a large binding energy. However, direct experimental evidence has never been provided. Here, we show whether and how α(-like) objects emerge in atomic nuclei, by means of state-of-the-art quantum many-body simulations formulated from first principles, utilizing supercomputers including K/Fugaku. The obtained physical quantities exhibit agreement with experimental data. The appearance and variation of the α clustering are shown by utilizing density profiles for the nuclei beryllium-8, -10 and carbon-12. With additional insight by statistical learning, an unexpected crossover picture is presented for the Hoyle state, a critical gateway to the birth of life.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

First-principle calculation and assignment for vibrational spectra of Ba(Mg{sub 1/3}Nb{sub 2/3})O{sub 3} microwave dielectric ceramic

1:2 B-site cation ordered Ba(Mg{sub 1/3}Nb{sub 2/3})O{sub 3} ceramic was synthesized using conventional solid-state reaction at 1600 °C for 12 h. The structure parameters were obtained through Rietveld refinement of X-ray diffraction data. The Raman peak frequencies were obtained by Lorenz fitting on Raman spectrum. Four-parameter semiquantum model was used to fit the infrared (IR) reflectivity spectrum, and the fitted parameters were used to calculate the dielectric permittivity ε and dielectric loss tanδ. A total of 9 active Raman and 16 active IR modes were obtained using first-principle calculations based on density functional theory with local density approximation. All of the vibrational modes were assigned and represented by linear combinations of the symmetry coordinates deduced using group theory analysis. The Raman mode with the highest frequency A{sub 1g}{sup (4)} (789 cm{sup −1}) can be described as the breathing vibration of NbO{sub 6}. The IR modes E{sub u}{sup (1)} (149 cm{sup −1}) and A{sub 2u}{sup (2)} (212 cm{sup −1}), which can be described as the twisting vibrations of Ba–MgO{sub 6}/Ba–NbO{sub 6} on the a–b plane and the stretching vibrations of Ba–MgO{sub 6}/Ba–NbO{sub 6} along the c direction, respectively, are the dominant contributing modes to ε and tanδ. The dielectric property parameters obtained using IR spectrum fittings, first-principal calculations, and microwave measurements were compared.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

First principles study on electrochemical and chemical stability of solid electrolyte–electrode interfaces in all-solid-state Li-ion batteries

All-solid-state Li-ion batteries based on ceramic solid electrolyte materials are a promising next-generation energy storage technology with high energy density and enhanced cycle life. The poor interfacial conductance is one of the key limitations in enabling all-solid-state Li-ion batteries. However, the origin of this poor conductance has not been understood, and there is limited knowledge about the solid electrolyte–electrode interfaces in all-solid-state Li-ion batteries. In this paper, we performed first principles calculations to evaluate the thermodynamics of the interfaces between solid electrolyte and electrode materials and to identify the chemical and electrochemical stabilities of these interfaces. Our computation results reveal that many solid electrolyte–electrode interfaces have limited chemical and electrochemical stability, and that the formation of interphase layers is thermodynamically favorable at these interfaces. These formed interphase layers with different properties significantly affect the electrochemical performance of all-solid-state Li-ion batteries. The mechanisms of applying interfacial coating layers to stabilize the interface and to reduce interfacial resistance are illustrated by our computation. This study demonstrates a computational scheme to evaluate the chemical and electrochemical stability of heterogeneous solid interfaces. Finally, the enhanced understanding of the interfacial phenomena provides the strategies of interface engineering to improve performances of all-solid-state Li-ion batteries.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

First-principles thermal conductivity of warm-dense deuterium plasmas for inertial confinement fusion applications

Thermal conductivity (κ) of both the ablator materials and deuterium-tritium (DT) fuel plays an important role in understanding and designing inertial confinement fusion (ICF) implosions. The extensively used Spitzer model for thermal conduction in ideal plasmas breaks down for high-density, low-temperature shells that are compressed by shocks and spherical convergence in imploding targets. A variety of thermal-conductivity models have been proposed for ICF hydrodynamic simulations of such coupled and degenerate plasmas. The accuracy of these κ models for DT plasmas has recently been tested against first-principles calculations using the quantum molecular-dynamics (QMD) method; although mainly for high densities (ρ >100 g/cm^3), large discrepancies in κ have been identified for the peak-compression conditions in ICF. To cover the wide range of density-temperature conditions undergone by ICF imploding fuel shells, we have performed QMD calculations of κ for a variety of deuterium densities of ρ = 1.0 to 673.518 g/cm^3, at temperatures varying from T = 5 × 10^3 K to T = 8 × 10^6 K. The resulting κQMD of deuterium is fitted with a polynomial function of the coupling and degeneracy parameters and θ, which can then be used in hydrodynamic simulation codes. Compared with the “hybrid” Spitzer-Lee-More model currently adopted in our hydrocode LILAC, the hydrosimulations using the fitted κQMD have shown up to 20% variations in predicting target performance for different ICF implosions on OMEGA and direct-drive–ignition designs for the National Ignition Facility (NIF). The lower the adiabat of an imploding shell, the more variations in predicting target performance using κQMD. Moreover, the use of κQMD also modifies the shock conditions and the density-temperature profiles of the imploding shell at early implosion stage, which predominantly affects the final target performance. This is in contrast to the previous speculation that κQMD changes mainly the inside ablation process during the hot-spot formation of an ICF implosion.

Hu, S. X.↗

Identifying Hidden Li–Si–O Phases for Lithium‐Ion Batteries via First‐Principle Thermodynamic Calculations

SiO–based materials are promising alloys and conversion‐type anode materials for lithium‐ion batteries and are recently found to be excellent dendrite‐proof layers for lithium‐metal batteries. However, only a small fraction of the Li–Si–O compositional space has been reported, significantly impeding the understanding of the phase transition mechanisms and the rational design of these materials both as anodes and as protection layers for lithium‐metal anodes. Herein, we identify three new thermodynamically stable phases within the Li–Si–O ternary system (Li 2 SiO 5 , Li 4 SiO 6, and Li 4 SiO 8 ) in addition to the existing records via first‐principle calculations. The electronic structure simulation shows that Li 2 SiO 5 and Li 4 SiO 8 phases are metallic in nature, ensuring high electronic conductivity required as electrodes. Moduli calculations demonstrate that the mechanical strength of Li–Si–O phases is much higher than that of lithium metal. The diffusion barriers of interstitial Li range from 0.1 to 0.6 eV and the interstitial Li hopping serves as the dominating diffusion mechanism in the Li–Si–O ternary systems compared with vacancy diffusion. These findings provide a new strategy for future discovery of improved alloying anodes for lithium‐ion batteries and offer important insight towards the understanding of the phase transformation mechanism of alloy‐type protection layers on lithium‐metal anodes.

Qu, Jiale↗

Stress-induced anomalous shift of optical band gap in Ga-doped ZnO thin films: Experimental and first-principles study

In this work, highly c-axis oriented Ga-doped ZnO thin films have been deposited on glass substrates by RF magnetron sputtering under different sputtering times. The optical band gap is observed to shift linearly with the electron concentration and in-plane stress. The failure of fitting the shift of band gap as a function of electron concentration using the available theoretical models suggests the in-plane stress, instead of the electron concentration, be regarded as the dominant cause to this anomalous redshift of the optical band gap. And the mechanism of stress-dependent optical band gap is supported by the first-principles calculation based on density functional theory.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

First-principles thermodynamics study of phase stability in inorganic halide perovskite solid solutions

Halide substitution gives rise to a tunable band gap as a function of composition in halide perovskite materials. However, photoinduced phase segregation, observed at room temperature in mixed halide APb(I x Br 1–x ) 3 systems, limits open circuit voltages and decreases photovoltaic device efficiencies. We investigate equilibrium phase stability of orthorhombic P nma γ-phase CsM(X x Y 1–x ) 3 perovskites where M is Pb or Sn, and X and Y are Br, Cl, or I. Finite-temperature phase diagrams are constructed using a cluster expansion effective Hamiltonian parameterized from first-principles density-functional-theory calculations. Solid solution phases for CsM(I x Br 1–x ) 3 andCsM(Br x Cl 1–x ) 3 are predicted to be stable well below room temperature while CsM(I x Cl 1–x ) 3 systems have miscibility gaps that extend above 400 K. The height of the miscibility gap correlates with the difference in volume between end members. Also layered ground states are found on the convex hull at x = 2/3 for CsSnBr 2 Cl, CsPbI 2 Br, and CsPbBrCl 2 . The impact of these ground states on the finite temperature phase diagram is discussed in the context of the experimentally observed photoinduced phase segregation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Multiphonon diffuse scattering in solids from first principles: Application to layered crystals and two-dimensional materials

Time-resolved diffuse scattering experiments have gained increasing attention due to their potential to reveal nonequilibrium dynamics of crystal lattice vibrations with full momentum resolution. Although progress has been made in interpreting experimental data on the basis of one-phonon scattering, understanding the role of individual phonons can be sometimes hindered by multiphonon excitations. In Ref. [M. Zacharias, H. Seiler, F. Caruso, D. Zahn, F. Giustino, P. C. Kelires, and R. Ernstorfer, Phys. Rev. Lett. 127, 207401 (2021)], we have introduced a rigorous approach for the calculation of the all-phonon inelastic scattering intensity of solids from first-principles. In the present work, we describe our implementation in detail and show that multiphonon interactions are captured efficiently by exploiting translational and time-reversal symmetries of the crystal. We demonstrate its predictive power by calculating the scattering patterns of monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ), bulk MoS 2 , and black phosphorus (bP), and we obtain excellent agreement with our measurements of thermal electron diffuse scattering. Remarkably, our results show that multiphonon excitations dominate in bP across multiple Brillouin zones, while in MoS 2 they play a less pronounced role. We expand our analysis for each system and examine the effect of individual atomic and interatomic vibrational motion on the diffuse scattering signals. We further demonstrate the high-throughput capability of our approach by reporting all-phonon scattering maps of two-dimensional MoSe 2 , WSe 2 , WS 2 , graphene, and CdI 2 , rationalizing in each case the effect of multiphonon processes. As a side point, we show that the special displacement method reproduces the thermally distorted configuration that generates precisely the all-phonon diffuse pattern. In conclusion, the present methodology opens the way for systematic calculations of the scattering intensity in crystals and the accurate interpretation of static and time-resolved inelastic scattering experiments.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Molecular Theory of Detonation Initiation: Insight from First Principles Modeling of the Decomposition Mechanisms of Organic Nitro Energetic Materials

Our review presents a concept, which assumes that thermal decomposition processes play a major role in defining the sensitivity of organic energetic materials to detonation initiation. As a science and engineering community we are still far away from having a comprehensive molecular detonation initiation theory in a widely agreed upon form. However, recent advances in experimental and theoretical methods allow for a constructive and rigorous approach to design and test the theory or at least some of its fundamental building blocks. In this review, we analyzed a set of select experimental and theoretical articles, which were augmented by our own first principles modeling and simulations, to reveal new trends in energetic materials and to refine known existing correlations between their structures, properties, and functions. Lastly, our consideration is intentionally limited to the processes of thermally stimulated chemical reactions at the earliest stage of decomposition of molecules and materials containing defects.

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEF↗

First-Principles Studies on Sc 2 RuZ (Z = Si, Ge, Sn) Inverse Heusler Alloys: Structural, Electronic, and Transport Properties

The continuous demand for efficient, nontoxic, and thermally stable materials for room-temperature energy conversion motivates the exploration of novel thermoelectric systems beyond the traditional magnetic Heusler alloys. While full and half-Heusler compounds, especially Co-, Ni-, and Mn-based systems, have demonstrated promising thermoelectric properties, their typically high operating temperatures and magnetic complexities limit their applicability in ambient thermal management. In this context, we investigate whether Sc-based inverse Heusler alloys can offer a viable nonmagnetic alternative with competitive thermoelectric performance. In this work, we perform a systematic first-principles study of the inverse Heusler compounds Sc 2 RuZ (Z = Si, Ge, Sn), focusing on their structural, electronic, mechanical, and thermodynamic-thermoelectric properties. Density Functional Theory (DFT) was employed to compute optimized lattice structures and band dispersion, while dynamical stability was assessed via phonon calculations. Thermoelectric transport coefficients, including Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, and thermal conductivity, were estimated using the semiclassical Boltzmann transport theory within the constant relaxation time approximation. Our results show that all Sc 2 RuZ compounds are thermodynamically stable semiconductors with indirect band gaps of 0.12–0.16 eV and exhibit high elastic moduli, especially Sc 2 RuSn, which demonstrates superior stiffness and incompressibility. Importantly, all compounds display promising room-temperature thermoelectric characteristics, including high Seebeck coefficients and power factors. These findings reveal that Sc 2 RuZ alloys represent a rare class of stable, nonmagnetic inverse Heusler semiconductors with intrinsic thermoelectric potential at room temperature, unlike many existing Heusler systems optimized for spintronics or high-temperature operation. This work expands the known design space for Heusler-based thermoelectrics and offers a theoretical basis for experimental realization of efficient, low-temperature, nonmagnetic thermoelectric materials.

alloys↗

Suppressing heating rate-dependent martensitic stabilization in ductile Cu-Al-Mn shape memory alloys by Ni addition: An experimental and first-principles study

Highlights: • Additional nearest neighbor bond between Ni and Al atoms was produced theoretically in the Cu-Al-Mn-Ni (Ni≤2 at.%) alloys. • Shape memory effect of Cu-Al-Mn alloys heated at 20 K/min was improved from 85% to 92% after the addition of 2 at.% Ni. • Addition of 2 at.% Ni can suppress heating rate-dependent martensitic stabilization in Cu-Al-Mn alloys heated at 0.01 K/min. - Abstract: The present paper aims to suppress the heating rate-dependent martensitic stabilization of ductile Cu-Al-Mn shape memory alloys through restricting the mobility and thus the behavior of vacancies. A combined study based on first-principles calculation and experimental results were presented to unveil the effect of Ni addition into ternary Cu-Al-Mn alloys on the bonding force between atoms. The results showed that additional nearest neighbor bond between Ni and Al atoms in quaternary Cu-Al-Mn-Ni alloys can be produced. The addition of Ni (≤2 at.%) into ternary Cu-Al-Mn alloys can not only efficiently increase the shape memory effect, but also suppress the occurrence of heating rate-dependent martensitic stabilization. The addition of 2 at.% Ni improved the shape memory effect of ternary Cu-Al-Mn alloys from 85% to 92% when heated at 20 k/min. The shape memory effect of ternary Cu-Al-Mn alloys dropped to 10% as the heating rate decreased to 1 K/min, but it remain at 92% even when the heating rate was sufficiently lowered to 0.01 K/min after the addition of 2 at.% Ni.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗