First-principles study on native point defects of cubic cuprite Ag2O

Abstract

Using the first-principles calculations, we have systematically investigated the atomic configurations, electronic structures, formation energies and transition energies of native point defects in cuprite Ag2O. Under the conditions of Ag-rich, we find that the oxygen vacancy (VO) and the oxygen interstitial (Oi) have the lowest formation energies in p-type and n-type conditions, respectively. Silver vacancy (VAg) acts as a shallow acceptor, which has high formation energy in p-type sample. Oxygen anti-site (OAg) is the most stable state and acts as an acceptor-type point defect in the O-rich conditions. Ag interstitial (Agi) is a shallow donor, which can be formed easily in the Ag-rich conditions. Moreover, we study the band offsets of heterojunction between Ag2O in cuprite structure and ZnO, GaN, and AlN in the wurtzite structure. These results would provide guidance for the experimental studies of point defects in cuprite Ag2O.