Linear Combination Of Atomic Orbitals Formalism Research Articles

Ab Initio Calculation of Accurate Electronic and Transport Properties of Zinc Blende Gallium Antimonide (zb-GaSb)

This article reports the results of our investigations on electronic and transport properties of zinc blende gallium antimonide (zb-GaSb). Our ab-initio, self-consistent and non-relativistic calculations used a local density approximation potential (LDA) and the linear combination of atomic orbital formalism (LCAO). We have succeeded in performing a generalized minimization of the energy, using the Bagayoko, Zhao and Williams (BZW) method, to reach the ground state of the material while avoiding over-complete basis sets. Consequently, our results have the full physical content of density functional theory (DFT) and agree with available, corresponding experimental data. Using an experimental room temperature lattice constant of 6.09593?, we obtained a direct band gap of 0.751 eV, in good agreement with room temperature measurements. Our results reproduced the experimental locations of the peaks in the total density of valence states as well as the measured electron and hole effective masses. Hence, this work points to the capability of ab-initio DFT calculations to inform and to guide the design and the fabrication of semiconductor based devices—provided a generalized minimization of the energy is performed.

<i>Ab-Initio</i> Self-Consistent Density Functional Theory Description of Rock-Salt Magnesium Selenide (MgSe)

We report results on electronic, transport, and bulk properties of rock-salt magnesium selenide (MgSe), from density functional theory (DFT) calculations. We utilized a local density approximation (LDA) potential and the linear combination of atomic orbitals formalism (LCAO). We followed the Bagayoko, Zhao, and Williams (BZW) method, as enhanced by Ekuma and Franklin (BZW-EF), to perform a generalized minimization of the energy, down to the actual ground state of the material. We describe the successive, self-consistent calculations, with augmented basis sets, that are needed for this generalized minimization. Due to the generalized minimization, our results have the full, physical content of DFT, as per the second DFT theorem [AIP Advances, 4, 127104 (2014)]. Our calculated, indirect bandgap of 2.49 eV, for a room temperature lattice constant of 5.460 A, agrees with experimental findings. We present the ground-state band structure, the related total and partial densities of states, DOS and PDOS, respectively, and electron and hole effective masses for the material. Our calculated bulk modulus of 63.1 GPa is in excellent agreement with the experimental value of 62.8 ± 1.6 GPa. Our predicted equilibrium lattice constant, at zero temperature, is 5.424 A, with a corresponding indirect bandgap of 2.51 eV. We discuss the reasons for the agreements between our findings and available, corresponding, experimental ones, particularly for the band gap, unlike the previous DFT results obtained with ab-initio LDA or GGA potentials.

First-principles studies of electronic, transport and bulk properties of pyrite FeS2

We present results from first principle, local density approximation (LDA) calculations of electronic, transport, and bulk properties of iron pyrite (FeS2). Our non-relativistic computations employed the Ceperley and Alder LDA potential and the linear combination of atomic orbitals (LCAO) formalism. The implementation of the LCAO formalism followed the Bagayoko, Zhao, and Williams (BZW) method, as enhanced by Ekuma and Franklin (BZW-EF). We discuss the electronic energy bands, total and partial densities of states, electron effective masses, and the bulk modulus. Our calculated indirect band gap of 0.959 eV (0.96), using an experimental lattice constant of 5.4166 Å, at room temperature, is in agreement with the measured indirect values, for bulk samples, ranging from 0.84 eV to 1.03 ± 0.05 eV. Our calculated bulk modulus of 147 GPa is practically in agreement with the experimental value of 145 GPa. The calculated, partial densities of states reproduced the splitting of the Fe d bands to constitute the dominant upper most valence and lower most conduction bands, separated by the generally accepted, indirect, experimental band gap of 0.95 eV.

<i>Ab-Initio</i> Computations of Electronic, Transport, and Structural Properties of <i>zinc-blende</i> Beryllium Selenide (<i>zb</i>-BeSe)

We report results from several ab-initio computations of electronic, transport and bulk properties of zinc-blende beryllium selenide (zb-BeSe). Our nonrelativistic calculations utilized a local density approximation (LDA) potential and the linear combination of atomic orbitals (LCAO). The key distinction of our calculations from other DFT calculations is the implementation of the Bagayoko, Zhao and Williams (BZW) method, as enhanced by Ekuma and Franklin (BZW-EF), in the LCAO formalism. Our calculated, indirect band gap is 5.46 eV, from Γ to a conduction band minimum between Г and X, for a room temperature lattice constant of 5.152 A. Available, room temperature experimental band gaps of 5.5 (direct) and 4 - 4.5 (unspecified) point to the need for additional measurements of this gap. Our calculated bulk modulus of 92.35 GPa is in excellent agreement with experiment (92.2 ± 1.8 GPa). Our predicted equilibrium lattice constant and band gap, at zero temperature, are 5.0438 A and 5.4 eV, respectively.

Calculated electronic, transport, and bulk properties of zinc-blende zinc sulphide (zb-ZnS)

We present the results from ab initio, self-consistent, local density approximation (LDA) calculations of electronic and related properties of zinc-blende zinc sulphide (zb-ZnS). We employed the Ceperley and Alder LDA potential and the linear combination of atomic orbital (LCAO) formalism. Our calculations are non-relativistic. The implementation of the LCAO formalism followed the Bagayoko, Zhao, and Williams (BZW) method, as enhanced by Ekuma and Franklin (BZW-EF). The BZW-EF method includes a methodical search for the optimal basis set that yields the minima of the occupied energies. This search entails increasing the size of the basis set and related modifications of angular symmetry and of radial features. Our calculated, direct band gap of 3.725 eV, at the Γ point, is in excellent agreement with experiment. We have also calculated the total (DOS) and partial (pDOS) densities of states, electron and hole effective masses and the bulk modulus that agree very well with available, corresponding experimental results.

Ab-initio Calculations of Electronic, Transport, and Bulk Properties of cubic Boron Nitride (zb-BN)

We present results from ab-initio, self consistent, local density approximation (LDA) calculations of electronic and related properties of cubic boron nitride (zb-BN). We employed the Ceperley and Alder LDA potential and the linear combination of atomic orbitals (LCAO) formalism in our non-relativistic computations. We solved the system of LDA equations self-consistently, through the implementation of the LCAO formalism, following the Bagayoko, Zhao, and Williams (BZW) method as enhanced by Ekuma and Franklin (BZW-EF). The BZW-EF method includes a methodical search for the optimal basis set that yields the absolute minima of the occupied energies. This search entails increasing the size of the basis set and the related modifications of angular symmetry and of radial orbitals. Our calculated, indirect band gap of 6.48 eV, from the Γ to the Χ points, and bulk modulus of 375 GPa are in excellent agreement with corresponding experimental values at room temperature (RT). The calculated widths of the lowest valance band and that of the entire valence bands of 5.65 eV and 20.26 eV are in excellent agreement with the measured values of 5.5 eV and 20 eV, respectively. We have also calculated electron and hole effective masses for zb-BN, and the total (DOS) and partial (pDOS) densities of states.  Â

Electronic, structural, and elastic properties of metal nitrides XN (X = Sc, Y): A first principle study

We utilized a simple, robust, first principle method, based on basis set optimization with the BZW-EF method, to study the electronic and related properties of transition metal mono-nitrides: ScN and YN. We solved the KS system of equations self-consistently within the linear combination of atomic orbitals (LCAO) formalism. It is shown that the band gap and low energy conduction bands, as well as elastic and structural properties, can be calculated with a reasonable accuracy when the LCAO formalism is used to obtain an optimal basis. Our calculated, indirect electronic band gap (\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}${\rm E}^\mathrm{\Gamma -X}_g$\end{document}EΓ−Xg) is 0.79 (LDA) and 0.88 eV (GGA) for ScN. In the case of YN, we predict an indirect band gap (\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}${\rm E}^\mathrm{\Gamma -X}_g$\end{document}EΓ−Xg) of 1.09 (LDA) and 1.15 eV (GGA). We also calculated the equilibrium lattice constants, the bulk moduli (Bo), effective masses, and elastic constants for both systems. Our calculated values are in excellent agreement with experimental ones where the latter are available.