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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2015

Density functional calculation of the structural and electronic properties of germanium quantum dots

We apply first principles density functional computational methods to study the structures, densities of states (DOS), and higher occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) – lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) gaps of selected free-standing Ge semiconductor quantum dots up to 1.8nm. Our calculations are performed using numerical atomic orbital approach where linear combination of atomic orbital was applied. The surfaces of the quantum dots was passivized by hydrogen atoms. We find that surface passivation does affect the electronic properties associated with the changes of surface state, electron localization, and the energy gaps of germanium nanocrystals as well as the confinement of electrons inside the quantum dots (QDs). Our study shows that the energy gaps of germanium quantum dots decreases with the increasing dot diameter. The size-dependent variations of the computed HOMO-LUMO gaps in our quantum dots model were found to be consistent with the effects of quantum confinement reported in others theoretical and experimental calculation.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2013

Self-interaction corrected density functional calculations of molecular Rydberg states

A method is presented for calculating the wave function and energy of Rydberg excited states of molecules. A good estimate of the Rydberg state orbital is obtained using ground state density functional theory including Perdew-Zunger self-interaction correction and an optimized effective potential. The total energy of the excited molecule is obtained using the Delta Self-Consistent Field method where an electron is removed from the highest occupied orbital and placed in the Rydberg orbital. Results are presented for the first few Rydberg states of NH{sub 3}, H{sub 2}O, H{sub 2}CO, C{sub 2}H{sub 4}, and N(CH{sub 3}){sub 3}. The mean absolute error in the energy of the 33 molecular Rydberg states presented here is 0.18 eV. The orbitals are represented on a real space grid, avoiding the dependence on diffuse atomic basis sets. As in standard density functional theory calculations, the computational effort scales as NM{sup 2} where N is the number of orbitals and M is the number of grid points included in the calculation. Due to the slow scaling of the computational effort with system size and the high level of parallelism in the real space grid approach, the method presented here makes it possible to estimate Rydberg electron binding energy in large molecules.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2018

Diffusion quantum Monte Carlo and density functional calculations of the structural stability of bilayer arsenene

We have studied the structural stability of monolayer and bilayer arsenene (As) in the buckled (b) and washboard (w) phases with diffusion quantum Monte Carlo (DMC) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. DMC yields cohesive energies of 2.826(2) eV/atom for monolayer b-As and 2.792(3) eV/atom for w-As. In the case of bilayer As, DMC and DFT predict that AA-stacking is the more stable form of b-As, while AB is the most stable form of w-As. The DMC layer-layer binding energies for b-As-AA and w-As-AB are 30(1) and 53(1) meV/atom, respectively. The interlayer separations were estimated with DMC at 3.521(1) Å for b-As-AA and 3.145(1) Å for w-As-AB. A comparison of DMC and DFT results shows that the van der Waals density functional method yields energetic properties of arsenene close to DMC, while the DFT + D3 method closely reproduced the geometric properties from DMC. The electronic properties of monolayer and bilayer arsenene were explored with various DFT methods. The bandgap values vary significantly with the DFT method, but the results are generally qualitatively consistent. Finally, we expect the present work to be useful for future experiments attempting to prepare multilayer arsenene and for further development of DFT methods for weakly bonded systems.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Exact restoration of Galilei invariance in density functional calculations with quantum Monte Carlo

We investigate some aspects of the connection between mean-field and ab-initio calculations for any-nucleon systems employing the Gogny effective interaction. In particular, we present variational Monte Carlo calculations of 4 He and 16 O, for which we extended the formalism of the linear method to the case of a density-dependent Hamiltonian. Monte Carlo calculations using an uncorrelated basis reduce to Hartree-Fock ones, but Galilean invariance can be preserved, contrary to the usual treatment. An analysis of the results obtained with the Gogny force when used in conjunction with correlated wave functions has also been performed. Here, the calculations show the collapse of the deuteron, leading to a set of unphysical predictions for the structure of heavier nuclei. This behavior remarks the different role of the Gogny effective interaction as compared to bare interactions typically used in fully microscopic calculations.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Ab Initio Density Functional Calculations and Infra-Red Study of CO Interaction with Pd Atoms on θ-Al 2 O 3 (010) Surface

The ab initio density functional theoretical studies show that energetics favor CO oxidation on single Pd atoms supported on θ-alumina. The diffuse reflectance infra-red spectroscopy (DRIFTS) results show that carbonates are formed as intermediates when single supported Pd atoms are exposed to a gaseous mixture of CO + O 2 . The rapid agglomeration of Pd atoms under CO oxidation conditions even at 6°C leads to the presence of Pd particles along with single atoms during CO oxidation experiments. Thus, the observed CO oxidation has contributions from both single Pd atoms and Pd particles.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Density functional calculations for structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of gadolinium-oxide clusters

Gadolinium-oxide clusters in various sizes and stoichiometries have been systematically studied by employing the density functional theory with the generalized gradient approximation. The clusters in bulk stoichiometry are relatively more stable and their binding energies increase with the increasing size. Stoichiometric (Gd{sub 2}O{sub 3}){sub n} clusters of n = 1–3 prefer cage-like structures, whereas the clusters of n = 4–30 prefer compact structures layered by wedge-like units and exhibit a rough feature toward the bulk-like arrangement with small disorders of atomic positions. The polyhedral-cages analogous to carbon-fullerenes are stable isomers yet not the minimum energy configurations. Their stabilities can be improved by embedding one oxygen atom or a suitable cage to form core-shell configurations. The mostly favored antiferromagnetic couplings between adjacent Gd atoms are nearly degenerated in energy with their ferromagnetic couplings, resulting in super-paramagnetic characters of gadolinium-oxide clusters. The Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY)-type mechanism together with the superexchange-type mechanism plays cooperation role for the magnetic interactions in clusters. We present, as a function of n, calculated binding energies, ionization potential, electron affinity, and electronic dipole moment.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2019

Importance of self-interaction-error removal in density functional calculations on water cluster anions

Accurate description of the excess charge in water cluster anions is challenging for standard semi-local and (global) hybrid density functional approximations (DFAs). Using the recent unitary invariant implementation of the Perdew–Zunger self-interaction correction (SIC) method using Fermi-Löwdin orbitals, we assess the effect of self-interaction error on the vertical detachment energies of water cluster anions with the local spin density approximation (LSDA), Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof (PBE) generalized gradient approximation, and the strongly constrained and appropriately normed (SCAN) meta-GGA functionals. Our results show that for the relative energies of isomers with respect to reference CCSD(T) values, the uncorrected SCAN functional has the smallest deviation of 21 meV, better than that for the MP2 method. The performance of SIC-SCAN is comparable to that of MP2 and is better than SIC-LSDA and SIC-PBE, but it reverses the ordering of the two lowest isomers for water hexamer anions. Removing self interaction error (SIE) corrects the tendency of LSDA, PBE, and SCAN to over-bind the extra electron. The vertical detachment energies (VDEs) of water cluster anions, obtained from the total energy differences of corresponding anion and neutral clusters, are significantly improved by removing self-interaction and are better than the hybrid B3LYP functional, but fall short of MP2 accuracy. Removing SIE results in substantial improvement in the position of the eigenvalue of the extra electron. The negative of the highest occupied eigenvalue after SIC provides an excellent approximation to the VDE, especially for SIC-PBE where the mean absolute error with respect to CCSD(T) is only 17 meV, the best among all approximations compared in this work.

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

Polymorphism and thermodynamic ground state of silver fulminate studied from van der Waals density functional calculations

Silver fulminate (AgCNO) is a primary explosive, which exists in two polymorphic phases, namely, orthorhombic (Cmcm) and trigonal (R3{sup ¯}) forms at ambient conditions. In the present study, we have investigated the effect of pressure and temperature on relative phase stability of the polymorphs using planewave pseudopotential approaches based on Density Functional Theory (DFT). van der Waals interactions play a significant role in predicting the phase stability and they can be effectively captured by semi-empirical dispersion correction methods in contrast to standard DFT functionals. Based on our total energy calculations using DFT-D2 method, the Cmcm structure is found to be the preferred thermodynamic equilibrium phase under studied pressure and temperature range. Hitherto Cmcm and R3{sup ¯} phases denoted as α- and β-forms of AgCNO, respectively. Also a pressure induced polymorphic phase transition is seen using DFT functionals and the same was not observed with DFT-D2 method. The equation of state and compressibility of both polymorphic phases were investigated. Electronic structure and optical properties were calculated using full potential linearized augmented plane wave method within the Tran-Blaha modified Becke-Johnson potential. The calculated electronic structure shows that α, β phases are indirect bandgap insulators with a bandgap values of 3.51 and 4.43 eV, respectively. The nature of chemical bonding is analyzed through the charge density plots and partial density of states. Optical anisotropy, electric-dipole transitions, and photo sensitivity to light of the polymorphs are analyzed from the calculated optical spectra. Overall, the present study provides an early indication to experimentalists to avoid the formation of unstable β-form of AgCNO.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2019

All-electron density functional calculations for electron and nuclear spin interactions in molecules and solids

The interaction between electronic and nuclear spins in the presence of external magnetic fields can be described by a spin Hamiltonian, with parameters obtained from first principles, electronic structure calculations. We describe an approach to compute these parameters, applicable to both molecules and solids, which is based on density functional theory (DFT) and real-space, all-electron calculations using finite elements (FE). We report results for hyperfine tensors, zero field splitting tensors (spin-spin component), and nuclear quadrupole tensors of a series of molecules and of the nitrogen-vacancy center in diamond. We compare our results with calculations using Gaussian orbitals and plane-wave basis sets, and we discuss their numerical accuracy. Furthermore, we show that calculations based on FE can be systematically converged with respect to the basis set, thus allowing one to establish reference values for the spin Hamiltonian parameters, at a given level of DFT.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2017

Density-functional calculations of transport properties in the nondegenerate limit and the role of electron-electron scattering

We compute electrical and thermal conductivities of hydrogen plasmas in the non-degenerate regime using Kohn-Sham Density Functional Theory (DFT) and an application of the Kubo- Greenwood response formula, and demonstrate that for thermal conductivity, the mean-field treatment of the electron-electron (e-e) interaction therein is insufficient to reproduce the weak-coupling limit obtained by plasma kinetic theories. An explicit e-e scattering correction to the DFT is posited by appealing to Matthiessen's Rule and the results of our computations of conductivities with the quantum Lenard-Balescu (QLB) equation. Further motivation of our correction is provided by an argument arising from the Zubarev quantum kinetic theory approach. Significant emphasis is placed on our efforts to produce properly converged results for plasma transport using Kohn-Sham DFT, so that an accurate assessment of the importance and efficacy of our e-e scattering corrections to the thermal conductivity can be made.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2021

How well do self-interaction corrections repair the overestimation of static polarizabilities in density functional calculations?

Herein, we examine the effect of removing self-interaction error (SIE) on the calculation of molecular polarizabilities in the local spin density (LSDA) and generalized gradient approximations (GGA). To this end, we utilize a database of 132 molecules taken from a recent benchmark study [Hait and Head-Gordon, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. , 2018, 20 , 19800] to assess the influence of SIE on polarizabilities by comparing results with accurate reference data. Our results confirm that the general overestimation of molecular polarizabilities by these density functional approximations can be attributed to SIE. However, removing SIE using the Perdew–Zunger self-interaction-correction (PZ-SIC) method, implemented using the Fermi–Löwdin Orbital SIC approach, leads to an underestimation of molecular polarizabilities, showing that PZ-SIC overcorrects when combined with LSDA or GGA. Application of a recently proposed locally scaled SIC [Zope, et al., J. Chem. Phys. , 2019, 151 , 214108] is found to provide more accurate polarizabilities. We attribute this to the ability of the local scaling scheme to selectively correct for SIE in the regions of space where the correction is needed most.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2018

Reliable density functional calculations for the electronic structure of thermoelectric material ZnSb

In this paper, we present the results of systematic test calculations for the electronic structure of thermoelectric material ZnSb using a first-principles full-potential all electron computational method. We used a linear combination of atomic orbitals (LACO) formalism, based on density functional theory (DFT). The exchange-correlation interaction potential of the many electron system was described by using a generalized gradient approximation (GGA). We compared the calculated indirect and direct band gaps as well as the effective masses of holes and electrons in ZnSb with experimental measurement results. The calculated indirect band gap of ZnSb is 0.56 eV, which agrees very well with the experimentally measured values of 0.50 eV ~ 0.61 eV. The calculated direct band gap at X point is 0.89 eV. The calculated effective masses of electrons and holes in ZnSb also agree with experimental data. The systematical test calculations as well as the comparisons of the calculated results with experimental measurements show that the obtained electronic structure of ZnSb would be reliable. We did not observe a major deficiency of the first-principles DFT calculation for the electronic structure of ZnSb, using full-potential all electron LACO method. The reported electronic structure of single crystal ZnSb from this work may provide a fundamental knowledge base for further research and applications for this important thermoelectric material.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Ground State Structure of BaFeO{sub 3}: Density Functional Theory Calculations

Using density functional theory calculations, the ground state structure of BaFeO{sub 3} (BFO) is investigated with local spin density approximation (LSDA). Cubic, tetragonal, orthorhombic, and rhombohedral types BFO are considered to calculate the formation enthalpy. The formation enthalpies reveal that cubic is the most stable structure of BFO. Small energy difference between the cubic and tetragonal suggests a possible tetragonal BFO. Ferromagnetic (FM) and anitiferromagnetic (AFM) coupling between the Fe atoms show that all the striochmetric BFO are FM. The energy difference between FM and AFM shows room temperature ferromagnetism in cubic BFO in agreement with the experimental work. The LSDA-calculated electronic structures are metallic in all studied crystallographic phases of BFO. Calculations including the Hubbard potential U, i.e. LSDA + U, show that all phases of BFO are half-metallic consistent with the integer magnetic moments. The presence of half-metallicity is discussed in terms of electronic band structures of BFO.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2022

Study of Self-Interaction Errors in Density Functional Calculations of Magnetic Exchange Coupling Constants Using Three Self-Interaction Correction Methods

We examine the role of self-interaction errors (SIE) removal on the evaluation of magnetic exchange coupling constants. In particular we analyze the effect of scaling down the self-interaction-correction (SIC) for three non-empirical density functional approximations (DFAs) namely, the local spin density approximation, the Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof generalized gradient approximation, and recent SCAN family of meta-GGA functionals. To this end, we employ three one-electron SIC methods: Perdew-Zunger [Perdew, J. P.; Zunger, A. Phys. Rev. B, 1981, 23, 5048] SIC, the orbitalwise scaled SIC method [Vydrov, O. A. et al., J. Chem. Phys. 2006, 124, 094108], and the recent local scaling method [Zope, R. R. et al., J. Chem. Phys. 2019, 151, 214108]. We compute the magnetic exchange coupling constants using the spin projection and non projection approaches for sets of molecules composed of dinuclear and polynuclear H-He models, organic radical molecules, and chlorocuprate, and compare these results against accurate theories and experiment. Our results show that for the systems that mainly consist of single electron regions, PZSIC performs well but for more complex organic systems and the chlorcuprates, an overcorrecting tendency of PZSIC combined with the DFAs utilized in this work is more pronounced, and in such cases LSIC with kinetic energy density ratio performs better than PZSIC. Furthermore, analysis of the results in terms of SIC corrections to the density and to the total energy shows that both density and energy correction are required to obtain an improved prediction of magnetic exchange couplings.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2018

Synthesis, Spectra, and Theoretical Investigations of 1,3,5-Triazines Compounds as Ultraviolet Rays Absorber Based on Time-Dependent Density Functional Calculations and three-Dimensional Quantitative Structure-Property Relationship

A series of 1,3,5-triazines were synthesized and their UV absorption properties were tested. The computational chemistry methods were used to construct quantitative structure-property relationship (QSPR), which was used to computer aided design of new 1,3,5-triazines ultraviolet rays absorber compounds. The experimental UV absorption data are in good agreement with those predicted data using the Time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) [B3LYP/6–311 + G(d,p)]. A suitable forecasting model (R > 0.8, P < 0.0001) was revealed. Predictive three-dimensional quantitative structure-property relationship (3D-QSPR) model was established using multifit molecular alignment rule of Sybyl program, which conclusion is consistent with the TD-DFT calculation. The exceptional photostability mechanism of such ultraviolet rays absorber compounds was studied and confirmed as principally banked upon their ability to undergo excited-state deactivation via an ultrafast excited-state proton transfer (ESIPT). The intramolecular hydrogen bond (IMHB) of 1,3,5-triazines compounds is the basis for the excited state proton transfer, which was explored by IR spectroscopy, UV spectra, structural and energetic aspects of different conformers and frontier molecular orbitals analysis.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Influence of longitudinal isotope substitution on the thermal conductivity of carbon nanotubes: Results of nonequilibrium molecular dynamics and local density functional calculations

We report reverse nonequilibrium molecular dynamics calculations of the thermal conductivity of isotope substituted (10,10) carbon nanotubes (CNTs) at 300 K. {sup 12}C and {sup 14}C isotopes both at 50% content were arranged either randomly, in bands running parallel to the main axis of the CNTs or in bands perpendicular to this axis. It is found that the systems with randomly distributed isotopes yield significantly reduced thermal conductivity. In contrast, the systems where the isotopes are organized in patterns parallel to the CNTs axis feature no reduction in thermal conductivity when compared with the pure {sup 14}C system. Moreover, a reduction of approximately 30% is observed in the system with the bands of isotopes running perpendicular to the CNT axis. The computation of phonon dispersion curves in the local density approximation and classical densities of vibrational states reveal that the phonon structure of carbon nanotubes is conserved in the isotope substituted systems with the ordered patterns, yielding high thermal conductivities in spite of the mass heterogeneity. In order to complement our conclusions on the {sup 12}C-{sup 14}C mixtures, we computed the thermal conductivity of systems where the {sup 14}C isotope was turned into pseudo-atoms of 20 and 40 atomic mass units.

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

Self-interaction corrected density functional calculations of Rydberg states of molecular clusters: N,N-dimethylisopropylamine

Theoretical calculations of Rydberg excited states of molecular clusters consisting of N,N-dimethylisopropylamine molecules using a Perdew-Zunger self-interaction corrected energy functional are presented and compared with results of resonant multiphoton ionization measurements. The binding energy of the Rydberg electron in the monomer is calculated to be 2.79 eV and 2.27 eV in the 3s and 3p state, respectively, which compares well with measured values of 2.88 eV and 2.21 eV. Three different stable configurations of the dimer in the ground state were found using an energy functional that includes van der Waals interaction. The lowest ground state energy conformation has the two N-atoms widely separated, by 6.2 Å, while the Rydberg state energy is lowest for a configuration where the N-atoms of the two molecules come close together, separated by 3.7 Å. This conformational change is found to lower the Rydberg electron binding energy by 0.2 eV. The self-interaction corrected functional gives a highly localized hole on one of the two molecules, unlike results obtained using the PBE functional or the hybrid B3LYP functional which give a delocalized hole. For the trimer, the self-interaction corrected calculation gives a Rydberg electron binding energy lowered further by 0.13 eV as compared with the dimer. The calculated results compare well with trends observed in experimental measurements. The reduction of the Rydberg electron binding energy with cluster size can be ascribed to an effective delocalization of the positive charge of the hole by the induced and permanent dipole moments of the neighboring molecules. A further decrease observed to occur on a time scale of tens of ps can be ascribed to a structural rearrangement of the clusters in the Rydberg state where molecules rotate to orient their dipoles in response to the formation of the localized hole.

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

Ferromagnetism and topological surface states of manganese doped Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3}: Insights from density-functional calculations

Based on first-principles calculations, the electronic, magnetic, and topological characters of manganese (Mn) doped topological insulator Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} were investigated. The Mn substitutionally doped Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3}, where Mn atoms tend to be uniformly distributed, was shown to be p-type ferromagnetic, arising from hole-mediated Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida interaction. Mn doping leads to an intrinsic band splitting at Γ point, which is substantially different from that of nonmagnetic dopant. The topological surface state of Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} is indeed gapped by Mn doping; however, the bulk conductance limits the appearance of an insulating state. Moreover, the n-type doping behavior of Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} is derived from Mn entering into the van der Waals gap of Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3}.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗