Ab initio study of interstitial cluster interaction with Re, Os, and Ta in W
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Setyawan, Wahyu (ORCID:0000000151928085)↗
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CuAlTe{sub 2} under high temperature: An ab initio approach
The structural properties of the ternary CuAlTe{sub 2} semiconductor are investigated using the full-potential linearized augmented plane wave plus local orbital (FP−LAPW+lo) method within the local density approximation in the frame of the density functional theory. Our calculated results for structural properties are in excellent agreement with experimental values in comparison to the previous theoretical results. Through the quasi - harmonic Debye model, we have obtained successfully the thermodynamic properties in the pressure range from 0 to 50 GPa and the temperature range from 0 to 1100 K.
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
Quantum chemical ab initio prediction of proton exchange barriers between CH{sub 4} and different H-zeolites
A hybrid MP2:DFT (second-order Møller–Plesset perturbation theory–density functional theory) method that combines MP2 calculations for cluster models with DFT calculations for the full periodic structure is used to localize minima and transition structures for proton jumps at different Brønsted sites in different frameworks (chabazite, faujasite, ferrierite, and ZSM-5) and at different crystallographic positions of a given framework. The MP2 limit for the periodic structures is obtained by extrapolating the results of a series of cluster models of increasing size. A coupled-cluster (CCSD(T)) correction to MP2 energies is calculated for cluster models consisting of three tetrahedra. For the adsorption energies, this difference is small, between 0.1 and 0.9 kJ/mol, but for the intrinsic proton exchange barriers, this difference makes a significant (10.85 ± 0.25 kJ/mol) and almost constant contribution across different systems. The total values of the adsorption energies vary between 22 and 34 kJ/mol, whereas the total proton exchange energy barriers fall in the narrow range of 152–156 kJ/mol. After adding nuclear motion contributions (harmonic approximation, 298 K), intrinsic enthalpy barriers between 134 and 141 kJ/mol and apparent energy barriers between 105 and 118 kJ/mol are predicted for the different sites examined for the different frameworks. These predictions are consistent with experimental results available for faujasite, ferrierite, and ZSM-5.
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
Ab-initio study of thermoelectric properties of Mg{sub 2}Ge
In this paper we investigate the thermoelectric properties of Mg{sub 2}Ge material using first principles pseudo potential method based on density functional theory and Boltzmann transport equations. The calculations show n-type conduction, indicating that the electrical conduction is due to electron. The electrical conductivity decrease with temperature; the negative value of Seebeck Coefficient also shows that the conduction is due to electron. In this paper we have calculated Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity. The thermoelectric properties of system have been calculated in this temperature range 100 K-1200 K. The value of Figure of Merit (ZT) of this material is also increasing with temperature and maximum value is 4.58×10{sup −5}.
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
Research in Lattice Gauge Theory and in the Phenomenology of Neutrinos and Dark Matter
Research in theoretical elementary particle physics was performed by the PI Yannick Meurice and co-PI Mary Hall Reno. New techniques designed for precision calculations of strong interaction physics were developed using the tensor renormalization group method. Large-scale Monte Carlo simulations with dynamical quarks were performed for candidate models for Higgs compositeness. Ab-initio lattice gauge theory calculations of semileptonic decays of B-mesons observed in collider experiments and relevant to test the validity of the standard model were performed with the Fermilab/MILC collaboration. The phenomenology of strong interaction physics was applied to new predictions for physics processes in accelerator physics experiments and to cosmic ray production and interactions. A research focus has been on heavy quark production and their decays to neutrinos. The heavy quark contributions to atmospheric neutrino and muon fluxes have been evaluated, as have the neutrino fluxes from accelerator beams incident on heavy targets. Results are applicable to current and future particle physics experiments and to astrophysical neutrino detectors such as the IceCube Neutrino Observatory.
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
Ab initio molecular dynamics simulation of liquid water by quantum Monte Carlo
Although liquid water is ubiquitous in chemical reactions at roots of life and climate on the earth, the prediction of its properties by high-level ab initio molecular dynamics simulations still represents a formidable task for quantum chemistry. In this article, we present a room temperature simulation of liquid water based on the potential energy surface obtained by a many-body wave function through quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) methods. The simulated properties are in good agreement with recent neutron scattering and X-ray experiments, particularly concerning the position of the oxygen-oxygen peak in the radial distribution function, at variance of previous density functional theory attempts. Given the excellent performances of QMC on large scale supercomputers, this work opens new perspectives for predictive and reliable ab initio simulations of complex chemical systems.
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
Identification of Auger mechanisms responsible for low energy electron emission from graphene on copper using Auger-gamma coincidence spectroscopy
We have applied positron annihilation induced Auger-gamma coincidence spectroscopy to identify important mechanisms responsible for the emission of low energy electrons following the sudden creation of holes in bilayer graphene on copper substrate. The novel surface spectroscopic method measures the energy of the Doppler shifted annihilation gamma photon in coincidence with the Auger electron emitted following the relaxation of the hole created by the annihilation of a surface electron with a surface trapped positron. By extracting and theoretically modelling the annihilation gamma spectra coincident with low energy electrons, we associate majority of the intensity in the low energy (7 eV–25 eV) region of the Auger spectrum to electron emission following Auger decays of 2s holes in adsorbed oxygen and deep valence holes in graphene. We provide additional support to this conclusion by showing that most of the Auger electrons with energy less than ~ 25 eV are coincident with gamma photons with small Doppler shift (511 keV–512 keV) indicating that the primary electron whose annihilation resulted in low energy Auger electron emission had small momentum parallel to the gamma emission direction. On the other hand, majority of the Auger electrons measured in coincidence with the photons having maximum Doppler shift (515 keV–521 keV) were emitted following the decay of core holes (C 1s and O 1s). Furthermore, by selecting annihilation gamma photons coincident only with the O KVV (from surface adsorbed oxygen), C KVV (graphene), and Cu MVV (copper substrate) Auger electrons, we have also experimentally derived the energy spectrum of Doppler shifted gamma photons resulting from the annihilation of positrons with 1s electrons of O, 1s electrons of C and 3p electrons of Cu respectively. Model Doppler broadened gamma spectra produced using ab-initio calculations agree well with the experimentally derived line shapes. This demonstrates the ability of Auger-gamma coincidence method to experimentally resolve the Doppler broadened annihilation gamma spectrum from surfaces into its veiled electronic level constituents which has, heretofore, relied solely on theoretical analysis. Our results also demonstrate that the line shape of the Doppler broadened annihilation gamma peak reflect the chemical composition of the topmost atomic layer and can thus be used to characterize both external and inaccessible surfaces of porous materials.
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
Ab initio study of anisotropic mechanical properties of LiCoO{sub 2} during lithium intercalation and deintercalation process
The mechanical properties of Li{sub x}CoO{sub 2} under various Li concentrations and associated anisotropy have been systematically studied using the first principles method. During the lithium intercalation process, the Young's modulus, bulk modulus, shear modulus, and ultimate strength increase with increasing lithium concentration. Strong anisotropy of mechanical properties between a-axis and c-axis in Li{sub x}CoO{sub 2} is identified at low lithium concentrations, and the anisotropy decreases with increasing lithium concentration. The observed lithium concentration dependence and anisotropy are explained by analyzing the charge transfer using Bader charge analysis, bond order analysis, and bond strength by investigating partial density of states and charge density difference. With the decrease of Li concentration, the charge depletion in the bonding regions increases, indicating a weaker Co-O bond strength. Additionally, the Young's modulus, bulk modulus, shear modulus, and toughness are obtained by simulating ab initio tensile tests. From the simulated stress-strain curves, Li{sub x}CoO{sub 2} shows the highest toughness, which is in contraction with Pugh criterion prediction based on elastic properties only.
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
Temperature dependence of structural, dynamical, and electronic properties of amorphous Bi 2 Te 3 : an ab initio study
Bismuth telluride (Bi 2 Te 3 ) has garnered significant interest in thermoelectric applications and three-dimensional topological insulators due to its unique electronic, transport, and thermal properties. Bi 2 Te 3 and Sb 2 Te 3 chalcogenide compounds have the same crystal structure. While Sb 2 Te 3 has been shown to be a prototypical phase change memory (PCM) compound along the pseudobinary tie-line of Ge-Sb-Te alloys, whether Bi 2 Te 3 can also exhibit PCM functionality is still not well established. In this work, a systematic study on the structural, dynamical, and electronic properties of amorphous Bi 2 Te 3 during the quenching process has been performed by using ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. Pair correlation function, coordination number, bond-angle distribution functions, and a novel atomistic cluster alignment method are used to explore the structural characteristics of Bi 2 Te 3 as a function of temperature. Our study shows that there are many distorted octahedral clusters in amorphous Bi 2 Te 3 . In comparison with the local structures in Sb 2 Te 3 , we found that the degree of distortion of the octahedrons in the Bi 2 Te 3 system is smaller than that in Sb 2 Te 3 system. Moreover, the changes in the dynamical properties of Bi 2 Te 3 from liquid to glassy state are also explored. The approximate range of liquid-to-glass transition temperature is determined to be between 673 and 723 K. The electronic properties of Bi2Te 3 and Sb 2 Te 3 are also analysed by density-of-states and Bader charge calculations, both of them in glass state are semiconductors. Our studies provide useful insights into the local structure and dynamical properties of Bi 2 Te 3 at the atomistic level during the fast cooling process, and suggest that the compound can be a candidate for PCM materials.
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
Dissociating the phononic, magnetic and electronic contributions to thermal conductivity: a computational study in alpha-iron
Computational tools to study thermodynamic properties of magnetic materials have, until recently, been limited to phenomenological modeling or to small domain sizes limiting our mechanistic understanding of thermal transport in ferromagnets. Herein, we study the interplay of phonon and magnetic spin contributions to the thermal conductivity in a-iron utilizing non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations. It was observed that the magnetic spin contribution to the total thermal conductivity exceeds lattice transport for temperatures up to two-thirds of the Curie temperature after which only strongly coupled magnon-phonon modes become active heat carriers. Characterizations of the phonon and magnon spectra give a detailed insight into the coupling between these heat carriers, and the temperature sensitivity of these coupled systems. Comparisons to both experiments and ab initio data support our inferred electronic thermal conductivity, supporting the coupled molecular dynamics/spin dynamics framework as a viable method to extend the predictive capability for magnetic material properties.
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
Breit–Pauli atomic structure calculations for Fe XI
Energy levels, oscillator strengths, and transition probabilities are calculated for the lowest-lying 165 energy levels of Fe XI using configuration-interaction wavefunctions. The calculations include all the major correlation effects. Relativistic effects are included in the Breit–Pauli approximation by adding mass-correction, Darwin, and spin–orbit interaction terms to the non-relativistic Hamiltonian. For comparison with the calculated ab initio energy levels, we have also calculated the energy levels by using the fully relativistic multiconfiguration Dirac–Fock method. The calculated results are in close agreement with the National Institute of Standards and Technology compilation and other available results. New results are predicted for many of the levels belonging to the 3s3p{sup 4}3d and 3s3p{sup 3}3d{sup 2} configurations, which are very important in astrophysics, relevant, for example, to the recent observations by the Hinode spacecraft. We expect that our extensive calculations will be useful to experimentalists in identifying the fine structure levels in their future work.
74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
Theoretical oscillator strengths, transition probabilities, and radiative lifetimes of levels in Pb V
Theoretical values of oscillator strengths and transition probabilities for 306 spectral lines arising from the 5d{sup 9}ns(n=7,8,9),5d{sup 9}np(n=6,7),5d{sup 9}6d, and 5d{sup 9} 5f configurations, and radiative lifetimes of 9 levels, of Pb V have been obtained. These values were obtained in intermediate coupling (IC) and using ab initio relativistic Hartree–Fock calculations including core-polarization effects. We use for the IC calculations the standard method of least squares fitting of experimental energy levels by means of computer codes from Cowan. We included in these calculations the 5d{sup 8}6s6p and 5d{sup 8}6s{sup 2} configurations. These calculations have facilitated the identification of the 214.25, 216.79, and 227.66 nm spectral lines of Pb V. In the absence of experimental results of oscillator strengths and transition probabilities, we could not make a direct comparison with our results. However, the Stark broadening parameters calculated from these values are in excellent agreement with experimental widening found in the literature. -- Highlights: •Theoretical values of transition probabilities of Pb V have been obtained. •We use for the IC calculations the standard method of least square. •The parameters calculated from these values are in agreement with the experimental values.
74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
Evolution and Degradation Patterns of Electrochemical Cells Based on the Analysis of Interfacial Phenomena at Li Metal Anode/Electrolyte Interfaces
In this work, we report the results of a theoretical–computational analysis of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) growth and degradation dynamics occurring in lithium metal batteries during cycling. We use ab initio-kinetic Monte Carlo simulations to generate a synthetic data set, which is analyzed by machine learning methods. We aim to determine: (i) how modifications in interfacial interaction energies between solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) blocks and between Li ions and SEI facets impact the Coulombic efficiency (CE) of the battery and (ii) what factors, including reactions, microscopic transport, and other interfacial events, may lead to cell performance “failure” during prolonged charge and discharge cycles, signaled as a sharp decay in the CE over cycling. The demonstration of our approach is done on a cell including a Li metal surface interfacing with a previously introduced state-of-the-art electrolyte, and the idea can be applied to any electrochemical system. Outcomes include the identification of the leading chemical, physical, and structural variables causing cell failure and relating them to the electrolyte formulation, thus paving the way to future more refined analysis and electrolyte design.
batteries↗
Developing an interatomic potential for martensitic phase transformations in zirconium by machine learning
Abstract Atomic simulations provide an effective means to understand the underlying physics of structural phase transformations. However, this remains a challenge for certain allotropic metals due to the failure of classical interatomic potentials to represent the multitude of bonding. Based on machine-learning (ML) techniques, we develop a hybrid method in which interatomic potentials describing martensitic transformations can be learned with a high degree of fidelity from ab initio molecular dynamics simulations (AIMD). Using zirconium as a model system, for which an adequate semiempirical potential describing the phase transformation process is lacking, we demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of our approach. Specifically, the ML-AIMD interatomic potential correctly captures the energetics and structural transformation properties of zirconium as compared to experimental and density-functional data for phonons, elastic constants, as well as stacking fault energies. Molecular dynamics simulations successfully reproduce the transformation mechanisms and reasonably map out the pressure–temperature phase diagram of zirconium.
Zong, Hongxiang↗
Downfolding from ab initio to interacting model Hamiltonians: comprehensive analysis and benchmarking of the DFT+cRPA approach
Abstract Model Hamiltonians are regularly derived from first principles to describe correlated matter. However, the standard methods for this contain a number of largely unexplored approximations. For a strongly correlated impurity model system, here we carefully compare a standard downfolding technique with the best possible ground-truth estimates for charge-neutral excited-state energies and wave functions using state-of-the-art first-principles many-body wave function approaches. To this end, we use the vanadocene molecule and analyze all downfolding aspects, including the Hamiltonian form, target basis, double-counting correction, and Coulomb interaction screening models. We find that the choice of target-space basis functions emerges as a key factor for the quality of the downfolded results, while orbital-dependent double-counting corrections diminish the quality. Background screening of the Coulomb interaction matrix elements primarily affects crystal-field excitations. Our benchmark uncovers the relative importance of each downfolding step and offers insights into the potential accuracy of minimal downfolded model Hamiltonians.
Chemistry↗
Theoretical study of InN/GaN short period superlattices to mimic disordered alloys
We carried out ab initio calculations of the (InN){sub n}∕(GaN){sub m} short period superlattices using the LDA-1/2 method in order to obtain approximate quasiparticle electronic structures. We performed calculations for several short period superlattices respecting the concentrations of 33%, 50%, 66%, and 80% of InN, considering different straining possibilities due to lattice mismatches. For the majority of configurations, we find relevant changes on the valence and conduction profiles around bandgap with position plane-by-plane along the superlattices growth direction, with the presence of intrinsic electric fields in the materials, in the case, when strain is applied. Our results show that for small numbers n and m of layers, the band edge states extend over the entire superlattice. For larger n and/or m, the edge states tend to localise on particular subtype layers (InN or GaN). For the former cases, the bandgaps are very close to the random alloys with the same concentrations, providing potential good materials for optoelectronic devices based on nitrides.
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
A classical mechanics model for the interpretation of piezoelectric property data
In order to provide a means of understanding, the relationship between the primary electromechanical coefficients and simple crystal chemistry parameters for piezoelectric materials, a static analysis of a 3 atom, dipolar molecule has been undertaken to derive relationships for elastic compliance s{sup E}, dielectric permittivity ε{sup X}, and piezoelectric charge coefficient d in terms of an effective ionic charge and two inter-atomic force constants. The relationships demonstrate the mutual interdependence of the three coefficients, in keeping with experimental evidence from a large dataset of commercial piezoelectric materials. It is shown that the electromechanical coupling coefficient k is purely an expression of the asymmetry in the two force constants or bond compliances. The treatment is extended to show that the quadratic electrostriction relation between strain and polarization, in both centrosymmetric and non-centrosymmetric systems, is due to the presence of a non-zero 2nd order term in the bond compliance. Comparison with experimental data explains the counter-intuitive, positive correlation of k with s{sup E} and ε{sup X} and supports the proposition that high piezoelectric activity in single crystals is dominated by large compliance coupled with asymmetry in the sub-cell force constants. However, the analysis also shows that in polycrystalline materials, the dielectric anisotropy of the constituent crystals can be more important for attaining large charge coefficients. The model provides a completely new methodology for the interpretation of piezoelectric and electrostrictive property data and suggests methods for rapid screening for high activity in candidate piezoelectric materials, both experimentally and by novel interrogation of ab initio calculations.
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗