No Arabic abstract
Unusual physical properties of single-wall carbon nanotubes have started a search for similar tubular structures of other elements. In this paper, we present a theoretical analysis of single-wall nanotubes of silicon and group III-V compounds. Starting from precursor graphene-like structures we investigated the stability, energetics and electronic structure of zigzag and armchair tubes using first-principles pseudopotential plane wave method and finite temperature ab-initio molecular dynamics calculations. We showed that (n,0) zigzag and (n,n) armchair nanotubes of silicon having n > 6 are stable but those with n < 6 can be stabilized by internal or external adsorption of transition metal elements. Some of these tubes have magnetic ground state leading to spintronic properties. We also examined the stability of nanotubes under radial and axial deformation. Owing to the weakness of radial restoring force, stable Si nanotubes are radially soft. Undeformed zigzag nanotubes are found to be metallic for 6 < n < 11 due to curvature effect; but a gap starts to open for n > 12. Furthermore, we identified stable tubular structures formed by stacking of Si polygons. We found AlP, GaAs, and GaN (8,0) single-wall nanotubes stable and semiconducting. Our results are compared with those of single-wall carbon nanotubes.
Using first-principles density functional theory calculations, we investigate a family of stable two-dimensional crystals with chemical formula $A_2B_2$, where $A$ and $B$ belong to groups IV and V, respectively ($A$ = C, Si, Ge, Sn, Pb; $B$ = N, P, As, Sb, Bi). Two structural symmetries of hexagonal lattices $Pbar{6}m2$ and $Pbar{3}m1$ are shown to be dynamically stable, named as $alpha$- and $beta$-phases correspondingly. Both phases have similar cohesive energies, and the $alpha$-phase is found to be energetically favorable for structures except CP, CAs, CSb and CBi, for which the $beta$-phase is favored. The effects of spin-orbit coupling and Hartree-Fock corrections to exchange-correlation are included to elucidate the electronic structures. All structures are semiconductors except CBi and PbN, which have metallic character. SiBi, GeBi and SnBi have direct band gaps, whereas the remaining semiconductor structures have indirect band gaps. All structures have quartic dispersion in their valence bands, some of which make the valence band maximum and resemble a Mexican hat shape. SnAs and PbAs have purely quartic valence band edges, i.e. $E{sim}{-}alpha k^4$, a property reported for the first time. The predicted materials are candidates for a variety of applications. Owing to their wide band gaps, CP, SiN, SiP, SiAs, GeN, GeP can find their applications in optoelectronics. The relative band positions qualify a number of the structures as suitable for water splitting, where CN and SiAs are favorable at all pH values. Structures with quartic band edges are expected to be efficient for thermoelectric applications.
The presence in the graphyne sheets of a variable amount of sp2/sp1 atoms, which can be transformed into sp3-like atoms by covalent binding with one or two fluorine atoms, respectively, allows one to assume the formation of fulorinated graphynes (fluorographynes) with variable F/C stoichiometry. Here, employing DFT band structure calculations, we examine a series of fluorographynes, and the trends in their stability, structural and electronic properties have been discussed as depending on their stoichiometry: from C2F3 (F/C= 1.5) to C4F7 (F/C= 1.75).
We report the stability and electronic structures of the boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) with diameters below 4 A by semi-empirical quantum mechanical molecular dynamics simulations and ab initio calculations. Among them (3,0), (3,1), (2,2), (4,0), (4,1) and (3,2) BNNTs can be stable well over room temperature. These small BNNTs become globally stable when encapsulated in a larger BNNT. It is found that the energy gaps and work functions of these small BNNTs are strongly dependent on their chirality and diameters. The small zigzag BNNTs become desirable semiconductors and have peculiar distribution of nearly free electron states due to strong hybridization effect. When such a small BNNT is inserted in a larger one, the energy gap of the formed double-walled BNNT can even be much reduced due to the coupled effect of wall buckling difference and NFE-pi hybridization.
In this paper we review the theory of silicon nanowires. We focus on nanowires with diameters below 10 nm, where quantum effects become important and the properties diverge significantly from those of bulk silicon. These wires can be efficiently treated within electronic structure simulation methods and will be among the most important functional blocks of future nanoelectronic devices. Firstly, we review the structural properties of silicon nanowires, emphasizing the close connection between the growth orientation, the cross-section and the bounding facets. Secondly, we discuss the electronic structure of pristine and doped nanowires, which hold the ultimate key for their applicability in novel electronic devices. Finally, we review transport properties where some of the most important limitations in the performances of nanowire-based devices can lay. Many of the unique properties of these systems are at the same time defying challenges and opportunities for great technological advances.
Core-shell nanowires made of Si and Ge can be grown experimentally with excellent control for different sizes of both core and shell. We have studied the structural properties of Si/Ge and Ge/Si core-shell nanowires aligned along the $[110]$ direction, with diameters up to 10.2~nm and varying core to shell ratios, using linear scaling Density Functional Theory (DFT). We show that Vegards law, which is often used to predict the axial lattice constant, can lead to an error of up to 1%, underlining the need for a detailed emph{ab initio} atomistic treatment of the nanowire structure. We analyse the character of the intrinsic strain distribution and show that, regardless of the composition or bond direction, the Si core or shell always expands. In contrast, the strain patterns in the Ge shell or core are highly sensitive to the location, composition and bond direction. The highest strains are found at heterojunction interfaces and the surfaces of the nanowires. This detailed understanding of the atomistic structure and strain paves the way for studies of the electronic properties of core-shell nanowires and investigations of doping and structure defects.