Behnam Assadollahzadeh

A systematic search for minimum structures of small gold clusters Aun (n=2–20) and their electronic properties

A systematic search for global and energetically low-lying minimum structures of neutral gold clusters Au(n) (n=2-20) is performed within a seeded genetic algorithm technique using density functional theory together with a relativistic pseudopotential. Choosing the energetically lowest lying structures we obtain electronic properties by applying a larger basis set within an energy-consistent relativistic small-core pseudopotential approach. The possibility of extrapolating these properties to the bulk limit for such small cluster sizes is discussed. In contrast to previous calculations on cesium clusters [B. Assadollahzadeh et al., Phys. Rev. B 78, 245423 (2008)] we find a rather slow convergence of any of the properties toward the bulk limit. As a result, we cannot predict the onset of metallic character with increasing cluster size, and much larger clusters need to be considered to obtain any useful information about the bulk limit. Our calculated properties show a large odd-even cluster size oscillation in agreement, for example, with experimental ionization potentials and electron affinities. For the calculated polarizabilities we find a clear transition to lower values at Au14, the first cluster size where the predicted global minimum clearly shows a compact three-dimensional (3D) structure. Hence, the measurement of cluster polarizabilities is ideal to identify the 2D-->3D transition at low temperatures for gold. Our genetic algorithm confirms the pyramidal structure for Au20.

Structure and Electric Properties of SnN Clusters (N ) 6-20) from Combined Electric Deflection Experiments and Quantum Theoretical Studies

Electric deflection experiments have been performed on neutral Sn(N) clusters (N = 6-20) at different nozzle temperatures in combination with a systematic search for the global minimum structures and the calculation of the dielectric properties based on density functional theory. For smaller tin clusters (N = 6-11), a good agreement between theory and experiment is found. Taking theoretically predicted moments of inertia and the body fixed dipole moment into account permits a quantitative simulation of the deflected molecular beam profiles. For larger Sn(N) clusters (N = 12-20), distinct differences between theory and experiment are observed; i.e., the predicted dipole moments from the quantum chemical calculations are significantly larger than the experimental values. The investigation of the electric susceptibilities at different nozzle temperatures indicates that this is due to the dynamical nature of the tin clusters, which increases with cluster size. As a result, even at the smallest nozzle temperature of 40 K, the dipole moments of Sn(12-20) are partially quenched. This clearly demonstrates the limits of current electric deflection experiments for structural determination and demonstrates the need for stronger cooling of the clusters in future experiments.

Electronic properties for small tin clusters Snn (n ≤ 20) from density functional theory and the convergence toward the solid state

Global minimum structures of neutral tin clusters with up to 20 atoms obtained recently from genetic algorithm simulations within a density‐functional approach (Schäfer et al., J Phys Chem A 2008, 112, 12312) were used to evaluate the corresponding electronic properties. The evolution of these properties with increasing cluster size is discussed in detail and compared with the lighter silicon and germanium clusters. We also discuss the extrapolation of these properties to the bulk limit.

Breakdown of the pseudopotential approximation for magnetizabilities and electric multipole moments: Test calculations for Au, AuF, and Snn cluster (n ⩽ 20)

The response of the electronic wavefunction to an external electric or magnetic field is widely considered to be a typical valence property and should, therefore, be adequately described by accurately adjusted pseudopotentials, especially if a small-core definition is used within this approximation. In this paper we show for atomic Au and Au(+), as well as for the molecule AuF and tin clusters, that in contrast to the case of the static electric dipole polarizability or the electric dipole moment, core contributions to the static magnetizability are non-negligible, and can therefore lead to erroneous results within the pseudopotential approximation. This error increases with increasing size of the core chosen. For tin clusters, which are of interest in ongoing molecular beam experiments currently carried out by the Darmstadt group, the diamagnetic and paramagnetic isotropic components of the magnetizability tensor almost cancel out and large-core pseudopotentials do not even predict the correct sign for this property due to erroneous results in both the diamagnetic and (more importantly) the paramagnetic terms. Hence, all-electron calculations or pseudopotentials with very small cores are required to adequately predict magnetizabilities for atoms, molecules and the solid state, making it computationally more difficult to obtain this quantity for future investigations in heavy atom containing molecules or clusters. We also demonstrate for this property that all-electron density functional calculations are quite robust and give results close to wavefunction based methods for the atoms and molecules studied here.

The predicted spectrum of the hypermetallic molecule MgOMg

The present study of MgOMg is a continuation of our theoretical work on Group 2 M(2)O hypermetallic oxides. Previous ab initio calculations have shown that MgOMg has a linear (1)Σ(g)+ ground electronic state and a very low lying first excited triplet electronic state that is also linear; the triplet state has (3)Σ(u)+ symmetry. No gas phase spectrum of this molecule has been assigned, and here we simulate the infrared absorption spectrum for both states. We calculate the three-dimensional potential energy surface, and the electric dipole moment surfaces, of each of the two states using a multireference configuration interaction (MRCISD) approach based on full-valence complete active space self-consistent field (FV-CASSCF) wavefunctions with a cc-pCVQZ basis set. A variational MORBID calculation using our potential energy and dipole moment surfaces is performed to determine rovibrational term values and to simulate the infrared absorption spectrum of the two states. We also calculate the dipole polarizability of both states at their equilibrium geometry in order to assist in the interpretation of future beam deflection experiments. Finally, in order to assist in the analysis of the electronic spectrum, we calculate the vertical excitation energies, and electric dipole transition matrix elements, for six excited singlet states and five excited triplet states using the state-average full valence CASSCF-MRCISD/aug-cc-pCVQZ procedure.