E. Rauls

The electronic structure and optical response of rutile, anatase and brookite TiO2.

In this study, we present a combined density functional theory and many-body perturbation theory study on the electronic and optical properties of TiO(2) brookite as well as the tetragonal phases rutile and anatase. The electronic structure and linear optical response have been calculated from the Kohn-Sham band structure applying (semi)local as well as nonlocal screened hybrid exchange-correlation density functionals. Single-particle excitations are treated within the GW approximation for independent quasiparticles. For optical response calculations, two-particle excitations have been included by solving the Bethe-Salpeter equation for Coulomb correlated electron-hole pairs. On this methodological basis, gap data and optical spectra for the three major phases of TiO(2) are provided. The common characteristics of brookite with the rutile and anatase phases, which have been discussed more comprehensively in the literature, are highlighted. Furthermore, the comparison of the present calculations with measured optical response data of rutile indicate that discrepancies discussed in numerous earlier studies are due to the measurements rather than related to an insufficient theoretical description.

Stoichiometric and non-stoichiometric (101̄0) and (112̄0) surfaces in 2H–SiC: a theoretical study

Abstract We examine the atomic geometries, energetics and electrical properties of a variety of reconstructions at (1010) and (1120) surfaces in 2H–SiC using the density functional theory. In agreement with previous studies we find the stoichiometric surfaces to be semiconducting. However, the non-stoichiometric Si and C terminated reconstructions are found to be stable over a wide range of growth conditions. Some of these low energy surfaces show metallic-like character. They might, therefore, negatively influence the electrical properties of the material, if they occur as internal surfaces in extended defects, e.g. as micropipes or dislocations.

A Bifunctional Electrocatalyst for Oxygen Evolution and Oxygen Reduction Reactions in Water

Abstract Oxygen reduction and water oxidation are two key processes in fuel cell applications. The oxidation of water to dioxygen is a 4 H+/4 e− process, while oxygen can be fully reduced to water by a 4 e−/4 H+ process or partially reduced by fewer electrons to reactive oxygen species such as H2O2 and O2 −. We demonstrate that a novel manganese corrole complex behaves as a bifunctional catalyst for both the electrocatalytic generation of dioxygen as well as the reduction of dioxygen in aqueous media. Furthermore, our combined kinetic, spectroscopic, and electrochemical study of manganese corroles adsorbed on different electrode materials (down to a submolecular level) reveals mechanistic details of the oxygen evolution and reduction processes.

Phosphorus donors in highly strained silicon.

The hyperfine interaction of phosphorus donors in fully strained Si thin films grown on virtual Si(1-x)Ge(x) substrates with x< or =0.3 is determined via electrically detected magnetic resonance. For highly strained epilayers, hyperfine interactions as low as 0.8 mT are observed, significantly below the limit predicted by valley repopulation. Within a Greens function approach, density functional theory shows that the additional reduction is caused by the volume increase of the unit cell and a relaxation of the Si ligands of the donor.

Preserving charge and oxidation state of Au(III) ions in an agent-functionalized nanocrystal model system.

Supporting functional molecules on crystal facets is an established technique in nanotechnology. To preserve the original activity of ionic metallorganic agents on a supporting template, conservation of the charge and oxidation state of the active center is indispensable. We present a model system of a metallorganic agent that, indeed, fulfills this design criterion on a technologically relevant metal support with potential impact on Au(III)-porphyrin-functionalized nanoparticles for an improved anticancer-drug delivery. Employing scanning tunneling microscopy and -spectroscopy in combination with photoemission spectroscopy, we clarify at the single-molecule level the underlying mechanisms of this exceptional adsorption mode. It is based on the balance between a high-energy oxidation state and an electrostatic screening-response of the surface (image charge). Modeling with first principles methods reveals submolecular details of the metal–ligand bonding interaction and completes the study by providing an illustrative electrostatic model relevant for ionic metalorganic agent molecules, in general.

Interstitial-based vacancy annealing in 4H–SiC

Abstract The migration of carbon interstitials through the 4H–SiC lattice and their recombination with vacancies has been investigated theoretically within the self-consistent charge density functional based tight-binding (SCC-DFTB) method. For vacancy–interstitial pairs created by irradiation, the capture radius of silicon and carbon vacancies has been examined, showing that interstitial migration through the otherwise perfect lattice starts getting important for distances larger than four nearest-neighbor atomic distances.

Manipulation resolves non-trivial structure of corrole monolayer on Ag(111).

Non-trivial arrangement of molecules within a molecular network complicates structure determination due to interdigitation, partial overlap, or stacking. We demonstrate that combined imaging and lateral manipulation with a scanning tunneling microscope resolves the intricate structure of a molecular network in two-dimensions in a straightforward manner. The network, formed by a monolayer of 5,10,15-tris(pentafluorophenyl)-corrole molecules on Ag(111), is manipulated for the first time with single-molecule precision. Our results reveal a shingle-like packing of partially overlapping corrole molecules. Density functional theory calculations support our findings.

The atomic structure of ternary amorphous TixSi1−xO2 hybrid oxides

Atomic length-scale order characteristics of binary and ternary amorphous oxides are presented within the framework of ab initio theory. A combined numerically efficient density functional based tight-binding molecular dynamics and density functional theory approach is applied to model the amorphous (a) phases of SiO2 and TiO2 as well as the amorphous phase of atomically mixed TixSi1-xO2 hybrid-oxide alloys over the entire composition range. Short and mid-range order in the disordered material phases are characterized by bond length and bond-angle statistics, pair distribution function analysis, coordination number and coordination polyhedra statistics, as well as ring statistics. The present study provides fundamental insights into the order characteristics of the amorphous hybrid-oxide frameworks formed by versatile types of TiOn and SiOm coordination polyhedra. In a-SiO2 the fourfold crystal coordination of Si ions is almost completely preserved and the atomic structure is widely dominated by ring-like mid-range order characteristics. In contrast, the structural disorder of a-TiO2 arises from short-range disorder in the local coordination environment of the Ti ion. The coordination number analysis indicates a large amount of over and under-coordinated Ti ions (coordination defects) in a-TiO2. Aside from the ubiquitous distortions of the crystal-like coordinated polyhedra, even the basic coordination-polyhedra geometry type changes for a significant fraction of TiO6 units (geometry defects). The combined effects of topological and chemical disorder in a-TixSi1-xO2 alloys lead to a continuos increase in both the Si as well as the Ti coordination number with the chemical composition x. The important roles of intermediate fivefold coordination states of Ti and Si cations are highlighted for ternary a-TixSi1-xO2 as well as for binary a-TiO2. The continuous decrease in ring size with increasing Ti content reflects the progressive loss of mid-range order structure characteristics and the competing roles of network forming and network modifying SiOm and TiOn units in the mixed hybrid oxides.

Structural variety of 5-fluoroarene-2-aminopyrimidine in comparison to 2-aminopyrimidine silver(I) coordination polymers: progress report and overview

A variety of fluoroarene-2-aminopyrimidine (FAP) silver(I) coordination polymers (CPs) has been synthesized based on newly synthesized FAP derivatives, namely 5-(p-methoxytetrafluorophenyl)-2-aminopyrimidine (OFAP) and 5-(p-dimethylaminotetrafluorophenyl)-2-aminopyrimidine (NFAP), and different counterions (OTf−, TFA−, ClO4−, NO3−). Their solid-state assembly as well as optical properties in terms of luminescence and infrared (IR) spectroscopy were investigated. Out of the several structures described herein, we obtained isomorphic CPs to previous studies (5, 9), a CP architecture with a short Ag–Ag distance (8, 3.049 A), but also polymorphic crystals of [Ag(nfap)NO3]n (11a, 11b) and the latter showed differences in color and luminescence emission. Polymorphism gives an unparalleled possibility to investigate the origin of such phenomena since luminescence emission is quite often observed for these silver-hybrid solid-state materials and in several cases Ag⋯Ag interactions are attributed for this phenomenon. We show that this explanation does not necessarily have to be the only one. Therefore we focus also on structural relationships and differences in a comprehensive comparison of our own and other known systems to start a more systematic description of the rich coordination capabilities of FAP and congeneric 2-aminopyrimidine (2-AP) based silver(I) coordination polymers and networks. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations with periodic boundary conditions based on a plane wave basis are used to better understand the electronic structure of these crystalline materials. To complete the picture, steady-state spectroscopy studies (UV-Vis, fluorescence, IR) on all ligands and 2-AP itself were conducted as well as re-examination of the first reported CP of 2-AP and AgI under the above aspects.

Influence of Structural Defects and Oxidation onto Hole Conductivity in P3HT

The effect of structural imperfections as well as oxygen impurities on the quantum conductance of poly(3-hexylthiophene) is calculated from first-principles by solving the scattering problem for molecular structures obtained within density functional theory. It is shown that the conductivity of molecular crystals perpendicular to the polymer chains depends strongly on the stacking geometry and is roughly described within the Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin approximation. Furthermore, it is found that local relaxation for twisted or bent polymer chains efficiently restores the conductance that drops substantially for sharp kinks with curvature radii smaller than 17 Å and rotations in excess of ∼60°. In contrast, isomer defects in the coupling along the chain direction are of minor importance for the intrachain transmission. Also, oxidation of the side chains as well as molecular sulfur barely changes the coherent transport properties, whereas oxidation of thiophene group carbon atoms drastically reduces the conductance.