M.J. van Setten

Electronic structure and optical properties of lightweight metal hydrides

We study the dielectric functions of the series of simple hydrides LiH, NaH, MgH2, and AlH3, and of the complex hydrides Li3AlH6, Na3AlH6, LiAlH4, NaAlH4, and Mg(AlH4)2, using first-principles density-functional theory and GW calculations. All compounds are large gap insulators with GW single-particle band gaps varying from 3.5 eV in AlH3 to 6.6 eV in LiAlH4. Despite considerable differences between the band structures and the band gaps of the various compounds, their optical responses are qualitatively similar. In most of the spectra the optical absorption rises sharply above 6 eV and has a strong peak around 8 eV. The quantitative differences in the optical spectra are interpreted in terms of the structure and the electronic structure of the compounds. In the simple hydrides the valence bands are dominated by the hydrogen atoms, whereas the conduction bands have mixed contributions from the hydrogens and the metal cations. The electronic structure of the aluminium compounds is determined mainly by aluminium hydride complexes and their mutual interactions.

The GW-Method for Quantum Chemistry Applications: Theory and Implementation

The GW-technology corrects the Kohn-Sham (KS) single particle energies and single particle states for artifacts of the exchange-correlation (XC) functional of the underlying density functional theory (DFT) calculation. We present the formalism and implementation of GW adapted for standard quantum chemistry packages. Our implementation is tested using a typical set of molecules. We find that already after the first iteration of the self-consistency cycle, G0W0, the deviations of quasi-particle energies from experimental ionization potentials and electron affinities can be reduced by an order of magnitude against those of KS-DFT using GGA or hybrid functionals. Also, we confirm that even on this level of approximation there is a considerably diminished dependency of the G0W0-results on the XC-functional of the underlying DFT.

Quasi-Particle Self-Consistent GW for Molecules

We present the formalism and implementation of quasi-particle self-consistent GW (qsGW) and eigenvalue only quasi-particle self-consistent GW (evGW) adapted to standard quantum chemistry packages. Our implementation is benchmarked against high-level quantum chemistry computations (coupled-cluster theory) and experimental results using a representative set of molecules. Furthermore, we compare the qsGW approach for five molecules relevant for organic photovoltaics to self-consistent GW results (scGW) and analyze the effects of the self-consistency on the ground state density by comparing calculated dipole moments to their experimental values. We show that qsGW makes a significant improvement over conventional G0W0 and that partially self-consistent flavors (in particular evGW) can be excellent alternatives.

Off-diagonal self-energy terms and partially self-consistency in GW calculations for single molecules: Efficient implementation and quantitative effects on ionization potentials

The GW method in its most widespread variant takes, as an input, Kohn-Sham (KS) single particle energies and single particle states and yields results for the single-particle excitation energies that are significantly improved over the bare KS estimates. Fundamental shortcomings of density functional theory (DFT) when applied to excitation energies as well as artifacts introduced by approximate exchange-correlation (XC) functionals are thus reduced. At its heart lies the quasi-particle (qp) equation, whose solution yields the corrected excitation energies and qp-wave functions. We propose an efficient approximation scheme to treat this equation based on second-order perturbation theory and self-consistent iteration schemes. We thus avoid solving (large) eigenvalue problems at the expense of a residual error that is comparable to the intrinsic uncertainty of the GW truncation scheme and is, in this sense, insignificant.

Quantum size effects in the atomistic structure of armchair nanoribbons

(Dated: November 16, 2011)Quantum size effects in armchair graphene nano-ribbons (AGNR) with hydrogen termination areinvestigated via density functional theory (DFT) in Kohn-Sham formulation. “Selection rules” willbe formulated, that allow to extract (approximately) the electronic structure of the AGNR bandsstarting from the four graphene dispersion sheets. In analogy with the case of carbon nanotubes, athreefold periodicity of the excitation gap with the ribbon width (N, number of carbon atoms percarbon slice) is predicted that is confirmed by ab initio results. While traditionally such a periodicitywould be observed in electronic response experiments, the DFT analysis presented here shows thatit can also be seen in the ribbon geometry: the length of a ribbon with L slices approaches thelimiting value for a very large width 1 ≪ N (keeping the aspect ratio small N ≪ L) with 1/N-oscillations that display the electronic selection rules. The oscillation amplitude is so strong, thatthe asymptotic behavior is non-monotonous, i.e., wider ribbons exhibit a stronger elongation thanmore narrow ones.

Ab initio study of Mg"AlH4…2

Magnesium alanate Mg(AlH4)2 has recently raised interest as a potential material for hydrogen storage. We apply ab initio calculations to characterize structural, electronic and energetic properties of Mg(AlH4)2. Density functional theory calculations within the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) are used to optimize the geometry and obtain the electronic structure. The latter is also studied by quasi-particle calculations at the GW level. Mg(AlH4)2 is a large band gap insulator with a fundamental band gap of 6.5 eV. The hydrogen atoms are bonded in AlH4 complexes, whose states dominate both the valence and the conduction bands. On the basis of total energies, the formation enthalpy of Mg(AlH4)2 with respect to bulk magnesium, bulk aluminum and hydrogen gas is 0.17 eV/H2 (at T = 0). Including corrections due to the zero point vibrations of the hydrogen atoms this number decreases to 0.10 eV/H2. The enthalpy of the dehydrogenation reaction Mg(AlH4)2 -> MgH2 +2Al+3H2(g) is close to zero, which impairs the potential usefulness of magnesium alanate as a hydrogen storage material.

First-principles study of the optical properties of MgxTi(1-x)H2

Thin films of MgxTi1-x show an optical black state upon hydrogenation. We calculate the dielectric function and the optical properties of MgxTi1-xH2, x=0.5, 0.75, and 0.875 using first-principles density-functional theory. We argue that the black state is an intrinsic property of these compounds, unlike similar optical phenomena observed in other metal hydride films. The structures of MgxTi1-xH2 are represented either by simple ordered or quasirandom structures. The density of states has a broad peak at the Fermi level, composed of Ti d states; hence, both interband and intraband transitions contribute to the optical response. Ordered structures have a plasma frequency of ~3 eV. The plasma frequency drops below 1 eV in disordered structures, which - as a result of interband transitions - then show a low reflection and considerable absorption in the energy range of 1-6 eV, i.e., a black state.

Ab initio study of magnesium-alanate, Mg(AIH4)2

Magnesium alanate Mg(AlH4)2 has recently raised interest as a potential material for hydrogen storage. We apply ab initio calculations to characterize structural, electronic and energetic properties of Mg(AlH4)2. Density functional theory calculations within the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) are used to optimize the geometry and obtain the electronic structure. The latter is also studied by quasi-particle calculations at the GW level. Mg(AlH4)2 is a large band gap insulator with a fundamental band gap of 6.5 eV. The hydrogen atoms are bonded in AlH4 complexes, whose states dominate both the valence and the conduction bands. On the basis of total energies, the formation enthalpy of Mg(AlH4)2 with respect to bulk magnesium, bulk aluminum and hydrogen gas is 0.17 eV/H2 (at T = 0). Including corrections due to the zero point vibrations of the hydrogen atoms this number decreases to 0.10 eV/H2. The enthalpy of the dehydrogenation reaction Mg(AlH4)2 -> MgH2 +2Al+3H2(g) is close to zero, which impairs the potential usefulness of magnesium alanate as a hydrogen storage material.