Study of the structural, energetic, electronic and optical properties of quaternary chalcogenides A2MIIMIV3Q8

Author(s)

Rafael Besse

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: São Carlos.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Física de São Carlos (IFSC/BT)
• Defense date: 2017-02-07

Examining board members

Juarez Lopes Ferreira da Silva; Matheus Paes Lima; Julio Ricardo Sambrano

• Advisor: Juarez Lopes Ferreira da Silva

Abstract

Chalcogenides have attracted attention due to the variety of physical and chemical properties which they display, pointing to their use in many technological applications, including the possibility to obtain new bidimensional materials. The quaternary chalcogenides A2MIIMIV3Q8, where A = K, Cs; MII = Mg, Zn, Cd, Hg; MIV = Ge, Sn; Q = S, Se, Te, have a large variability of band gaps and therefore they can be studied for band gap engineering through changes in the chemical composition. Futhermore, two types of crystal structure are observed in this family, one formed by the stacking of layers, and the other defined by a closed three dimensional framework. Thus, it is important to understand the factors that affect the stability of layered structures of these complex compounds. Here, the materials A2MIIMIV3Q8 are studied with density functional theory calculations, using semi-local and hybrid exchange-correlation functionals, and van der Waals corrections. Lattice parameters vary with composition according to expected based on the atomic radius. The reduction of the atomic number of one of the components, mainly Q, increases the cohesive energy, due to the intensification of the ionic interactions. The results of interlayer binding energies demonstrate the importance of van der Waals interactions, and the values are simillar to those reported in the literature for several materials. Following the trend of semi-local functionals, band gaps are underestimated, but hybrid functional calculations provide more accurate values. The results show the diversity of band gaps and an approximate linear correlation between band gap and unit cell volume. The band gap is mainly affected by changing the chalcogen, in which the increase of the atomic number decreases the band gap, due to the increase in the energy of Q p states. The analysis of optical absorption coefficients and transition matrix elements show that there is no significative difference between fundamental and optical band gap in these materials. The study of relative stability of the structures in 9 compounds, with different A and Q, shows that the atomic radii have an important role. The structure without layer formation is favored compared with the layered structures only in the region of intermediate radii, which is explained based on the reduction of strain in the structure and coulomb interactions between ions in the framework. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 14/25924-3 - Band gap engineering of semiconductors chalcogenides
• Grantee: Rafael Besse
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master