1
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Samantaray S, Mohanty D, Satpathy SK, Hung IM. Exploring Recent Developments in Graphene-Based Cathode Materials for Fuel Cell Applications: A Comprehensive Overview. Molecules 2024; 29:2937. [PMID: 38931001 PMCID: PMC11206633 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29122937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Fuel cells are at the forefront of modern energy research, with graphene-based materials emerging as key enhancers of performance. This overview explores recent advancements in graphene-based cathode materials for fuel cell applications. Graphene's large surface area and excellent electrical conductivity and mechanical strength make it ideal for use in different solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) as well as proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). This review covers various forms of graphene, including graphene oxide (GO), reduced graphene oxide (rGO), and doped graphene, highlighting their unique attributes and catalytic contributions. It also examines the effects of structural modifications, doping, and functional group integrations on the electrochemical properties and durability of graphene-based cathodes. Additionally, we address the thermal stability challenges of graphene derivatives at high SOFC operating temperatures, suggesting potential solutions and future research directions. This analysis underscores the transformative potential of graphene-based materials in advancing fuel cell technology, aiming for more efficient, cost-effective, and durable energy systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Somya Samantaray
- Department of Physics, School of Applied Sciences, Centurion University of Technology and Management, Bhubaneswar 752050, India;
| | - Debabrata Mohanty
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333323, Taiwan;
- Center for Sustainability and Energy Technologies, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333323, Taiwan
| | - Santosh Kumar Satpathy
- Department of Physics, School of Applied Sciences, Centurion University of Technology and Management, Bhubaneswar 752050, India;
| | - I-Ming Hung
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Yuan Ze University, Taoyuan 32003, Taiwan
- Hierarchical Green-Energy Materials (Hi-GEM) Research Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan
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2
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Oz A, Nitzan A, Hod O, Peralta JE. Electron Dynamics in Open Quantum Systems: The Driven Liouville-von Neumann Methodology within Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory. J Chem Theory Comput 2023; 19:7496-7504. [PMID: 37852250 PMCID: PMC10653109 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.3c00311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
A first-principles approach to describe electron dynamics in open quantum systems driven far from equilibrium via external time-dependent stimuli is introduced. Within this approach, the driven Liouville-von Neumann methodology is used to impose open boundary conditions on finite model systems whose dynamics is described using time-dependent density functional theory. As a proof of concept, the developed methodology is applied to simple spin-compensated model systems, including a hydrogen chain and a graphitic molecular junction. Good agreement between steady-state total currents obtained via direct propagation and those obtained from the self-consistent solution of the corresponding Sylvester equation indicates the validity of the implementation. The capability of the new computational approach to analyze, from first principles, non-equilibrium dynamics of open quantum systems in terms of temporally and spatially resolved current densities is demonstrated. Future extensions of the approach toward the description of dynamical magnetization and decoherence effects are briefly discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annabelle Oz
- Department
of Physical Chemistry, School of Chemistry, the Raymond and Beverly
Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, and the Sackler Center for Computational
Molecular and Materials Science, Tel Aviv
University, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Abraham Nitzan
- Department
of Physical Chemistry, School of Chemistry, the Raymond and Beverly
Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, and the Sackler Center for Computational
Molecular and Materials Science, Tel Aviv
University, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103, United States
| | - Oded Hod
- Department
of Physical Chemistry, School of Chemistry, the Raymond and Beverly
Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, and the Sackler Center for Computational
Molecular and Materials Science, Tel Aviv
University, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Juan E. Peralta
- Department
of Physics, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan 48859, United States
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3
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Sobrino N, Jacob D, Kurth S. What can lattice DFT teach us about real-space DFT? J Chem Phys 2023; 159:154110. [PMID: 37861117 DOI: 10.1063/5.0170312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
In this paper we establish a connection between density functional theory (DFT) for lattice models and common real-space DFT. We consider the lattice DFT description of a two-level model subject to generic interactions in Mermin's DFT formulation in the grand canonical ensemble at finite temperature. The case of only density-density and Hund's rule interaction studied in earlier work is shown to be equivalent to an exact-exchange description of DFT in the real-space picture. In addition, we also include the so-called pair-hopping interaction which can be treated analytically and, crucially, leads to non-integer occupations of the Kohn-Sham (KS) levels even in the limit of zero temperature. Treating the hydrogen molecule in a minimal basis is shown to be equivalent to our two-level lattice DFT model. By means of the fractional occupations of the KS orbitals (which, in this case, are identical to the many-body ones) we reproduce the results of full configuration interaction, even in the dissociation limit and without breaking the spin symmetry. Beyond the minimal basis, we embed our HOMO-LUMO model into a standard DFT calculation and, again, obtain results in overall good agreement with exact ones without the need of breaking the spin symmetry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nahual Sobrino
- Nano-Bio Spectroscopy Group and European Theoretical Spectroscopy Facility (ETSF), Departamento de Polímeros y Materiales Avanzados: Física, Química y Tecnología, Universidad del País Vasco UPV/EHU, Avenida Tolosa 72, E-20018 San Sebastián, Spain
| | - David Jacob
- Nano-Bio Spectroscopy Group and European Theoretical Spectroscopy Facility (ETSF), Departamento de Polímeros y Materiales Avanzados: Física, Química y Tecnología, Universidad del País Vasco UPV/EHU, Avenida Tolosa 72, E-20018 San Sebastián, Spain
- IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Plaza Euskadi 5, E-48009 Bilbao, Spain
| | - Stefan Kurth
- Nano-Bio Spectroscopy Group and European Theoretical Spectroscopy Facility (ETSF), Departamento de Polímeros y Materiales Avanzados: Física, Química y Tecnología, Universidad del País Vasco UPV/EHU, Avenida Tolosa 72, E-20018 San Sebastián, Spain
- IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Plaza Euskadi 5, E-48009 Bilbao, Spain
- Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC), Paseo Manuel de Lardizabal 4, E-20018 San Sebastián, Spain
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4
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Zhang D, Zuo L, Ye L, Chen ZH, Wang Y, Xu RX, Zheng X, Yan Y. Hierarchical equations of motion approach for accurate characterization of spin excitations in quantum impurity systems. J Chem Phys 2023; 158:014106. [PMID: 36610957 DOI: 10.1063/5.0131739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent technological advancement in scanning tunneling microscopes has enabled the measurement of spin-field and spin-spin interactions in single atomic or molecular junctions with an unprecedentedly high resolution. Theoretically, although the fermionic hierarchical equations of motion (HEOM) method has been widely applied to investigate the strongly correlated Kondo states in these junctions, the existence of low-energy spin excitations presents new challenges to numerical simulations. These include the quest for a more accurate and efficient decomposition for the non-Markovian memory of low-temperature environments and a more careful handling of errors caused by the truncation of the hierarchy. In this work, we propose several new algorithms, which significantly enhance the performance of the HEOM method, as exemplified by the calculations on systems involving various types of low-energy spin excitations. Being able to characterize both the Kondo effect and spin excitation accurately, the HEOM method offers a sophisticated and versatile theoretical tool, which is valuable for the understanding and even prediction of the fascinating quantum phenomena explored in cutting-edge experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daochi Zhang
- Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and Synergetic Innovation Center of Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China
| | - Lijun Zuo
- Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and Synergetic Innovation Center of Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China
| | - Lyuzhou Ye
- Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and Synergetic Innovation Center of Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China
| | - Zi-Hao Chen
- Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and Synergetic Innovation Center of Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China
| | - Yao Wang
- Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and Synergetic Innovation Center of Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China
| | - Rui-Xue Xu
- Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and Synergetic Innovation Center of Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China
| | - Xiao Zheng
- Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and Synergetic Innovation Center of Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China
| | - YiJing Yan
- Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and iChEM, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China
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5
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Teale AM, Helgaker T, Savin A, Adamo C, Aradi B, Arbuznikov AV, Ayers PW, Baerends EJ, Barone V, Calaminici P, Cancès E, Carter EA, Chattaraj PK, Chermette H, Ciofini I, Crawford TD, De Proft F, Dobson JF, Draxl C, Frauenheim T, Fromager E, Fuentealba P, Gagliardi L, Galli G, Gao J, Geerlings P, Gidopoulos N, Gill PMW, Gori-Giorgi P, Görling A, Gould T, Grimme S, Gritsenko O, Jensen HJA, Johnson ER, Jones RO, Kaupp M, Köster AM, Kronik L, Krylov AI, Kvaal S, Laestadius A, Levy M, Lewin M, Liu S, Loos PF, Maitra NT, Neese F, Perdew JP, Pernal K, Pernot P, Piecuch P, Rebolini E, Reining L, Romaniello P, Ruzsinszky A, Salahub DR, Scheffler M, Schwerdtfeger P, Staroverov VN, Sun J, Tellgren E, Tozer DJ, Trickey SB, Ullrich CA, Vela A, Vignale G, Wesolowski TA, Xu X, Yang W. DFT exchange: sharing perspectives on the workhorse of quantum chemistry and materials science. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:28700-28781. [PMID: 36269074 PMCID: PMC9728646 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp02827a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
In this paper, the history, present status, and future of density-functional theory (DFT) is informally reviewed and discussed by 70 workers in the field, including molecular scientists, materials scientists, method developers and practitioners. The format of the paper is that of a roundtable discussion, in which the participants express and exchange views on DFT in the form of 302 individual contributions, formulated as responses to a preset list of 26 questions. Supported by a bibliography of 777 entries, the paper represents a broad snapshot of DFT, anno 2022.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew M. Teale
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University ParkNottinghamNG7 2RDUK
| | - Trygve Helgaker
- Hylleraas Centre for Quantum Molecular Sciences, Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1033 Blindern, N-0315 Oslo, Norway.
| | - Andreas Savin
- Laboratoire de Chimie Théorique, CNRS and Sorbonne University, 4 Place Jussieu, CEDEX 05, 75252 Paris, France.
| | - Carlo Adamo
- PSL University, CNRS, ChimieParisTech-PSL, Institute of Chemistry for Health and Life Sciences, i-CLeHS, 11 rue P. et M. Curie, 75005 Paris, France.
| | - Bálint Aradi
- Bremen Center for Computational Materials Science, University of Bremen, P.O. Box 330440, D-28334 Bremen, Germany.
| | - Alexei V. Arbuznikov
- Technische Universität Berlin, Institut für Chemie, Theoretische Chemie/Quantenchemie, Sekr. C7Straße des 17. Juni 13510623Berlin
| | | | - Evert Jan Baerends
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1083, 1081HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Vincenzo Barone
- Scuola Normale Superiore, Piazza dei Cavalieri 7, 56125 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Patrizia Calaminici
- Departamento de Química, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (Cinvestav), CDMX, 07360, Mexico.
| | - Eric Cancès
- CERMICS, Ecole des Ponts and Inria Paris, 6 Avenue Blaise Pascal, 77455 Marne-la-Vallée, France.
| | - Emily A. Carter
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, Princeton UniversityPrincetonNJ 08544-5263USA
| | | | - Henry Chermette
- Institut Sciences Analytiques, Université Claude Bernard Lyon1, CNRS UMR 5280, 69622 Villeurbanne, France.
| | - Ilaria Ciofini
- PSL University, CNRS, ChimieParisTech-PSL, Institute of Chemistry for Health and Life Sciences, i-CLeHS, 11 rue P. et M. Curie, 75005 Paris, France.
| | - T. Daniel Crawford
- Department of Chemistry, Virginia TechBlacksburgVA 24061USA,Molecular Sciences Software InstituteBlacksburgVA 24060USA
| | - Frank De Proft
- Research Group of General Chemistry (ALGC), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium.
| | | | - Claudia Draxl
- Institut für Physik and IRIS Adlershof, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 12489 Berlin, Germany. .,Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas Frauenheim
- Bremen Center for Computational Materials Science, University of Bremen, P.O. Box 330440, D-28334 Bremen, Germany. .,Beijing Computational Science Research Center (CSRC), 100193 Beijing, China.,Shenzhen JL Computational Science and Applied Research Institute, 518110 Shenzhen, China
| | - Emmanuel Fromager
- Laboratoire de Chimie Quantique, Institut de Chimie, CNRS/Université de Strasbourg, 4 rue Blaise Pascal, 67000 Strasbourg, France.
| | - Patricio Fuentealba
- Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Casilla 653, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Laura Gagliardi
- Department of Chemistry, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The James Franck Institute, and Chicago Center for Theoretical Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA.
| | - Giulia Galli
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering and Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Jiali Gao
- Institute of Systems and Physical Biology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518055, China. .,Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Paul Geerlings
- Research Group of General Chemistry (ALGC), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Nikitas Gidopoulos
- Department of Physics, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK.
| | - Peter M. W. Gill
- School of Chemistry, University of SydneyCamperdown NSW 2006Australia
| | - Paola Gori-Giorgi
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences (AIMMS), Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1083, 1081HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Andreas Görling
- Chair of Theoretical Chemistry, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Egerlandstrasse 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Tim Gould
- Qld Micro- and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Qld 4222, Australia.
| | - Stefan Grimme
- Mulliken Center for Theoretical Chemistry, University of Bonn, Beringstrasse 4, 53115 Bonn, Germany.
| | - Oleg Gritsenko
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences (AIMMS), Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1083, 1081HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Hans Jørgen Aagaard Jensen
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark.
| | - Erin R. Johnson
- Department of Chemistry, Dalhousie UniversityHalifaxNova ScotiaB3H 4R2Canada
| | - Robert O. Jones
- Peter Grünberg Institut PGI-1, Forschungszentrum Jülich52425 JülichGermany
| | - Martin Kaupp
- Technische Universität Berlin, Institut für Chemie, Theoretische Chemie/Quantenchemie, Sekr. C7, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623, Berlin.
| | - Andreas M. Köster
- Departamento de Química, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (Cinvestav)CDMX07360Mexico
| | - Leeor Kronik
- Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovoth, 76100, Israel.
| | - Anna I. Krylov
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCalifornia 90089USA
| | - Simen Kvaal
- Hylleraas Centre for Quantum Molecular Sciences, Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1033 Blindern, N-0315 Oslo, Norway.
| | - Andre Laestadius
- Hylleraas Centre for Quantum Molecular Sciences, Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1033 Blindern, N-0315 Oslo, Norway.
| | - Mel Levy
- Department of Chemistry, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70118, USA.
| | - Mathieu Lewin
- CNRS & CEREMADE, Université Paris-Dauphine, PSL Research University, Place de Lattre de Tassigny, 75016 Paris, France.
| | - Shubin Liu
- Research Computing Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3420, USA. .,Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3290, USA
| | - Pierre-François Loos
- Laboratoire de Chimie et Physique Quantiques (UMR 5626), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, France.
| | - Neepa T. Maitra
- Department of Physics, Rutgers University at Newark101 Warren StreetNewarkNJ 07102USA
| | - Frank Neese
- Max Planck Institut für Kohlenforschung, Kaiser Wilhelm Platz 1, D-45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany.
| | - John P. Perdew
- Departments of Physics and Chemistry, Temple UniversityPhiladelphiaPA 19122USA
| | - Katarzyna Pernal
- Institute of Physics, Lodz University of Technology, ul. Wolczanska 219, 90-924 Lodz, Poland.
| | - Pascal Pernot
- Institut de Chimie Physique, UMR8000, CNRS and Université Paris-Saclay, Bât. 349, Campus d'Orsay, 91405 Orsay, France.
| | - Piotr Piecuch
- Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA. .,Department of Physics and Astronomy, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA
| | - Elisa Rebolini
- Institut Laue Langevin, 71 avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France.
| | - Lucia Reining
- Laboratoire des Solides Irradiés, CNRS, CEA/DRF/IRAMIS, École Polytechnique, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, F-91120 Palaiseau, France. .,European Theoretical Spectroscopy Facility
| | - Pina Romaniello
- Laboratoire de Physique Théorique (UMR 5152), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, France.
| | - Adrienn Ruzsinszky
- Department of Physics, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122, USA.
| | - Dennis R. Salahub
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Physics and Astronomy, CMS – Centre for Molecular Simulation, IQST – Institute for Quantum Science and Technology, Quantum Alberta, University of Calgary2500 University Drive NWCalgaryAlbertaT2N 1N4Canada
| | - Matthias Scheffler
- The NOMAD Laboratory at the FHI of the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft and IRIS-Adlershof of the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Faradayweg 4-6, D-14195, Germany.
| | - Peter Schwerdtfeger
- Centre for Theoretical Chemistry and Physics, The New Zealand Institute for Advanced Study, Massey University Auckland, 0632 Auckland, New Zealand.
| | - Viktor N. Staroverov
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Western OntarioLondonOntario N6A 5B7Canada
| | - Jianwei Sun
- Department of Physics and Engineering Physics, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA.
| | - Erik Tellgren
- Hylleraas Centre for Quantum Molecular Sciences, Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1033 Blindern, N-0315 Oslo, Norway.
| | - David J. Tozer
- Department of Chemistry, Durham UniversitySouth RoadDurhamDH1 3LEUK
| | - Samuel B. Trickey
- Quantum Theory Project, Deptartment of Physics, University of FloridaGainesvilleFL 32611USA
| | - Carsten A. Ullrich
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of MissouriColumbiaMO 65211USA
| | - Alberto Vela
- Departamento de Química, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (Cinvestav), CDMX, 07360, Mexico.
| | - Giovanni Vignale
- Department of Physics, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65203, USA.
| | - Tomasz A. Wesolowski
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Université de Genève30 Quai Ernest-Ansermet1211 GenèveSwitzerland
| | - Xin Xu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Catalysis and Innovation Materials, Collaborative Innovation Centre of Chemistry for Energy Materials, MOE Laboratory for Computational Physical Science, Department of Chemistry, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
| | - Weitao Yang
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, Duke University, Durham, NC 27516, USA.
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6
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Fallaque JG, Rodríguez-González S, Martín F, Díaz C. Self-energy corrected DFT-NEGF for conductance in molecular junctions: an accurate and efficient implementation for TRANSIESTA package applied to Au electrodes. JOURNAL OF PHYSICS. CONDENSED MATTER : AN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS JOURNAL 2022; 34:435901. [PMID: 35970178 DOI: 10.1088/1361-648x/ac89c4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In view of the development and the importance that the studies of conductance through molecular junctions is acquiring, robust, reliable and easy-to-use theoretical tools are the most required. Here, we present an efficient implementation of the self-energy correction to density functional theory non-equilibrium Green functions method for TRANSIESTA package. We have assessed the validity of our implementation using as benchmark systems a family of acene complexes with increasing number of aromatic rings and several anchoring groups. Our theoretical results show an excellent agreement with experimentally available measurements assuring the robustness and accuracy of our implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel G Fallaque
- Instituto Madrileño de Estudios Avanzados en Nanociencia (IMDEA-Nanociencia), Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Química, Módulo 13, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, 28049, Spain
| | - Sandra Rodríguez-González
- Departamento de Química Física Aplicada, Módulo 14, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, 28049, Spain
| | - Fernando Martín
- Instituto Madrileño de Estudios Avanzados en Nanociencia (IMDEA-Nanociencia), Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Química, Módulo 13, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, 28049, Spain
- Condensed Matter Physics Center (IFIMAC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Cristina Díaz
- Departamento de Química Física, Facultad de CC Químicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, 28040, Spain
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7
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Shao J, Paulus B. Edge Effect in Electronic and Transport Properties of 1D Fluorinated Graphene Materials. NANOMATERIALS 2021; 12:nano12010125. [PMID: 35010075 PMCID: PMC8746569 DOI: 10.3390/nano12010125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
A systematic examination of the electronic and transport properties of 1D fluorine-saturated zigzag graphene nanoribbons (ZGNRs) is presented in this article. One publication (Withers et al., Nano Lett., 2011, 11, 3912-3916.) reported a controlled synthesis of fluorinated graphene via an electron beam, where the correlation between the conductivity of the resulting materials and the width of the fluorinated area is revealed. In order to understand the detailed transport mechanism, edge-fluorinated ZGNRs with different widths and fluorination degrees are investigated. Periodic density functional theory (DFT) is employed to determine their thermodynamic stabilities and electronic structures. The associated transport models of the selected structures are subsequently constructed. The combination of a non-equilibrium Green's function (NEGF) and a standard Landauer equation is applied to investigate the global transport properties, such as the total current-bias voltage dependence. By projecting the corresponding lesser Green's function on the atomic orbital basis and their spatial derivatives, the local current density maps of the selected systems are calculated. Our results suggest that specific fluorination patterns and fluorination degrees have significant impacts on conductivity. The conjugated π system is the dominate electron flux migration pathway, and the edge effect of the ZGNRs can be well observed in the local transport properties. In addition, with an asymmetric fluorination pattern, one can trigger spin-dependent transport properties, which shows its great potential for spintronics applications.
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8
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Abstract
The principles of density-functional theory are studied for finite lattice systems represented by graphs. Surprisingly, the fundamental Hohenberg-Kohn theorem is found void, in general, while many insights into the topological structure of the density-potential mapping can be won. We give precise conditions for a ground state to be uniquely v-representable and are able to prove that this property holds for almost all densities. A set of examples illustrates the theory and demonstrates the non-convexity of the pure-state constrained-search functional.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Penz
- Department of Mathematics, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Robert van Leeuwen
- Department of Physics, Nanoscience Center, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
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9
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Kraisler E, Hodgson MJP, Gross EKU. From Kohn-Sham to Many-Electron Energies via Step Structures in the Exchange-Correlation Potential. J Chem Theory Comput 2021; 17:1390-1407. [PMID: 33595312 PMCID: PMC8363072 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.0c01093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Accurately
describing excited states within Kohn–Sham (KS)
density functional theory (DFT), particularly those which induce ionization
and charge transfer, remains a great challenge. Common exchange-correlation
(xc) approximations are unreliable for excited states owing, in part,
to the absence of a derivative discontinuity in the xc energy (Δ),
which relates a many-electron energy difference to the corresponding
KS energy difference. We demonstrate, analytically and numerically,
how the relationship between KS and many-electron energies leads to
the step structures observed in the exact xc potential in four scenarios:
electron addition, molecular dissociation, excitation of a finite
system, and charge transfer. We further show that steps in the potential
can be obtained also with common xc approximations, as simple as the
LDA, when addressed from the ensemble perspective. The article therefore
highlights how capturing the relationship between KS and many-electron
energies with advanced xc approximations is crucial for accurately
calculating excitations, as well as the ground-state density and energy
of systems which consist of distinct subsystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eli Kraisler
- Fritz Haber Center for Molecular Dynamics and Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 9091401 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - M J P Hodgson
- Department of Physics, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom.,Max-Planck-Institut für Mikrostrukturphysik, Weinberg 2, D-06120 Halle, Germany
| | - E K U Gross
- Fritz Haber Center for Molecular Dynamics and Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 9091401 Jerusalem, Israel
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10
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Jacob D, Stefanucci G, Kurth S. Mott Metal-Insulator Transition from Steady-State Density Functional Theory. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2020; 125:216401. [PMID: 33274971 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.125.216401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
We present a computationally efficient method to obtain the spectral function of bulk systems in the framework of steady-state density functional theory (i-DFT) using an idealized scanning tunneling microscope (STM) setup. We calculate the current through the STM tip and then extract the spectral function from the finite-bias differential conductance. The fictitious noninteracting system of i-DFT features an exchange-correlation (XC) contribution to the bias which guarantees the same current as in the true interacting system. Exact properties of the XC bias are established using Fermi-liquid theory and subsequently implemented to construct approximations for the Hubbard model. We show for two different lattice structures that the Mott metal-insulator transition is captured by i-DFT.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Jacob
- Nano-Bio Spectroscopy Group and European Theoretical Spectroscopy Facility (ETSF), Departamento Polímeros y Materiales Avanzados: Física, Química y Tecnología, Universidad del País Vasco UPV/EHU, Avenida Tolosa 72, E-20018 San Sebastián, Spain
- IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Plaza Euskadi 5, E-48009 Bilbao, Spain
| | - Gianluca Stefanucci
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
- INFN, Sezione di Roma Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Stefan Kurth
- Nano-Bio Spectroscopy Group and European Theoretical Spectroscopy Facility (ETSF), Departamento Polímeros y Materiales Avanzados: Física, Química y Tecnología, Universidad del País Vasco UPV/EHU, Avenida Tolosa 72, E-20018 San Sebastián, Spain
- IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Plaza Euskadi 5, E-48009 Bilbao, Spain
- Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC), Paseo Manuel de Lardizabal 4, E-20018 San Sebastián, Spain
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11
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Covito F, Rubio A, Eich FG. Nonadiabatic Electron Dynamics in Tunneling Junctions: Lattice Exchange-Correlation Potential. J Chem Theory Comput 2020; 16:295-301. [PMID: 31738542 PMCID: PMC6964416 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.9b00893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The search for exchange-correlation functionals going beyond the adiabatic approximation has always been a challenging task for time-dependent density-functional theory. Starting from known results and using symmetry properties, we put forward a nonadiabatic exchange-correlation functional for lattice models describing a generic transport setup. We show that this functional reduces to known results for a single quantum dot connected to one or two reservoirs and furthermore yields the adiabatic local-density approximation in the static limit. Finally, we analyze the features of the exchange-correlation potential and the physics it describes in a linear chain connected to two reservoirs where the transport is induced by a bias voltage applied to the reservoirs. We find that the Coulomb blockade is correctly described for a half-filled chain, while additional effects arise as the doping of the chain changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Covito
- Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter and Center for Free Electron Laser Science , 22761 Hamburg , Germany
| | - Angel Rubio
- Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter and Center for Free Electron Laser Science , 22761 Hamburg , Germany
| | - Florian G Eich
- Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter and Center for Free Electron Laser Science , 22761 Hamburg , Germany
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12
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Biele R, D’Agosta R. Beyond the State of the Art: Novel Approaches for Thermal and Electrical Transport in Nanoscale Devices. ENTROPY 2019; 21:e21080752. [PMID: 33267466 PMCID: PMC7515281 DOI: 10.3390/e21080752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2019] [Revised: 07/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Almost any interaction between two physical entities can be described through the transfer of either charge, spin, momentum, or energy. Therefore, any theory able to describe these transport phenomena can shed light on a variety of physical, chemical, and biological effects, enriching our understanding of complex, yet fundamental, natural processes, e.g., catalysis or photosynthesis. In this review, we will discuss the standard workhorses for transport in nanoscale devices, namely Boltzmann's equation and Landauer's approach. We will emphasize their strengths, but also analyze their limits, proposing theories and models useful to go beyond the state of the art in the investigation of transport in nanoscale devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Biele
- Institute for Materials Science and Max Bergmann Center of Biomaterials, TU Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
- Correspondence: (R.B.); (R.D.); Tel.: +34-943-015-803 (R.D.)
| | - Roberto D’Agosta
- Nano-Bio Spectroscopy Group and European Theoretical Spectroscopy Facility (ETSF), Universidad del Pais Vasco CFM CSIC-UPV/EHU-MPC and DIPC, Av. Tolosa 72, 20018 San Sebastian, Spain
- IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science Maria Diaz de Haro 3, 6 Solairua, 48013 Bilbao, Spain
- Correspondence: (R.B.); (R.D.); Tel.: +34-943-015-803 (R.D.)
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13
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Appelt WH, Droghetti A, Chioncel L, Radonjić MM, Muñoz E, Kirchner S, Vollhardt D, Rungger I. Predicting the conductance of strongly correlated molecules: the Kondo effect in perchlorotriphenylmethyl/Au junctions. NANOSCALE 2018; 10:17738-17750. [PMID: 30211420 DOI: 10.1039/c8nr03991g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Stable organic radicals integrated into molecular junctions represent a practical realization of the single-orbital Anderson impurity model. Motivated by recent experiments for perchlorotriphenylmethyl (PTM) molecules contacted to gold electrodes, we develop a method that combines density functional theory (DFT), quantum transport theory, numerical renormalization group (NRG) calculations and renormalized super-perturbation theory (rSPT) to compute both equilibrium and non-equilibrium properties of strongly correlated nanoscale systems at low temperatures effectively from first principles. We determine the possible atomic structures of the interfaces between the molecule and the electrodes, which allow us to estimate the Kondo temperature and the characteristic transport properties, which compare well with experiments. By using the non-equilibrium rSPT results we assess the range of validity of equilibrium DFT + NRG-based transmission calculations for the evaluation of the finite voltage conductance. The results demonstrate that our method can provide qualitative insights into the properties of molecular junctions when the molecule-metal contacts are amorphous or generally ill-defined, and that it can further give a fully quantitative description when the experimental contact structures are well characterized.
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Affiliation(s)
- W H Appelt
- Theoretical Physics II, Institute of Physics, University of Augsburg, D-86135 Augsburg, Germany
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14
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Vela S, Verot M, Fromager E, Robert V. Electron transport through a spin crossover junction. Perspectives from a wavefunction-based approach. J Chem Phys 2018; 146:064112. [PMID: 28201891 DOI: 10.1063/1.4975327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The present paper reports the application of a computational framework, based on the quantum master equation, the Fermi's golden Rule, and conventional wavefunction-based methods, to describe electron transport through a spin crossover molecular junction (Fe(bapbpy) (NCS)2, 1, bapbpy = N-(6-(6-(Pyridin-2-ylamino)pyridin-2-yl)pyridin-2-yl)-pyridin-2-amine). This scheme is an alternative to the standard approaches based on the relative position and nature of the frontier orbitals, as it evaluates the junction's Green's function by means of accurate state energies and wavefunctions. In the present work, those elements are calculated for the relevant states of the high- and low-spin species of 1, and they are used to evaluate the output conductance within a given range of bias- and gate-voltages. The contribution of the ground and low-lying excited states to the current is analyzed, and inspected in terms of their 2S + 1 Ms-states. In doing so, it is shown the relevance of treating not only the ground state in its maximum-Ms projection, as usually done in most computational-chemistry packages, but the whole spectrum of low-energy states of the molecule. Such improved representation of the junction has a notable impact on the total conductivity and, more importantly, it restores the equivalence between alpha and beta transport, which means that no spin polarization is observed in the absence of Zeeman splitting. Finally, this work inspects the strong- and weak-points of the suggested theoretical framework to understand electron transport through molecular switchable materials, identifies a pathway for future improvement, and offers a new insight into concepts that play a key role in spintronics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergi Vela
- Laboratoire de Chimie Quantique, UMR 7177, CNRS-Université de Strasbourg, 4 rue Blaise Pascal, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Martin Verot
- Laboratoire de Chimie, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, CNRS, 46 allée d'Italie, F-69364 Lyon, France
| | - Emmanuel Fromager
- Laboratoire de Chimie Quantique, UMR 7177, CNRS-Université de Strasbourg, 4 rue Blaise Pascal, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Vincent Robert
- Laboratoire de Chimie Quantique, UMR 7177, CNRS-Université de Strasbourg, 4 rue Blaise Pascal, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
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15
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Dittmann N, Splettstoesser J, Helbig N. Nonadiabatic Dynamics in Single-Electron Tunneling Devices with Time-Dependent Density-Functional Theory. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2018; 120:157701. [PMID: 29756889 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.120.157701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2017] [Revised: 11/28/2017] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
We simulate the dynamics of a single-electron source, modeled as a quantum dot with on-site Coulomb interaction and tunnel coupling to an adjacent lead in time-dependent density-functional theory. Based on this system, we develop a time-nonlocal exchange-correlation potential by exploiting analogies with quantum-transport theory. The time nonlocality manifests itself in a dynamical potential step. We explicitly link the time evolution of the dynamical step to physical relaxation timescales of the electron dynamics. Finally, we discuss prospects for simulations of larger mesoscopic systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niklas Dittmann
- Department of Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Chalmers University of Technology, SE-41298 Göteborg, Sweden
- Institute for Theory of Statistical Physics, RWTH Aachen, 52056 Aachen, Germany
- Peter-Grünberg Institut and Institute for Advanced Simulation, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Janine Splettstoesser
- Department of Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Chalmers University of Technology, SE-41298 Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Nicole Helbig
- Peter-Grünberg Institut and Institute for Advanced Simulation, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
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16
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Jacob D, Kurth S. Many-Body Spectral Functions from Steady State Density Functional Theory. NANO LETTERS 2018; 18:2086-2090. [PMID: 29437404 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.8b00255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
We propose a scheme to extract the many-body spectral function of an interacting many-electron system from an equilibrium density functional theory (DFT) calculation. To this end we devise an ideal scanning tunneling microscope (STM) setup and employ the recently proposed steady-state DFT formalism (i-DFT) which allows one to calculate the steady current through a nanoscopic region coupled to two biased electrodes. In our setup, one of the electrodes serves as a probe ("STM tip"), which is weakly coupled to the system we want to measure. In the ideal STM limit of vanishing coupling to the tip, the system is restored to quasi-equilibrium and the normalized differential conductance yields the exact equilibrium many-body spectral function. Calculating this quantity from i-DFT, we derive an exact relation expressing the interacting spectral function in terms of the Kohn-Sham one. As illustrative examples, we apply our scheme to calculate the spectral functions of two nontrivial model systems, namely the single Anderson impurity model and the Constant Interaction Model.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Jacob
- Nano-Bio Spectroscopy Group and European Theoretical Spectroscopy Facility (ETSF), Departamento de Física de Materiales , Universidad del País Vasco UPV/EHU , Avenida Tolosa 72 , E-20018 San Sebastián , Spain
- IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science , María Díaz de Haro 3 , E-48013 Bilbao , Spain
| | - Stefan Kurth
- Nano-Bio Spectroscopy Group and European Theoretical Spectroscopy Facility (ETSF), Departamento de Física de Materiales , Universidad del País Vasco UPV/EHU , Avenida Tolosa 72 , E-20018 San Sebastián , Spain
- IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science , María Díaz de Haro 3 , E-48013 Bilbao , Spain
- Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC) , Paseo Manuel de Lardizabal 4 , E-20018 San Sebastián , Spain
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17
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Thoss M, Evers F. Perspective: Theory of quantum transport in molecular junctions. J Chem Phys 2018; 148:030901. [DOI: 10.1063/1.5003306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Thoss
- Institute of Physics, University of Freiburg, Hermann-Herder-Str. 3, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ferdinand Evers
- Institute of Theoretical Physics, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany
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18
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Kurth S, Stefanucci G. Transport through correlated systems with density functional theory. JOURNAL OF PHYSICS. CONDENSED MATTER : AN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS JOURNAL 2017; 29:413002. [PMID: 28684662 DOI: 10.1088/1361-648x/aa7e36] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
We present recent advances in density functional theory (DFT) for applications in the field of quantum transport, with particular emphasis on transport through strongly correlated systems. We review the foundations of the popular Landauer-Büttiker(LB) + DFT approach. This formalism, when using approximations to the exchange-correlation (xc) potential with steps at integer occupation, correctly captures the Kondo plateau in the zero bias conductance at zero temperature but completely fails to capture the transition to the Coulomb blockade (CB) regime as the temperature increases. To overcome the limitations of LB + DFT, the quantum transport problem is treated from a time-dependent (TD) perspective using TDDFT, an exact framework to deal with nonequilibrium situations. The steady-state limit of TDDFT shows that in addition to an xc potential in the junction, there also exists an xc correction to the applied bias. Open shell molecules in the CB regime provide the most striking examples of the importance of the xc bias correction. Using the Anderson model as guidance we estimate these corrections in the limit of zero bias. For the general case we put forward a steady-state DFT which is based on one-to-one correspondence between the pair of basic variables, steady density on and steady current across the junction and the pair local potential on and bias across the junction. Like TDDFT, this framework also leads to both an xc potential in the junction and an xc correction to the bias. Unlike TDDFT, these potentials are independent of history. We highlight the universal features of both xc potential and xc bias corrections for junctions in the CB regime and provide an accurate parametrization for the Anderson model at arbitrary temperatures and interaction strengths, thus providing a unified DFT description for both Kondo and CB regimes and the transition between them.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Kurth
- Nano-Bio Spectroscopy Group and European Theoretical Spectroscopy Facility (ETSF), Dpto. de Física de Materiales, Universidad del País Vasco UPV/EHU, Av. Tolosa 72, E-20018 San Sebastián, Spain. IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Maria Diaz de Haro 3, E-48013 Bilbao, Spain. Author to whom any correspondence should be addressed
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19
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Weckbecker D, Coto PB, Thoss M. Controlling the Conductance of a Graphene-Molecule Nanojunction by Proton Transfer. NANO LETTERS 2017; 17:3341-3346. [PMID: 28452493 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.6b04813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The possibility of using single molecule junctions as components of nanoelectronic devices has motivated intensive experimental and theoretical research on the underlying transport mechanism in these systems. In this Letter, we investigate from a theoretical perspective intramolecular proton transfer reactions as a mechanism for controlling the conductance state of graphene-based molecular junctions. Employing a methodology that combines first-principles electronic structure methods with transport approaches, we show that the proton transfer reaction proceeds via a stepwise mechanism, giving rise to several tautomers with different conductance states. The analysis reveals that the relative stability of the tautomers as well as the energy barrier for their interconversion can be controlled by means of an external electrostatic field, which provides a mechanism for switching the nanojunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Weckbecker
- Institute for Theoretical Physics and Interdisciplinary Center for Molecular Materials, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg , Staudtstr. 7/B2, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - P B Coto
- Institute for Theoretical Physics and Interdisciplinary Center for Molecular Materials, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg , Staudtstr. 7/B2, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - M Thoss
- Institute for Theoretical Physics and Interdisciplinary Center for Molecular Materials, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg , Staudtstr. 7/B2, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
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20
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Olsen ST, Hansen T, Mikkelsen KV. Predicting transport regime and local electrostatic environment from Coulomb blockade diamond sizes. J Chem Phys 2017; 146:104306. [PMID: 28298124 DOI: 10.1063/1.4978243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Electron transport through a molecule is often described in one of the two regimes: the coherent tunnelling regime or the Coulomb blockade regime. The twilight zone of the two regimes still possesses many unsolved questions. A theoretical analysis of the oligophenylenevinylene OPV3 experiments by Bjørnholm and co-workers is performed. The experiments showed how two OPV3 derivatives performed very differently despite the strong similarity of the molecular structure, hence the experimental data showed two different transport mechanisms. The different transport mechanisms of the two OPV3 derivatives are explained from quantum mechanical calculations of the molecular redox energies and from the experimentally accessible window size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stine T Olsen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Thorsten Hansen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kurt V Mikkelsen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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21
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Feng Q, Yamada A, Baer R, Dunietz BD. Deleterious Effects of Exact Exchange Functionals on Predictions of Molecular Conductance. J Chem Theory Comput 2016; 12:3431-5. [PMID: 27454778 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.6b00493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Kohn-Sham (KS) density functional theory (DFT) describes well the atomistic structure of molecular junctions and their coupling to the semi-infinite metallic electrodes but severely overestimates conductance due to the spuriously large density of charge-carrier states of the KS system. Previous works show that inclusion of appropriate amounts of nonlocal exchange in the functional can fix the problem and provide realistic conductance estimates. Here however we discover that nonlocal exchange can also lead to deleterious effects which artificially overestimate transmittance even beyond the KS-DFT prediction. The effect is a result of exchange coupling between nonoverlapping states of diradical character. We prescribe a practical recipe for eliminating such artifacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingguo Feng
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Kent State University , Kent, Ohio 44242, United States
| | - Atsushi Yamada
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Kent State University , Kent, Ohio 44242, United States
| | - Roi Baer
- Fritz Haber Center for Molecular Dynamics, Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem , Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Barry D Dunietz
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Kent State University , Kent, Ohio 44242, United States
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