Simula KA, Muff JE, Makkonen I, Drummond ND. Quantum Monte Carlo Study of Positron Lifetimes in Solids.
PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2022;
129:166403. [PMID:
36306750 DOI:
10.1103/physrevlett.129.166403]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
We present an analysis of positron lifetimes in solids with unprecedented depth. Instead of modeling correlation effects with density functionals, we study positron-electron wave functions with long-range correlations included. This gives new insight in understanding positron annihilation in metals, insulators, and semiconductors. By using a new quantum Monte Carlo approach for computation of positron lifetimes, an improved accuracy compared to previous computations is obtained for a representative set of materials when compared with experiment. Thus, we present a method without free parameters as a useful alternative to the already existing methods for modeling positrons in solids.
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