The Muffin-Tin-Orbital Point of View

Generalized stacking fault energy of carbon-alloyed paramagnetic [Formula: see text]-Fe

Generalized stacking fault energy (GSFE) is an important parameter for understanding the underlying physics governing the deformation mechanisms in face-centred cubic (fcc) materials. In the present work, we study the long-standing question regarding the influence of C on the GSFE in austenitic steels at paramagnetic state. We calculate the GSFE in both [Formula: see text]-Fe and Fe-C alloys using the exact muffin-tin orbitals method and the Vienna Ab initio Simulation Package. Our results show that the GSFE is increased by the presence of interstitial C, and the universal scaling law is used to verify the accuracy of the obtained stacking fault energies. The C-driven change of the GSFE is discussed considering the magnetic contributions. The effective energy barriers for stacking fault, twinning and slip formation are employed to disclose the C effect on the deformation modes, and we also demonstrate that the magnetic structures as a function of volume explain the effect of paramagnetism on the C-driven changes of the stacking fault energies as compared to the hypothetical non-magnetic case.

Electronic Structure, Pressure Dependence and Optical Properties of FeS2

A revisited electronic structure study of iron pyrite, FeS2, has been performed using a new Tight-Binding Linear Muffin-Tin Orbital (TB-LMTO) technique in which the radii of overlapping MT spheres are determined from a full potential construction. The interstitial spheres were chosen to provide an efficient packing of space while ensuring that the overlap between the spheres remain small. We have found that this treatment of interstitial spheres results in a dramatic improvement in the description of the electronic structure and the binding energy curves for FeS2 in comparison with a previous LMTO calculation. In particular, the energy band gap, the equilibrium lattice constant and the bulk modulus are all in much better agreement with experimental observations. Moreover, the calculated equation of state is in excellent accord with recent measured P- V data up to pressures of 15GPa with overall deviations of less than 10%. The predicted reflectivity spectrum of FeS2 as a function of pressure gives the observed behaviour of the optical edge. The bonding behaviour the orthorhombic marcasite phase of FeS2 is also discussed within this new TB-LMTO formalism.

Cu valency change induced by O doping in YBCPO

An ab initio local spin density study of YBa2Cu3O6, YBa2Cu3O6.5, and YBa2Cu3O7 is presented. The method includes self-interaction corrections for the Cu d states, which enables a description of various valency configurations of both planar and chain Cu atoms. For YBa2Cu3O6 the antiferromagnetic and insulating state is described with planar (chain) Cu occurring in a divalent (trivalent) state. The evolution in the CuO2 plane from insulating to metallic behavior upon oxygenation is accomplished by the delocalization of the majority Cu d(x2-y2)-O2 p(x)-O3 p(y) band.