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Density functional calculations of the energy surfaces of infinite helical chains of selenium have been performed for a wide range of geometries using the parameter-free local density approximation. The results are compared with our earlier calculations for the sulfur helix S∞ for which the calculated ground state geometry is in good agreement with experiment. The energy surfaces of both molecules are flat over large regions of configuration space—consistent with the extreme flexibility of these molecules—and are characterized by a variety of local minima and saddle points. Stretching each molecule results in planar zig-zag and linear geometries with overlapping conduction bands. The energy differences between helical and planar minima are small (∼0.2 eV). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Results of a theoretical study of the properties of Sin, Gen, and SinGen clusters are presented. An approximate density-functional method in combination with genetic algorithms have been used in an unbiased determination of the structures of the lowest total energy. The resulting structural, energetic, and electronic properties are analysed and compared with each other for the different systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a parameterized density-functional tight-binding method we have calculated the electronic and structural properties of Ge–Si nanoparticles. Starting with a spherical part of a zinc-blende/diamond crystal (with the center of the sphere at the mid-point of a nearest-neighbour bond) we have constructed initial structures that subsequently were allowed to relax. Structures consisting solely of Ge atoms or solely of Si atoms were studied, together with core-shell structures for which one semiconductor forms a shell on the core of the other semiconductor. Moreover, homogeneous, ordered SiGe structures as well as structures with a semisphere of one semiconductor and a semisphere of the other were also considered. In analysing the results special emphasis is put on identifying particularly stable structures, on explaining the occurrence of those, on the spatial distribution of the frontier orbitals, and on the variation of the total energy with structure and composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geometries and electronic properties of the most stable small Aun clusters with n=2 to 20 are presented. An intensive search for low-energy minima of Aun clusters was carried through using a density-functional tight-binding method combined with genetic algorithms for an unbiased global structure optimization. The structural and energetic properties of the small gold clusters are compared with those of planar Aun clusters with n=5 to 15. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An analytic modified embedded atom method (MEAM), developed for bulk alkali metals, is used to identify up to six different, energetically lowest isomers of Li N and Na N clusters (N = 2 − 150) within an unbiased global structure-optimization procedure. Randomly generated clusters are locally optimized using the quasi-Newton method and the resulting six most stable isomers are used afterwards in the Aufbau–Abbau algorithm. Due to its analytical formulae and its semiempirical nature, the MEAM emerges as a fast and efficient method that is particularly suitable for an unbiased global optimization. Structural and energetic analyses show that the MEAM provides compact clusters that are in good agreement with the results of other semiempirical calculations. Occasionally, the MEAM produces structures that are normally not found with such model potentials but in more accurate DFT or ab initio studies. Moreover, clusters of pronounced stability (magic sizes) are identified, growth patterns are studied, and trends can be recognized in which the atomic arrangement within the clusters of the considered size range corresponds more to the fcc than to the bcc packing. Additionally, for most cluster sizes the structures of the lowest-energy isomers of Li N and Na N clusters are very similar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Results of a theoretical study of the lowest-energy structures of (KCs)n and (RbCs)n bimetallic clusters with N=2n up to 50 atoms are presented. We observed the presence of a dominant structural motif, the fivefold pancake, in the structural evolution of the binary (KCs)n and (RbCs)n clusters with size. Moreover, the bimetallic clusters display a much more regular growth behaviour compared to that of the monoatomic KN, RbN and CsN clusters. The obtained geometries belong to a family of pIh structures reported recently for series of binary transition metal clusters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The soft deposition of Ni13 and Cu13 clusters on Ni(111) and Cu(111) surfaces is studied by means of constant-energy molecular-dynamics simulations. The atomic interactions are described by the Embedded Atom Method. It is shown that the shape of the nickel clusters deposited on Cu(111) surfaces remains rather intact, while the copper clusters impacting on Ni(111) surfaces collapse forming double and triple layered products. Furthermore, it is found that for an impact energy of 0.5 eV/atom the structures of all investigated clusters show the lowest similarity to the original structures, except for the case of nickel clusters deposited on a Cu(111) surface. Finally, it is demonstrated that when cluster and substrate are of different materials, it is possible to control whether the deposition results in largely intact clusters on the substrate or in a spreading of the clusters. This separation into hard and soft clusters can be related to the relative cohesive energy of the crystalline materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work we present results from a theoretical study on the properties of sodium clusters. The structures of the global total-energy minima have been determined using two different methods. With the parameterized density-functional tight-binding method (DFTB) combined with a genetic-algorithm we investigated the properties of NaN clusters with cluster size up to 20 atoms, and with our own Aufbau/Abbau algorithm together with the embedded-atom method (EAM) up to 60 atoms. The two sets of results from the independent calculations are compared and a stability function is studied as function of the cluster size. Due to the electronic effects included in the DFTB method and the packing effects included in the EAM we have obtained different global-minima structures and different stability functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most stable structures of CuN, NiN, and AuN clusters with 2≤N≤60 have been determined using a combination of the embedded-atom (EAM), the quasi-Newton, and our own Aufbau/Abbau methods for the calculation of the total energy for a given structure, the structures of the local total-energy minima, and the structure of the global total-energy minimum, respectively. We have employed two well-known versions of the EAM: (1) the ‘bulk’ version of Daw, Baskes, and Foiles and (2) the Voter-Chen version which takes into account also properties of the dimer in the parameterization. The lower-energy structures (also for the smallest) of CuN and NiN clusters (i.e., structural details as well as symmetry) obtained with the two versions are very similar. Thus, our study supports an universality of the bulk embedding functions for copper and nickel. But for gold clusters the differences between structures calculated with the two different versions of the EAM are significant, even for larger clusters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a correction to the article, entitled `Electronic structure of polyglycine as a function of proton position' published in the volume 112 issue of the `Journal of Chemical Physics'.

Using a first-principles density-functional method, we have calculated the single-chain band structure for the α-helical protein polyglycine as a function of proton position along the N...H...O hydrogen bond. Calculations have been carried out using both the local-density approximation (LDA) and the Perdew-Wang generalized gradient approximation (GGA) for the exchange-correlation potential. We present results for the total energy, band structure, charge densities, and Mulliken charges as a function of proton position. The total energy gives an asymmetric double-well potential for simultaneous proton shift, with the global minimum (at a N-H distance of 0.95 Å) 2.02 eV (46.6 kcal/mol) below the top of the barrier with the GGA, and 1.83 eV (42.2 kcal/mol) below with the LDA. © 2000 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of divinyl-pyrene derivatives of the form D-vinyl-pyrene-vinyl-A, in which D corresponds to an electron donor group and A to an electron acceptor group, were studied in this work. The first purpose was to determine the optimal HF % exchange as incorporated in a range of hybrid functionals (M06HF, M062X, M06L, CAM-B3LYP, PBE0, BMK, and B3LYP) capable to produce, reliably and as close as possible to those obtained from MP2 calculations, NLO parameters and, in particular, first-order static hyperpolarizabilities. The CAM-B3LYP functional was revealed to be the most suitable one. The pair N(CH3)2/NO2 was then determined as the most efficient pair of groups in producing appreciable NLO responses. The effect of the substitution position on the pyrene moiety was also investigated, whereby aligning the two substituents involving the D and A groups in the direction of the dipole moment as in the (1,6 DVP) derivatives was shown to be most favorable for increasing the NLO parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first hyperpolarizabilities β of the natural aromatic amino acids tryptophan and tyrosine have been investigated using several methods and basis sets. Some of the theoretical results obtained were compared to the only experimental hyper-Rayleigh scattering data available. The sensitivity of tryptophan to its local environment was analyzed by constructing two-dimensional potential energy plots around the dipeptide tryptophan-lysine. Static hyperpolarizabilities β(0) of the found minima were calculated by a second-order Møller-Plesset (MP2) method in combination with the 6-31 + G(d) basis set. Moreover, the efficiency of tryptophan and those of a series of unnatural amino acids as endogenous probe molecules were tested by calculating the nonlinear responses of some peptides. Impressive results were obtained for the amino acid ALADAN, which shows significantly improved nonlinear performance compared to other amino acids with weak nonlinear responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on results from density-functional calculations we present an interesting and unusual mechanism for a structural change in a certain class of intermetallic compounds that can be induced through hydrogen absorption. Through an atomic rearrangement, palladium-rich intermetallic compounds MPd (M = Mg, In, Tl) can change the structure from a tetragonal ZrAl or TiAl type to a cubic AuCu type structure. Within the density-functional calculations we study a possible reaction pathway via a gliding of atomic layers with and without the presence of hydrogen. Subsequently, we argue that H-Pd interactions can be held responsible for the structural change upon hydrogen uptake, and that entropic and packing effects can explain the existence of the lower-symmetric structures in the absence of hydrogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The B3LYP density function was used with the 6-31G(d) basis set to perform relaxed energetic contour maps of the charged form of κ-carrabiose in the gas phase and for the neutral form first in the gas phase and then by simulating the presence of water as solvent using the Onsager model. Only one starting conformation has been considered to perform all the calculations. Rigid energetic maps have been then constructed either by addition of diffuse or polarization functions to the basis set obtaining in that way 6-31+G(d)//6-31G(d), 6-31+G(d,p)//6-31G(d), and 6-311++G(d,p)//6-31G(d) energetic maps that have been carefully examined. The obtained structures corresponding to the lower energy conformers have been then fully optimized using different basis sets with the B3LYP method, a reversion in term of energy has been observed for the two first minima in the case of the charged disaccharide in the gas phase, this was attributed to the large grid of 30° that could lead to the exclusion of an intermediate value corresponding to the real minimum of energy. We thus suggest that after establishing potential energy maps it is essential to proceed to full optimizations of the lower energy conformers. Calculations using the more accurate correlated method MP2 with the 6-31G(d) basis set have also been performed for conformers of the two disaccharides in the gas phase. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem 2010 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We present a combined experimental (angle resolved photoemission: ARUPS) and theoretical study of the Shockley-type surface state in the L-gap of the (111)-face of Au covered with one monolayer of Ar. As known also from other systems consisting of rare-gas monolayers on noble metal (111) surfaces, the adsorbed rare-gas shifts the Shockley-state towards the Fermi level and increases the spin–orbit splitting, whereas the effective band mass remains unchanged. We analyze the observed changes by a comparison with ab initio slab-layer calculations based on the density functional theory (DFT), both within the local density approximation (LDA) and the generalized gradient approximation (GGA). Although the attractive van der Waals interaction between rare-gas and substrate is not properly considered in DFT there are considerable hybridization effects which allow to describe such weakly bound adsorbates quantitatively. We show to what extent the various DFT calculations correspond to the experimental results. Furthermore, we discuss the importance of lattice relaxation and the exact absorption position into the calculations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]