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Defects in semiconductors have in recent years been revealed to have interesting properties in the venture towards quantum technologies. In this regard, silicon carbide has shown great promise as a host for quantum defects. In particular, the ultra-bright AB photoluminescence lines in 4H-SiC are observable at room temperature and have been proposed as a single-photon quantum emitter. These lines have been previously studied and assigned to the carbon antisite-vacancy pair (CAV). In this paper, we report on new measurements of the AB-lines' temperature dependence, and carry out an in-depth computational study on the optical properties of the CAV defect. We find that the CAV defect has the potential to exhibit several different zero-phonon luminescences with emissions in the near-infrared telecom band, in its neutral and positive charge states. However, our measurements show that the AB-lines only consist of three non-thermally activated lines instead of the previously reported four lines, meanwhile our calculations on the CAV defect are unable to find optical transitions in full agreement with the AB-line assignment. In the light of our results, the identification of the AB-lines and the associated room temperature emission require further study., Comment: 14 main pages, 7 main figures, 2 tables, one appendix with software details, and supplementary with 2 figures and 2 tables

Topological defects, such as Stone-Wales defects and grain boundaries, are common in 2D materials. In this study, we investigate the intricate interplay of topological defects and carbon contamination in hexagonal boron nitride revealing an intriguing class of color centers. We demonstrate that both carbon contamination and strain can stabilize Stone-Wales configurations and give rise to emitters with desirable optical properties in the visible spectral range. Inspired by these results, we further demonstrate that carbon atoms at grain boundaries can resolve energetic B-B and N-N bonds leading to highly favorable atomic structures that may facilitate the accumulation of carbon contamination at the boundaries. Similarly to contaminated Stone-Wales defects, carbon-doped grain boundaries can also give rise to color centers emitting in the visible spectral range with short radiative lifetime and high Debye-Waller factors. Our discoveries shed light on an exciting class of defects and pave the way toward the identification of color centers and single photon emitters in hBN.

C$_3$N$_4$ is a recently discovered phase of carbon nitrides with the tetragonal crystal structure [D.Laniel $\textit{et al.}$, Adv. Mater. 2023, 2308030] that is stable at ambient conditions. C$_3$N$_4$ is a semiconductor exhibiting flat-band anomalies in the valence band, suggesting the emergence of many-body instabilities upon hole doping. Here, using state-of-the-art first-principles calculations we show that hole-doped C$_3$N$_4$ reveals strong electron-phonon coupling, leading to the formation of a gapped superconducting state. The phase transition temperatures turn out to be strongly dependent on the hole concentration. We propose that holes could be injected into C$_3$N$_4$ via boron doping which induces, according to our results, a rigid shift of the Fermi energy without significant modification of the electronic structure. Based on the electron-phonon coupling and Coulomb pseudopotential calculated from first principles, we conclude that the boron concentration of 6 atoms per nm$^3$ would be required to reach the critical temperature of $\sim$36 K at ambient pressure., Comment: Calculation of the Coulomb pseudopotential revised, which lowered the predicted Tc. Final version: 10 pages incl. Supplemental Material, 10 figures, and 2 tables

Quantum technologies like single photon emitters and qubits can be enabled by point defects in semiconductors, with the NV-center in diamond being the most prominent example. There are many different semiconductors, each potentially hosting interesting defects. The symmetry properties of the point defect orbitals can yield useful information about the behavior of the system, such as the interaction with polarized light. We have developed a tool to perform symmetry analysis of point defect orbitals obtained by plane-wave density functional theory simulations. The software tool, named ADAQ-SYM, calculates the characters for each orbital, finds the irreducible representations, and uses selection rules to find which optical transitions are allowed. The capabilities of ADAQ-SYM are demonstrated on several defects in diamond and 4H-SiC. The symmetry analysis explains the different zero phonon line (ZPL) polarization of the hk and kh divacancies in 4H-SiC., Comment: 32 pages, 9 figures

Color centers in diamond are at the forefront of the second quantum revolution. A handful of defects are in use, and finding ones with all the desired properties for quantum applications is arduous. By using high-throughput calculations, we screen 21607 defects in diamond and collect the results in the ADAQ database. Upon exploring this database, we find not only the known defects but also several unexplored defects. Specifically, defects containing sodium stand out as particularly relevant because of their high spins and predicted improved optical properties compared to the NV center. Hence, we studied these in detail, employing high-accuracy theoretical calculations. The single sodium substitutional (Na$\mathrm{_C}$) has various charge states with spin ranging from 0.5 to 1.5, ZPL in the near-infrared, and a high Debye-Waller factor, making it ideal for biological quantum applications. The sodium vacancy (NaV) has a ZPL in the visible region and a potential rare spin-2 ground state. Our results show sodium implantation yields many interesting spin defects that are valuable additions to the arsenal of point defects in diamond studied for quantum applications.

We have performed a comprehensive, first-principles high-throughput study of the magnetic properties of halide double perovskites, $Cs_2BB^\prime Cl_6$, with magnetic ions occupying one or both B and B$^\prime$ sites. Our findings indicate a general tendency for these materials to exhibit antiferromagnetic ordering with low N\'eel temperatures. At the same time, we reveal a few potential candidates that predicted to be ferromagnetic with relatively high Curie temperatures. Achieving ferromagnetic coupling might be feasible via simultaneously alloying at B and B$^\prime$ sites with magnetic 3d and non-magnetic 5d ions. With this approach, we discover that $Cs_2HgCrCl_6$, $Cs_2AgNiCl_6$ and $Cs_2AuNiCl_6$ have high Curie temperatures relative to their peers, with the latter two exhibiting half metallic behaviour. Further, this study illuminates the underpinning mechanism of magnetic exchange interactions in halide double perovskites, enabling a deeper understanding of their magnetic behaviour. Our findings, especially the discovery of the compounds with robust half-metallic properties and high Curie temperatures holds promise for potential applications in the field of spintronics., Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures

The diamond nitrogen vacancy (NV) center remains an ever increasing topic of interest. At present, it is considered an ideal example of a solid-state qubit applicable in quantum communication, computing, and sensing alike. With its success, the search for defects that share or improve upon its advantageous features is an ongoing endeavor. By performing large-scale high-throughput screening of 52600 defects in 4H silicon carbide (SiC), we identify a collection of NV-like color-centers of particular interest. From this list, the single most promising candidate consists of a silicon vacancy and chlorine substituted on the carbon site, and is given the name of the chlorine vacancy (ClV) center. Through high-accuracy first-principle calculations, we confirm that the ClV center is similar to the NV center in diamond in its local structure and shares many qualitative and quantitative features in the electronic structure and spin properties. In contrast to the NV center, however, the ClV center in SiC exhibits emission in the telecom range near the C-band.

The Fe$_{0.64}$Ni$_{0.36}$ alloy exhibits an anomalously low thermal expansion at ambient conditions, an effect that is known as the invar effect. Other Fe$_{x}$Ni$_{1-x}$ alloys do not exhibit this effect at ambient conditions but upon application of pressure even Ni-rich compositions show low thermal expansion, thus called the pressure induced invar effect. We investigate the pressure induced invar effect for Fe$_{x}$Ni$_{1-x}$ for x = 0.64, 0.50, 0.25 by performing a large set of supercell calculations, taking into account noncollinear magnetic states. We observe anomalies in the equation of states for the three compositions. The anomalies coincide with magnetic transitions from a ferromagnetic state at high volumes to a complex magnetic state at lower volumes. Our results can be interpreted in the model of noncollinear magnetism which relates the invar effect to increasing contribution of magnetic entropy with pressure.

A family of magnetic halide double perovskites (HDPs) have recently attracted attention due to their potential to broaden application areas of halide double perovskites into e.g. spintronics. Up to date the theoretical modelling of these systems have relied on primitive approximations to the density functional theory (DFT). In this paper, we study structural, electronic and magnetic properties of the Fe$^{3+}$-containing HDPs Cs$_2$AgFeCl$_6$ and Cs$_2$NaFeCl$_6$ using a combination of more advanced DFT-based methods, including DFT+U, hybrid-DFT and treatments of various magnetic states. We examine the effect of varying the effective Hubbard parameter, U$_{eff}$, in DFT+U and the mixing-parameter, $\alpha$, in hybrid DFT on the electronic structure and structural properties. Our results reveal a set of localized Fe(d) states that are highly sensitive to these parameters. Cs$_2$AgFeCl$_6$ and Cs$_2$NaFeCl$_6$ are both antiferromagnets with Ne\'el temperatures well below room temperature and are thus in their paramagnetic (PM) state at the external conditions relevant to most applications. Therefore, we have examined the effect of disordered magnetism on the electronic structure of these systems and find that while Cs$_2$NaFeCl$_6$ is largely unaffected, Cs$_2$AgFeCl$_6$ shows significant renormalization of its electronic band structure.

As a single-phase alloy, CrFeCoNi is a face centered cubic (fcc) material related to the archetypical high-entropy Cantor alloy CrFeCoNiMn. For thin films, CrFeCoNi of approximately equimolar composition tends to assume an fcc structure when grown at room temperature by magnetron sputtering. However, the single-phase solid solution state is typically not achieved for thin films grown at higher temperatures. The same holds true for Cantor alloy-based ceramics (nitrides and oxides), where phase formation is extremely sensitive to process parameters such as the amount of reactive gas. This study combines theoretical and experimental methods to understand the phase formation in nitrogen-containing CrFeCoNi thin films. Density functional theory calculations considering three competing phases (CrN, Fe-Ni and Co) show that the free energy of mixing, delta G of (CrFeCoNi)1-xNx solid solutions has a maximum at x = 0.20-0.25, and delta G becomes lower when x less than 0.20, greater than 0.25. Thin films of (CrFeCoNi)1-xNx (x = 0.14-0.41) grown by magnetron sputtering show stabilization of the metallic fcc when x lesser than or equal to 0.22 and the stabilization of the NaCl B1 structure when x is greater than 0.33, consistent with the theoretical prediction. In contrast, films with intermediate amounts of nitrogen (x = 0.22) grown at higher temperatures show segregation into multiple phases of CrN, Fe-Ni-rich and Co. These results offer an explanation for the requirement of kinetically limited growth conditions at low temperature for obtaining single-phase CrFeCoNi Cantor-like nitrogen-containing thin films and are of importance for understanding the phase-formation mechanisms in multicomponent ceramics.

More than thirty years ago, carbon nitrides featuring 3D frameworks of tetrahedral CN4 units were identified as one of the great aspirations of materials science, expected to have a hardness greater than or comparable to diamond. Since then, no unambiguous experimental evidence of their existence has been delivered. Here, we report the high-pressure high-temperature synthesis of the long-sought-after covalent carbon nitrides, tI14-C3N4, hP126-C3N4, and tI24-CN2, in laser-heated diamond anvil cells. Their structures were solved and refined using synchrotron single-crystal X-ray diffraction. In these solids, carbon atoms, all sp3-hybridized, and nitrogen atoms are fully saturated, forming four and three covalent bonds, respectively, leading to three-dimensional arrangements of corner-sharing CN4 tetrahedra. These carbon nitrides are ultra-incompressible, with hP126-C3N4 and tI24-CN2 even rivalling diamond's incompressibility, and superhard. These novel compounds are recoverable to ambient conditions in crystalline form and chemically stable in air. Being wide-band gap semiconductors with intriguing features in their electronic structure, they are expected to exhibit multiple exceptional functionalities besides their mechanical properties, opening new perspectives for materials science.

The lanthanum-hydrogen system has attracted significant attention following the report of superconductivity in LaH10 at near-ambient temperatures and high pressures. Here, we present the results of our single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies on this system, supported by density functional theory calculations, which reveal an unexpected chemical and structural diversity of lanthanum hydrides synthesized in the range of 50 to 180 GPa. Seven lanthanum hydrides were produced, LaH3, LaH~4, LaH4+{\delta}, La4H23, LaH6+{\delta}, LaH9+{\delta}, and LaH10+{\delta}, and the atomic coordinates of lanthanum in their structures determined. The regularities in rare-earth element hydrides unveiled here provide clues to guide the search for other synthesizable hydrides and candidate high-temperature superconductors. The hydrogen content variability in lanthanum hydrides and the samples' phase heterogeneity underline the challenges related to assessing potentially superconducting phase(s) and the nature of electronic transitions in high-pressure hydrides.

Non-metal nitrides are an exciting field of chemistry, featuring a significant number of compounds that can possess outstanding material properties. This characteristic relies on maximizing the number of strong covalent bonds, with crosslinked XN6 octahedra frameworks being particularly intriguing. In this study, the phosphorus-nitrogen system was studied up to 137 GPa in laser-heated diamond anvil cells and three previously unobserved phases were synthesized and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy measurements and density functional theory calculations. Delta-P3N5 and PN2 were found to form at 72 and 134 GPa, respectively, and both feature dense 3D networks of the so far elusive PN6 units. The two are ultra-incompressible, having a bulk modulus of K0 = 322 GPa for delta-P3N5 and K0 = 339 GPa for PN2. Upon decompression below 7 GPa, delta-P3N5 undergoes a transformation into a novel alpha'-P3N5 solid, stable at ambient conditions, that has a unique structure type based on PN4 tetrahedra. The formation of alpha'-P3N5 underlines that a phase space otherwise inaccessible can be explored through high-pressure formed phases.

The negatively charged silicon vacancy ($\mathrm{V_{Si}^-}$) in silicon carbide is a well-studied point defect for quantum applications. At the same time, a closer inspection of ensemble photoluminescence and electron paramagnetic resonance measurements reveals an abundance of related but so far unidentified signals. In this study, we search for defects in 4H-SiC that explain the above magneto-optical signals in a defect database generated by Automatic Defect Analysis and Qualification (ADAQ) workflows. This search reveals only one class of atomic structures that exhibit silicon-vacancy-like properties in the data: a carbon antisite ($\mathrm{C_{Si}}$) within sub-nanometer distances from the silicon vacancy only slightly alters the latter without affecting the charge or spin state. Such a perturbation is energetically bound. We consider the formation of $\mathrm{V_{Si}^-+C_{Si}}$ up to 2 nm distance and report their zero phonon lines and zero field splitting values. In addition, we perform high-resolution photoluminescence experiments in the silicon vacancy region and find an abundance of lines. Comparing our computational and experimental results, several configurations show great agreement. Our work demonstrates the effectiveness of a database with high-throughput results in the search for defects in quantum applications.

Paramagnetic defects and nuclear spins are often the major sources of decoherence and spin relaxation in solid-state qubits realized by optically addressable point defect spins in semiconductors. It is commonly accepted that a high degree of depletion of nuclear spins can enhance the coherence time by reducing magnetic noise. Here we show that the isotope purification beyond a certain optimal level becomes contra-productive, when both electron and nuclear spins are present in the vicinity of the qubits. Using state-of-the-art numerical tools and considering the silicon vacancy qubit in various spin environments, we demonstrate that the coupling to spin-1/2 point defects in the lattice can be significantly enhanced by isotope purification. The enhanced coupling shortens the spin relaxation time that in turn may limit the the coherence time of spin qubits. Our results can be straightforwardly generalized to triplet point defect qubits, such as the NV center in diamond and the divacancy in SiC.

Crystalline black nitrogen (BN) is an allotrope of nitrogen with the black phosphorus (BP) structure recently synthesized at high pressure by two independent research groups [Ji et al., Sci. Adv. 6, eaba9206 (2020); Laniel et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 124, 216001 (2020)]. Here, we present a systematic study of the electronic and optical properties of BN focusing on its comparison with BP. To this end, we use the state-of-the-art quasiparticle self-consistent $GW$ approach with vertex corrections in both the electronic and optical channels. Despite many similarities, the properties of BN are found to be considerably different. Unlike BP, BN exhibits a larger optical gap (2.5 vs 0.26 eV), making BN transparent in the visible spectral region with a highly anisotropic optical response. This difference can be primarily attributed to a considerably reduced dielectric screening in BN, leading to enhancement of the effective Coulomb interaction. Despite relatively strong Coulomb interaction, exciton formation is largely suppressed in both materials. Our analysis of the elastic properties shows exceptionally high stiffness of BN, comparable to that of diamond., Comment: Final version; 10 pages, 9 figures, 6 tables

Paramagnetic defects and nuclear spins are the major sources of magnetic field-dependent spin relaxation in point defect quantum bits. The detection of related optical signals has led to the development of advanced relaxometry applications with high spatial resolution. The nearly degenerate quartet ground state of the silicon vacancy qubit in silicon carbide (SiC) is of special interest in this respect, as it gives rise to relaxation rate extrema at vanishing magnetic field values and emits in the first near-infra-red transmission window of biological tissues, providing an opportunity for developing novel sensing applications for medicine and biology. However, the relaxation dynamics of the silicon vacancy center in SiC have not yet been fully explored. In this paper, we present results from a comprehensive theoretical investigation of the dipolar spin relaxation of the quartet spin states in various local spin environments. We discuss the underlying physics and quantify the magnetic field and spin bath dependent relaxation time $T_1$. Using these findings we demonstrate that the silicon vacancy qubit in SiC can implement microwave-free low magnetic field quantum sensors of great potential.

Recent high-pressure synthesis of pentazolates and subsequent stabilization of the aromatic [N5]- anion at atmospheric pressure had an immense impact on nitrogen chemistry. Here, we present the first synthesis of an aromatic hexazine [N6]4- anion realized in high-pressure potassium nitride K9N56 at 46 and 61 GPa. The extremely complex structure of K9N56 was solved based on synchrotron single-crystal X-ray diffraction and corroborated by density functional theory calculations. This result resolves a long-standing question of the aromatic hexazine stability and the possibility of its synthesis.

Point defect qubits in semiconductors have demonstrated their outstanding high spatial resolution sensing capabilities of broad multidisciplinary interest. Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors hosting such sensors have recently opened up new horizons for sensing in the subnanometer scales in 2D heterostructures. However, controlled creation of quantum sensor in a single layer 2D materials with high sensitivity has been elusive so far. Here, we report on a novel 2D quantum sensor, the VB2 centre in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), with superior sensing capabilities. The centre's inherently low symmetry configuration gives rise to unique electronic and spin properties that implement a qubit in a 2D material with unprecedented sensitivity. The qubit is decoupled from its dense spin environment at low magnetic fields that gives rise to the reduction of the spin resonance linewidth and elongation of the coherence time. The VB2 centre is also equipped with a classical memory that can be utilized in storing population information. Using scanning transmission electron microscopy imaging, we confirm the presence of the point defect structure in free standing monolayer hBN created by electron beam irradiation. Our results provide a new material solution towards atomic-scale sensing in low dimensions.

High pressure synthesis of rhenium nitride pernitride ReN$_2$ with crystal structure unusual for transition metal dinitrides and high values of hardness and bulk modulus attracted significant attention to this system. We investigate the thermodynamic and electronic properties of the P2$_1$/c phase of ReN$_2$ and compare them with two other polytypes, C2/m and P4/mbm phases suggested in the literature. Our calculations of the formation enthalpy at zero temperature show that the former phase is the most stable of the three up to pressure p=170 GPa, followed by the stabilization of the P4/mbm phase at higher pressure. The theoretical prediction is confirmed by diamond anvil cell synthesis of the P4/mbm ReN$_2$ at $\approx$175 GPa. Considering the effects of finite temperature in the quasi-harmonic approximation at p=100 GPa we demonstrate that the P2$_1$/c phase has the lowest free energy of formation at least up to 1000 K. Our analysis of the pressure dependence of the electronic structure of the rhenium nitride pernitride shows a presence of two electronic topological transitions around 18 GPa, when the Fermi surface changes its topology due to an appearance of a new electron pocket at the high-symmetry Y$_2$ point of the Brillouin zone while the disruption of a neck takes place slightly off from the $\Gamma$-A line., Comment: 15 pages, 7 figures, 3 tables

Divacancy spins in silicon carbide implement qubits with outstanding characteristics and capabilities in an industrial semiconductor host. On the other hand, there are still numerous open questions about the physics of divacancy point defects, for instance, spin relaxation has not been thoroughly studied yet. Here, we carry out a theoretical study on environmental spin induced spin relaxation processes of divacancy qubits in 4H-SiC. We reveal all the relevant magnetic field values where the longitudinal spin relaxation time T$_1$ drops resonantly due to the coupling to either nuclear spins or electron spins. We quantitatively analyze the dependence of the T$_1$ time on the concentration of point defect spins and the applied magnetic field in the most relevant cases and provide an analytical expression. We demonstrate that dipolar spin relaxation plays a significant role both in as-grown and ion implanted samples and it often limits the coherence time in 4H-SiC.

High pressure chemistry is known to inspire the creation of unexpected new classes of compounds with exceptional properties. Here we report the synthesis at ~90 GPa of novel beryllium polynitrides, monoclinic and triclinic BeN4. The triclinic phase, upon decompression to ambient conditions, transforms into a compound with atomic-thick BeN4 layers interconnected via weak van der Waals bonds consisting of polyacetylene-like nitrogen chains with conjugated {\pi}-systems and Be atoms in square-planar coordination. Theoretical calculations for a single BeN4 layer show that its electronic lattice is described by a slightly distorted honeycomb structure reminiscent of the graphene lattice and the presence of Dirac points in the electronic band structure at the Fermi level. The BeN4 layer, i.e. beryllonitrene, represents a qualitatively new class of 2D materials that can be built of a metal atom and polymeric nitrogen chains and host anisotropic Dirac fermions.

The remarkable mechanical properties of high entropy alloys can be further improved by interstitial alloying. In this work we employ density functional theory calculations to study the solution energies of dilute carbon interstitial atoms in tetrahedral and octahedral sites in bcc HfNbTiVZr. Our results indicate that carbon interstitials in tetrahedral sites are unstable, and the preferred octahedral sites present a large spread in the energy of solution. The inclusion of carbon interstitials induces large structural relaxations with long-range effects. The effect of local chemical environment on the energy of solution is investigated by performing a local cluster expansion including studies of its correlation with the carbon atomic Voronoi volume. However, the spread in solution energetics can not be explained with a local environment analysis only pointing towards a complex, long-range influence of interstitial carbon in this alloy.

Automatic Defect Analysis and Qualification (ADAQ) is a collection of automatic workflows developed for high-throughput simulations of magneto-optical properties of point defect in semiconductors. These workflows handle the vast number of defects by automating the processes to relax the unit cell of the host material, construct supercells, create point defect clusters, and execute calculations in both the electronic ground and excited states. The main outputs are the magneto-optical properties which include zero-phonon lines, zero-field splitting, and hyperfine coupling parameters. In addition, the formation energies are calculated. We demonstrate the capability of ADAQ by performing a complete characterization of the silicon vacancy in silicon carbide in the polytype 4H (4H-SiC)., Comment: Published version

The nitrogen-vacancy center (NV center) in diamond at magnetic fields corresponding to the ground state level anticrossing (GSLAC) region gives rise to rich photoluminescence (PL) signals due to the vanishing energy gap between the electron spin states, which enables to have an effect on the NV center's luminescence for a broad variety of environmental couplings. In this article we report on the GSLAC photoluminescence signature of NV ensembles in different spin environments at various external fields. We investigate the effects of transverse electric and magnetic fields, P1 centers, NV centers, and the $^{13}$C nuclear spins, each of which gives rise to a unique PL signature at the GSLAC. The comprehensive analysis of the couplings and related optical signal at the GSLAC provides a solid ground for advancing various microwave-free applications at the GSLAC, including but not limited to magnetometry, spectroscopy, dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) detection. We demonstrate that not only the most abundant $^{14}$NV center but the $^{15}$NV can also be utilized in such applications and that nuclear spins coupled to P1 centers can be polarized directly by the NV center at the GSLAC, through a giant effective nuclear $g$-factor arising from the NV center-P1 center-nuclear spin coupling. We report on new alternative for measuring defect concentration in the vicinity of NV centers and on the optical signatures of interacting, mutually aligned NV centers.

A combination of quantum mechanics calculations with machine learning (ML) techniques can lead to a paradigm shift in our ability to predict materials properties from first principles. Here we show that on-the-fly training of an interatomic potential described through moment tensors provides the same accuracy as state-of-the-art {\it ab inito} molecular dynamics in predicting high-temperature elastic properties of materials with two orders of magnitude less computational effort. Using the technique, we investigate high-temperature bcc phase of titanium and predict very weak, Elinvar, temperature dependence of its elastic moduli, similar to the behavior of the so-called GUM Ti-based alloys [T. Sato {\ it et al.}, Science {\bf 300}, 464 (2003)]. Given the fact that GUM alloys have complex chemical compositions and operate at room temperature, Elinvar properties of elemental bcc-Ti observed in the wide temperature interval 1100--1700 K is unique., Comment: 15 pages, 4 figures

TiPO$_4$ is a Mott insulator and one of few inorganic compounds featuring a spin-Peierls phase at low temperature. Recent experimental studies have suggested the presence of spin-Peierls dimerization also at ambient temperature though at high pressure. Here, we present a combined experimental and theoretical study of the energetics of the high-pressure phase. We analyse dimerization properties and their coupling to spin degrees of freedom. Most importantly, we argue that TiPO$_4$ resents a direct analogue to the celebrated binary transition metal oxide VO$_2$. TiPO$_4$ allows to assess spin-dimer physics in the high-pressure regime in a controlled fashion, having the potential to become an important model system representative of the class of dimerized transition metal oxides.

The lead-free halide double perovskite class of materials offers a promising venue for resolving issues related to toxicity of Pb and long-term stability of the lead-containing halide perovskites. We present a first-principles study of the lattice vibrations in Cs$_2$AgBiBr$_6$ , the prototypical compound in this class, and show that the lattice dynamics of Cs$_2$AgBiBr$_6$ is highly anharmonic, largely in regards to tilting of AgBr$_6$ and BiBr$_6$ octahedra. Using an energy and temperature dependent phonon spectral function, we then show how the experimentally observed cubic-to-tetragonal phase transformation is caused by the collapse of a soft phonon branch. We finally reveal that the softness and anharmonicity of Cs$_2$AgBiBr$_6$ yield an ultra-low thermal conductivity, unexpected of high symmetry cubic structures.

TiPO$_4$ shows interesting structural and magnetic properties as temperature and pressure are varied, such as a spin-Peierls phase transition and the development of incommensurate modulations of the lattice. Recently, high pressure experiments for TiPO$_4$ reported two new structural phases appearing at high pressures, the so-called phases IV and V [M. Bykov et al., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 55, 15053]. The latter was shown to include the first example of 5-fold O-coordinated P-atoms in an inorganic phosphate compound. In this work we characterize the electronic structure and other physical properties of these new phases by means of ab-initio calculations, and investigate the structural transition. We find that the appearance of phases IV and V coincides with a collapse of the Mott insulating gap and quenching of magnetism in phase III as pressure is applied. Remarkably, our calculations show that in the high pressure phase V, these features reappear, leading to an antiferromagnetic Mott insulating phase, with robust local moments.

Here we report the synthesis of metallic, ultraincompressible (bulk modulus $K_{0}$ = 428(10) GPa) and very hard (nanoindentation hardness 36.7(8) GPa) rhenium (V) nitride pernitride Re$_{2}$(N$_{2}$)N$_{2}$. While the empirical chemical formula of the compound, ReN$_{2}$, is the same as for other known transition metals pernitrides, e.g. IrN$_{2}$, PtN$_{2}$, PdN$_{2}$ and OsN$_{2}$, its crystal chemistry is unique. The known pernitrides of transition metals consist of a metal in the oxidation state +IV and pernitride anions N$_{2}^{4-}$. ReN$_{2}$ contains both pernitride N$_{2}^{4-}$ and discrete N$^{3-}$ anions, which explains its exceptional properties. Moreover, in the original experimental synthesis of Re$_{2}$(N$_{2}$)N$_{2}$ performed in a laser-heated diamond anvil cell via a direct reaction between rhenium and nitrogen at pressures from 40 to 90 GPa we observed that the material was recoverable at ambient conditions. Consequently, we developed a route to scale up its synthesis through a reaction between rhenium and ammonium azide, NH$_{4}$N$_{3}$, in a large-volume press at 33 GPa. Our work resulted not only in a discovery of a novel material with unusual crystal chemistry and a set of properties attractive for potential applications, but also demonstrated a feasibility of surmounting conceptions common in material sciences.

Identification of microscopic configuration of point defects acting as quantum bits is a key step in the advance of quantum information processing and sensing. Among the numerous candidates, silicon vacancy related centers in silicon carbide (SiC) have shown remarkable properties owing to their particular spin-3/2 ground and excited states. Although, these centers were observed decades ago, still two competing models, the isolated negatively charged silicon vacancy and the complex of negatively charged silicon vacancy and neutral carbon vacancy [Phys. Rev. Lett.\ \textbf{115}, 247602 (2015)] are argued as an origin. By means of high precision first principles calculations and high resolution electron spin resonance measurements, we here unambiguously identify the Si-vacancy related qubits in hexagonal SiC as isolated negatively charged silicon vacancies. Moreover, we identify the Si-vacancy qubit configurations that provide room temperature optical readout., Comment: 3 figures

Study and design of magneto-optically active single point defects in semiconductors are rapidly growing fields due to their potential in quantum bit and single photon emitter applications. Detailed understanding of the properties of candidate defects is essential for these applications, and requires the identification of the defects microscopic configuration and electronic structure. Multi-component semiconductors often host two or more non-equivalent configurations of point defects. These configurations generally exhibit similar electronic structure and basic functionalities, however, they differ in details that are of great importance whenever single defect applications are considered. Identification of non-equivalent configurations of point defects is thus essential for successful single defect manipulation and application. A promising way to identify defects is via comparison of experimental measurements and results of first-principle calculations. We investigate a possibility to produce accurate ab initio data for zero-phonon lines and hyperfine coupling parameters that are required for systematic quantum bit search. We focus on properties relevant for the possible use of the divacancy defect in quantum bits in 4H-SiC. We provide a decisive identification of divacancy configurations in 4H-SiC and clarify differences in prior predictions of 4H-SiC divacancy zero-phonon photoluminescence lines.

Hybrid functionals' non-local exchange-correlation potential contains a derivative discontinuity that improves on standard semi-local density functional theory (DFT) band gaps. Moreover, by careful parameterization, hybrid functionals can provide self-interaction reduced description of selected states. On the other hand, the uniform description of all the electronic states of a given system is a know drawback of these functionals that causes varying accuracy in the description of states with different degrees of localization. This limitation can be remedied by the orbital dependent exact exchange extension of hybrid functionals; the hybrid-DFT+V$_w$ method [V. Iv{\'a}dy, et al., Phys. Rev. B 90, 035146 (2014)]. Based on the analogy of quasi-particle equations and hybrid-DFT single particle equations, here we demonstrate that parameters of hybrid-DFT+V$_w$ functional can be determined from approximate quasi-particle spectra. The proposed technique leads to a reduction of self-interaction and provides improved description for both $s$ / $p$ and $d$ / $f$-electrons of the simulated system. The performance of our charge self-consistent method is illustrated on the electronic structure calculation of cerium dioxide where good agreement with both quasi-particle and experimental spectra is achieved.

We investigate the shifts of the core-level binding energies in small gold nanoclusters by using {\it ab initio} density functional theory calculations. The shift of the 4$f$ states is calculated for magic number nanoclusters in a wide range of sizes and morphologies. We find a non-monotonous behavior of the core-level shift in nanoclusters depending on the size. We demonstrate that there are three main contributions to the Au 4$f$ shifts, which depend sensitively on the interatomic distances, coordination and quantum confinement. They are identified and explained by the change of the on-site electrostatic potential., Comment: 7 pages, 9 figures

Dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) is an attractive method for initializing nuclear spins that are strongly coupled to optically active electron spins because it functions at room temperature and does not require strong magnetic fields. In this Letter, we demonstrate that DNP, with near-unity polarization efficiency, can be generally realized in weakly coupled hybrid registers, and furthermore that the nuclear spin polarization can be completely reversed with only sub-Gauss magnetic field variations. This mechanism offers new avenues for DNP-based sensors and radio-frequency free control of nuclear qubits.

We present a theoretical scheme to calculate the elastic constants of magnetic materials in the high-temperature paramagnetic state. Our approach is based on a combination of disordered local moments picture and ab initio molecular dynamics (DLM-MD). Moreover, we investigate a possibility to enhance the efficiency of the simulations of elastic properties using recently introduced method: symmetry imposed force constant temperature dependent effective potential (SIFC-TDEP). We have chosen cubic paramagnetic CrN as a model system. This is done due to its technological importance and its demonstrated strong coupling between magnetic and lattice degrees of freedom. We have studied the temperature dependent single-crystal and polycrystalline elastic constants of paramagentic CrN up to 1200 K. The obtained results at T= 300 K agree well with the experimental values of polycrystalline elastic constants as well as Poisson ratio at room temperature. We observe that the Young's modulus is strongly dependent on temperature, decreasing by ~14% from T=300 K to 1200 K. In addition we have studied the elastic anisotropy of CrN as a function of temperature and we observe that CrN becomes substantially more isotropic as the temperature increases. We demonstrate that the use of Birch law may lead to substantial errors for calculations of temperature induced changes of elastic moduli. The proposed methodology can be used for accurate predictions of mechanical properties of magnetic materials at temperatures above their magnetic order-disorder phase transition., Comment: 1 table, 3 figures

We investigate the structural and electronic properties of Li-intercalated monolayer graphene on SiC(0001) using combined angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and first-principles density functional theory. Li intercalates at room temperature both at the interface between the buffer layer and SiC and between the two carbon layers. The graphene is strongly $n$-doped due to charge transfer from the Li atoms and two $\pi$-bands are visible at the $\bar{K}$-point. After heating the sample to 300$^\circ$C, these $\pi$-bands become sharp and have a distinctly different dispersion to that of Bernal-stacked bilayer graphene. We suggest that the Li atoms intercalate between the two carbon layers with an ordered structure, similar to that of bulk LiC$_6$. An AA-stacking of these two layers becomes energetically favourable. The $\pi$-bands around the $\bar{K}$-point closely resemble the calculated band structure of a C$_6$LiC$_6$ system, where the intercalated Li atoms impose a super-potential on the graphene electronic structure that opens pseudo-gaps at the Dirac points of the two $\pi$-cones., Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures