1. |
- Bilén, Frida, 1994, et al.
(author)
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Machine Learning-Based Interpretation of Optical Properties of Colloidal Gold with Convolutional Neural Networks
- 2024
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In: Journal of Physical Chemistry C. - 1932-7447 .- 1932-7455. ; In Press
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Gold nanoparticles are used in a range of applications, but their properties depend on their shape, size, and polydispersity. A quick, easy, and accurate characterization of the particles is therefore of high importance, especially in flow synthesis settings where continuous monitoring of the characteristics is desired. Our hypothesis was that convolutional neural networks can be used to extract detailed information about structural parameters of gold nanoparticles from their UV-vis spectra, and we have shown that this is possible by predicting size distributions from in silico UV-vis spectra for colloidal gold with high accuracy. Here this was done for both spherical and rod-shaped gold nanoparticles. We also show that the addition of noise makes the prediction of diameter polydispersity more challenging, but the average diameter, and for rods also aspect ratio distribution, can be accurately predicted even with the highest evaluated level of noise. The model structure is promising and worthy of implementation to enable predictions beyond in silico generated spectra. The model, for instance, can find application in flow synthesis settings to create a machine learning-driven feedback loop for automated synthesis.
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2. |
- Eklöf, Johnas, 1988, et al.
(author)
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Understanding Interactions Driving the Template-Directed Self-Assembly of Colloidal Nanoparticles at Surfaces
- 2020
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In: Journal of Physical Chemistry C. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1932-7447 .- 1932-7455. ; 124:8, s. 4660-4667
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Controlled deposition of colloidal nanoparticles using self-assembly is a promising technique for, for example, manufacturing of miniaturized electronics, and it bridges the gap between top-down and bottom-up methods. However, selecting materials and geometry of the target surface for optimal deposition results presents a significant challenge. Here, we describe a predictive framework based on the Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek theory that allows rational design of colloidal nanoparticle deposition setups. The framework is demonstrated for a model system consisting of gold nanoparticles stabilized by trisodium citrate that are directed toward prefabricated sub-100 nm features on a silicon substrate. Experimental results for the model system are presented in conjunction with theoretical analysis to assess its reliability. It is shown that three-dimensional, nickel-coated structures are well suited for attracting gold nanoparticles and that optimization of the feature geometry based on the proposed framework leads to a systematic improvement in the number of successfully deposited particles.
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3. |
- Klein, Andreas, et al.
(author)
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The Fermi energy as common parameter to describe charge compensation mechanisms: A path to Fermi level engineering of oxide electroceramics
- 2023
-
In: Journal of Electroceramics. - 1573-8663 .- 1385-3449. ; 51
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Chemical substitution, which can be iso- or heterovalent, is the primary strategy to tailor material properties. There are various ways how a material can react to substitution. Isovalent substitution changes the density of states while heterovalent substitution, i.e. doping, can induce electronic compensation, ionic compensation, valence changes of cations or anions, or result in the segregation or neutralization of the dopant. While all these can, in principle, occur simultaneously, it is often desirable to select a certain mechanism in order to determine material properties. Being able to predict and control the individual compensation mechanism should therefore be a key target of materials science. This contribution outlines the perspective that this could be achieved by taking the Fermi energy as a common descriptor for the different compensation mechanisms. This generalization becomes possible since the formation enthalpies of the defects involved in the various compensation mechanisms do all depend on the Fermi energy. In order to control material properties, it is then necessary to adjust the formation enthalpies and charge transition levels of the involved defects. Understanding how these depend on material composition will open up a new path for the design of materials by Fermi level engineering.
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4. |
- Rahm, Magnus, 1990, et al.
(author)
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A Library of Late Transition Metal Alloy Dielectric Functions for Nanophotonic Applications
- 2020
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In: Advanced Functional Materials. - : Wiley. - 1616-3028 .- 1616-301X. ; 30:35
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Accurate complex dielectric functions are critical to accelerate the development of rationally designed metal alloy systems for nanophotonic applications, and to thereby unlock the potential of alloying for tailoring nanostructure optical properties. To date, however, accurate alloy dielectric functions are widely lacking. Here, a time-dependent density-functional theory computational framework is employed to compute a comprehensive binary alloy dielectric function library for the late transition metals most commonly employed in plasmonics (Ag, Au, Cu, Pd, Pt). Excellent agreement is found between electrodynamic simulations based on these dielectric functions and selected alloy systems experimentally scrutinized in 10 at% composition intervals. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the dielectric functions can vary in very non-linear fashion with composition, which paves the way for non-trivial optical response optimization by tailoring material composition. The presented dielectric function library is thus a key resource for the development of alloy nanomaterials for applications in nanophotonics, optical sensors, and photocatalysis.
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5. |
- Wang, Zhihang, 1989, et al.
(author)
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Storing energy with molecular photoisomers
- 2021
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In: Joule. - : Elsevier BV. - 2542-4351. ; 5:12, s. 3116-3136
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Some molecular photoisomers can be isomerized to a metastable high-energy state by exposure to light. These molecules can then be thermally or catalytically converted back to their initial state, releasing heat in the process. Such a reversible photochemical process has been considered for developing molecular solar thermal (MOST) systems. In this review, we introduce the concept, criteria, and state-of-the-art of MOST systems, with an emphasis on the three most promising molecular systems: norbornadiene/quadricyclane, E/Z-azobenzene, and dihydroazulene/vinylheptafulvene. After discussing the fundamental working principles, we focus on molecular design strategies for improving solar energy storage performance, remaining challenges, and potential focus areas. Finally, we summarize the current molecular incorporation into functional devices and conclude with a perspective on challenges and future directions.
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6. |
- Bancerek, Maria, et al.
(author)
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Origin of Macroscopic Observables of Strongly Coupled Metal Nanoparticle-Molecule Systems from Microscopic Electronic Properties
- 2024
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In: Journal of Physical Chemistry C. - 1932-7447 .- 1932-7455. ; 128:23, s. 9749-9757
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Strongly coupled light-matter systems are becoming a ubiquitous platform for investigating an increasing number of physical phenomena from modifying charge transport, altered emission, and relaxation pathways to selective or enhanced chemical reactivity. Such systems are investigated across a large length scale from few-nanometer-sized particles to macroscopic cavities encompassing many interacting moieties. Describing these numerous and varied physical systems is attempted in various ways from classical coupled harmonic oscillator models through quantum Hamiltonians to ab initio modeling. Here, by combining time-dependent density functional theory modeling and analysis with macroscopic models, we elucidate the origin of modifications of effective interaction parameters in terms of microscopic changes to the electronic density and Kohn-Sham transitions of the plasmonic particle and its coupled molecular counterpart. Specifically, we demonstrate how the emergence of mixed metal-molecular states and transitions modifies the effective resonances of the underlying plasmon and molecule in the regime of strong coupling and how these changes subsequently lead to the formation of mixed light-matter polaritons.
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7. |
- Baskurt, Mehmet, 1992, et al.
(author)
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Direct, Indirect, and Self-Trapped Excitons in Cs 2 AgBiBr 6
- 2024
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In: Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters. - 1948-7185. ; , s. 8549-8554
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Cs2AgBiBr6 exhibits promising photovoltaic and light-emitting properties, making it a candidate for next-generation solar cells and LED technologies. Additionally, it serves as a model system within the family of halide double perovskites, offering insights into a broader class of materials. Here, we study various possible excited states of this material to understand its absorption and emission properties. We use time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) coupled with nonempirical hybrid functionals, specifically PBE0(α) and dielectric-dependent hybrids (DDH) to explore direct, indirect, and self-trapped excitons in this material. Based on comparison with experiment, we show that these methods can give excellent predictions of the absorption spectrum and that the fundamental band gap has been underestimated in previous computational studies. We connect the experimental photoluminescence signals at 1.9-2.0 eV to the emission from self-trapped excitons and electron polarons. Finally, we reveal a complex landscape with energetically competing direct, indirect, and self-trapped excitons in the material.
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8. |
- Brem, Samuel, 1991, et al.
(author)
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Tunable Phases of Moiré Excitons in van der Waals Heterostructures
- 2020
-
In: Nano Letters. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1530-6992 .- 1530-6984. ; 20:12, s. 8534-8540
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Stacking monolayers of transition metal dichalcogenides into a heterostructure with a finite twist-angle gives rise to artificial moiré superlattices with a tunable periodicity. As a consequence, excitons experience a periodic potential, which can be exploited to tailor optoelectronic properties of these materials. Whereas recent experimental studies have confirmed twist-angle-dependent optical spectra, the microscopic origin of moiré exciton resonances has not been fully clarified yet. Here, we combine first-principles calculations with the excitonic density matrix formalism to study transitions between different moiré exciton phases and their impact on optical properties of the twisted MoSe2/WSe2 heterostructure. At angles smaller than 2°, we find flat, moiré-trapped states for inter- and intralayer excitons. This moiré exciton phase changes into completely delocalized states at 3°. We predict a linear and quadratic twist-angle dependence of excitonic resonances for the moiré-trapped and delocalized exciton phases, respectively.
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9. |
- Brorsson, Joakim, 1988, et al.
(author)
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Efficient Calculation of the Lattice Thermal Conductivity by Atomistic Simulations with Ab Initio Accuracy
- 2022
-
In: Advanced Theory and Simulations. - : Wiley. - 2513-0390. ; 5:2
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- High-order force constant expansions can provide accurate representations of the potential energy surface relevant to vibrational motion. They can be efficiently parametrized using quantum mechanical calculations and subsequently sampled at a fraction of the cost of the underlying reference calculations. Here, force constant expansions are combined via the hiphive package with GPU-accelerated molecular dynamics simulations via the GPUMD package to obtain an accurate, transferable, and efficient approach for sampling the dynamical properties of materials. The performance of this methodology is demonstrated by applying it both to materials with very low thermal conductivity (Ba8Ga16Ge30, SnSe) and a material with a relatively high lattice thermal conductivity (monolayer-MoS2). These cases cover both situations with weak (monolayer-MoS2, SnSe) and strong (Ba8Ga16Ge30) pho renormalization. The simulations also enable to access complementary information such as the spectral thermal conductivity, which allows to discriminate the contribution by different phonon modes while accounting for scattering to all orders. The software packages described here are made available to the scientific community as free and open-source software in order to encourage the more widespread use of these techniques as well as their evolution through continuous and collaborative development.
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10. |
- Brorsson, Joakim, 1988, et al.
(author)
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First-Principles Study of Order-Disorder Transitions in Pseudobinary Clathrates
- 2021
-
In: Journal of Physical Chemistry C. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1932-7447 .- 1932-7455. ; 125:41, s. 22817-22826
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- It has been recently demonstrated that the pseudoternary Ba8AlxGayGe46-x-y clathrate undergoes an order-disorder transition with increasing temperature that can be observed via site occupation factors (SOFs) and manifests itself, e.g., in electrical transport properties. Here, we generalize this result and analyze the characteristics of this order-disorder transition in the pseudobinary clathrates Ba8GaxGe46-x, Ba8GaxSi46-x, Ba8AlxGe46-x, and Ba8AlxSi46-x. To this end, we employ atomistic simulations that combine alloy cluster expansions trained against density functional theory calculations with Wang-Landau and ensemble Monte Carlo simulations. The simulations show that all four systems studied here display order-disorder transitions for at least some composition range. Based on an extensive literature survey, we also provide evidence for signatures of the transition in earlier experimental studies that to the best of our knowledge have hitherto not been related to such transitions. The predicted transition temperatures are lower for Ba8GaxGe46-x and Ba8GaxSi46-x than for Ba8AlxGe46-x and Ba8AlxSi46-x, although it appears that the simulations underestimate the transition temperatures for Ga-containing systems compared to the experiment. This nonetheless provides a sensible explanation for why the experimentally determined Al SOFs agree better with the simulated higherature disordered configurations, while the Ga SOFs more closely agree with the simulated ground-state configurations. As a result of stronger interactions, the SOFs vary substantially, especially near the stoichiometric 16:30 composition, providing an indication of why it has proved difficult to synthesize Ba8AlxGe46-x and Ba8AlxSi46-x samples at this ratio. The present study thereby yields detailed atomic-scale insights into the ordering in inorganic clathrates that, given the connection to transport properties established earlier, are not only useful from a fundamental perspective but also relevant for applications.
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11. |
- Brorsson, Joakim, 1988, et al.
(author)
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Order-Disorder Transition in Inorganic Clathrates Controls Electrical Transport Properties
- 2021
-
In: Chemistry of Materials. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1520-5002 .- 0897-4756. ; 33:12, s. 4500-4509
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Inorganic clathrates have been extensively investigated owing to their unique and intriguing atomic structure as well as their potential as thermoelectric materials. The connection between the chemical ordering and the physical properties has, however, remained elusive. Here, this relation is uncovered through a combination of first-principles calculations, atomistic simulations, and experimental measurements of thermodynamic as well as electrical transport properties. This approach is, specifically, used to reveal the existence of an order-disorder transition in the quaternary clathrate series Ba8AlxGa16-xGe30. The results, furthermore, demonstrate that this phenomenon is responsible for the discontinuity in the heat capacity that has been observed previously. Moreover, the unusual temperature dependence of both Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity can be fully explained by the alterations of the band structure brought about by the phase transformation. It is finally argued that the phenomenology described here is not limited to this particular material but should be present in a wide range of inorganic clathrates and could even be observed in other materials that exhibit chemical ordering on at least one sublattice.
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12. |
- Brorsson, Joakim, 1988, et al.
(author)
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Strategic Optimization of the Electronic Transport Properties of Pseudo-Ternary Clathrates
- 2022
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In: Advanced Electronic Materials. - : Wiley. - 2199-160X .- 2199-160X. ; 8:3
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- While alloying is a powerful handle for materials engineering, it is an ongoing challenge to navigate the large and complex parameter space of these materials. This applies in particular for thermoelectrics and even more so clathrates. Here, a combination of density functional theory calculations, alloy cluster expansions, Monte Carlo simulations, and Boltzmann transport theory calculations is used to identify compositions that yield high power factors in the pseudo-ternary clathrates Ba8AlxGayGe46−x−y and Ba8GaxGeySi46−x−y, while accounting for weight and raw material costs. The results show how a cost-efficient performance can be achieved by reducing the number of Al and Ga atoms per unit cell, while compensating the resulting increase in the carrier concentration via an extrinsic dopant. The approach used in this study is transferable and can be a useful tool for mapping the thermodynamic and transport properties of other multinary systems.
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13. |
- Ekborg-Tanner, Pernilla, 1994, et al.
(author)
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Computational Design of Alloy Nanostructures for Optical Sensing of Hydrogen
- 2022
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In: ACS Applied Nano Materials. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 2574-0970. ; 5:8, s. 10225-10236
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Pd nanoalloys show great potential as hysteresis-free, reliable hydrogen sensors. Here, a multiscale modeling approach is employed to determine optimal conditions for optical hydrogen sensing using the Pd-Au-H system. Changes in hydrogen pressure translate to changes in hydrogen content and eventually the optical spectrum. At the single particle level, the shift of the plasmon peak position with hydrogen concentration (i.e., the "optical" sensitivity) is approximately constant at 180 nm/c(H) for nanodisk diameters of greater than or similar to 100 nm. For smaller particles, the optical sensitivity is negative and increases with decreasing diameter, due to the emergence of a second peak originating from coupling between a localized surface plasmon and interband transitions. In addition to tracking peak position, the onset of extinction as well as extinction at fixed wavelengths is considered. We carefully compare the simulation results with experimental data and assess the potential sources for discrepancies. Invariably, the results suggest that there is an upper bound for the optical sensitivity that cannot be overcome by engineering composition and/or geometry. While the alloy composition has a limited impact on optical sensitivity, it can strongly affect H uptake and consequently the "thermodynamic" sensitivity and the detection limit. Here, it is shown how the latter can be improved by compositional engineering and even substantially enhanced via the formation of an ordered phase that can be synthesized at higher hydrogen partial pressures.
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14. |
- Erhart, Paul, 1978, et al.
(author)
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The Wulff construction goes low-symmetry
- 2023
-
In: Nature Materials. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1476-4660 .- 1476-1122. ; 22:8, s. 941-942
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)
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15. |
- Eriksson, Fredrik, 1992, et al.
(author)
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Tuning the Through-Plane Lattice Thermal Conductivity in van der Waals Structures through Rotational (Dis)ordering
- 2023
-
In: ACS Nano. - 1936-086X .- 1936-0851. ; 17:24, s. 25565-25574
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- It has recently been demonstrated that MoS2 with irregular interlayer rotations can achieve an extreme anisotropy in the lattice thermal conductivity (LTC), which is, for example, of interest for applications in waste heat management in integrated circuits. Here, we show by atomic-scale simulations based on machine-learned potentials that this principle extends to other two-dimensional materials, including C and BN. In all three materials, introducing rotational disorder drives the through-plane LTC to the glass limit, while the in-plane LTC remains almost unchanged compared to those of the ideal bulk materials. We demonstrate that the ultralow through-plane LTC is connected to the collapse of their transverse acoustic modes in the through-plane direction. Furthermore, we find that the twist angle in periodic moiré structures representing rotational order provides an efficient means for tuning the through-plane LTC that operates for all chemistries considered here. The minimal through-plane LTC is obtained for angles between 1 and 4° depending on the material, with the biggest effect in MoS2. The angular dependence is correlated with the degree of stacking disorder in the materials, which in turn is connected to the slip surface. This provides a simple descriptor for predicting the optimal conditions at which the LTC is expected to become minimal.
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16. |
- Fan, Zheyong, et al.
(author)
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GPUMD: A package for constructing accurate machine-learned potentials and performing highly efficient atomistic simulations
- 2022
-
In: Journal of Chemical Physics. - : AIP Publishing. - 1089-7690 .- 0021-9606. ; 157:11
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present our latest advancements of machine-learned potentials (MLPs) based on the neuroevolution potential (NEP) framework introduced in Fan et al. [Phys. Rev. B 104, 104309 (2021)] and their implementation in the open-source package gpumd. We increase the accuracy of NEP models both by improving the radial functions in the atomic-environment descriptor using a linear combination of Chebyshev basis functions and by extending the angular descriptor with some four-body and five-body contributions as in the atomic cluster expansion approach. We also detail our efficient implementation of the NEP approach in graphics processing units as well as our workflow for the construction of NEP models and demonstrate their application in large-scale atomistic simulations. By comparing to state-of-the-art MLPs, we show that the NEP approach not only achieves above-average accuracy but also is far more computationally efficient. These results demonstrate that the gpumd package is a promising tool for solving challenging problems requiring highly accurate, large-scale atomistic simulations. To enable the construction of MLPs using a minimal training set, we propose an active-learning scheme based on the latent space of a pre-trained NEP model. Finally, we introduce three separate Python packages, viz., gpyumd, calorine, and pynep, that enable the integration of gpumd into Python workflows.
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17. |
- Fant, Magnus, et al.
(author)
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To Every Rule There is an Exception: A Rational Extension of Loewenstein's Rule
- 2021
-
In: Angewandte Chemie - International Edition. - : Wiley. - 1433-7851 .- 1521-3773. ; 60:10, s. 5132-5135
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Loewenstein's rule, which states that Al−O−Al motifs are energetically unstable, is fundamental to the understanding and design of zeolites. Here, using a combination of electronic structure calculations and lattice models, we show under which circumstances this rule becomes invalid and how it can be rationally extended using the chabasite framework for demonstration.
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18. |
- Fojt, Jakub, 1996, et al.
(author)
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Dipolar coupling of nanoparticle-molecule assemblies: An efficient approach for studying strong coupling
- 2021
-
In: Journal of Chemical Physics. - : AIP Publishing. - 1089-7690 .- 0021-9606. ; 154:9
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Strong light-matter interactions facilitate not only emerging applications in quantum and non-linear optics but also modifications of properties of materials. In particular, the latter possibility has spurred the development of advanced theoretical techniques that can accurately capture both quantum optical and quantum chemical degrees of freedom. These methods are, however, computationally very demanding, which limits their application range. Here, we demonstrate that the optical spectra of nanoparticle-molecule assemblies, including strong coupling effects, can be predicted with good accuracy using a subsystem approach, in which the response functions of different units are coupled only at the dipolar level. We demonstrate this approach by comparison with previous time-dependent density functional theory calculations for fully coupled systems of Al nanoparticles and benzene molecules. While the present study only considers few-particle systems, the approach can be readily extended to much larger systems and to include explicit optical-cavity modes.
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19. |
- Fojt, Jakub, 1996, et al.
(author)
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Hot-Carrier Transfer across a Nanoparticle-Molecule Junction: The Importance of Orbital Hybridization and Level Alignment
- 2022
-
In: Nano Letters. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1530-6992 .- 1530-6984. ; 22:21, s. 8786-8792
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- While direct hot-carrier transfer can increase photocatalytic activity, it is difficult to discern experimentally and competes with several other mechanisms. To shed light on these aspects, here, we model from first-principles hot-carrier generation across the interface between plasmonic nanoparticles and a CO molecule. The hot-electron transfer probability depends nonmonotonically on the nanoparticle-molecule distance and can be effective at long distances, even before a strong chemical bond can form; hot-hole transfer on the other hand is limited to shorter distances. These observations can be explained by the energetic alignment between molecular and nanoparticle states as well as the excitation frequency. The hybridization of the molecular orbitals is the key predictor for hot-carrier transfer in these systems, emphasizing the necessity of ground state hybridization for accurate predictions. Finally, we show a nontrivial dependence of the hot-carrier distribution on the excitation energy, which could be exploited when optimizing photocatalytic systems.
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20. |
- Fojt, Jakub, 1996, et al.
(author)
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Tailoring Hot-Carrier Distributions of Plasmonic Nanostructures through Surface Alloying
- 2024
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In: ACS Nano. - 1936-086X .- 1936-0851. ; 18:8, s. 6398-6405
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Alloyed metal nanoparticles are a promising platform for plasmonically enabled hot-carrier generation, which can be used to drive photochemical reactions. Although the non-plasmonic component in these systems has been investigated for its potential to enhance catalytic activity, its capacity to affect the photochemical process favorably has been underexplored by comparison. Here, we study the impact of surface alloy species and concentration on hot-carrier generation in Ag nanoparticles. By first-principles simulations, we photoexcite the localized surface plasmon, allow it to dephase, and calculate spatially and energetically resolved hot-carrier distributions. We show that the presence of non-noble species in the topmost surface layer drastically enhances hot-hole generation at the surface at the expense of hot-hole generation in the bulk, due to the additional d-type states that are introduced to the surface. The energy of the generated holes can be tuned by choice of the alloyant, with systematic trends across the d-band block. Already low surface alloy concentrations have a large impact, with a saturation of the enhancement effect typically close to 75% of a monolayer. Hot-electron generation at the surface is hindered slightly by alloying, but here a judicious choice of the alloy composition allows one to strike a balance between hot electrons and holes. Our work underscores the promise of utilizing multicomponent nanoparticles to achieve enhanced control over plasmonic catalysis and provides guidelines for how hot-carrier distributions can be tailored by designing the electronic structure of the surface through alloying.
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21. |
- Fransson, Erik, 1990, et al.
(author)
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Defects from phonons: Atomic transport by concerted motion in simple crystalline metals
- 2020
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In: Acta Materialia. - : Elsevier BV. - 1359-6454. ; 196, s. 770-775
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Point defects play a crucial role in crystalline materials as they do not only impact the thermodynamic properties but are also central to kinetic processes. While they are necessary in thermodynamic equilibrium spontaneous defect formation in the bulk is normally considered highly improbable except for temperatures close to the melting point. Here, we demonstrate by means of atomistic simulations that processes involving concerted atomic motion that give rise to defect formation are in fact frequent in body-centered cubic metals even down to about 50% of the melting temperature. It is shown that this behavior is intimately related to the anharmonicity of the lattice vibrations and a flat energy landscape along certain crystallographic directions, a feature that is absent in, e.g., face-centered cubic lattice structures. This insight has implications for our general understanding of these materials and furthermore provides a complementary explanation for the so-called anomalous diffusion in group 4 transition metals.
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22. |
- Fransson, Erik, 1990, et al.
(author)
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Dynasor - A Tool for Extracting Dynamical Structure Factors and Current Correlation Functions from Molecular Dynamics Simulations
- 2021
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In: Advanced Theory and Simulations. - : Wiley. - 2513-0390. ; 4:2
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Perturbative treatments of the lattice dynamics are widely successful for many crystalline materials; however, their applicability is limited for strongly anharmonic systems, metastable crystal structures and liquids. The full dynamics of these systems can, however, be accessed via molecular dynamics (MD) simulations using correlation functions, which includes dynamical structure factors providing a direct bridge to experiment. To simplify the analysis of correlation functions, here the dynasor package is presented as a flexible and efficient tool that enables the calculation of static and dynamical structure factors, current correlation functions as well as their partial counterparts from MD trajectories. The dynasor code can handle input from several major open source MD packages and thanks to its C/Python structure can be readily extended to support additional codes. The utility of dynasor is demonstrated via examples for both solid and liquid single and multi-component systems. In particular, the possibility to extract the full temperature dependence of phonon frequencies and lifetimes is emphasized.
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23. |
- Fransson, Erik, 1990, et al.
(author)
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Efficient construction of linear models in materials modeling and applications to force constant expansions
- 2020
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In: npj Computational Materials. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2057-3960. ; 6:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Linear models, such as force constant (FC) and cluster expansions, play a key role in physics and materials science. While they can in principle be parametrized using regression and feature selection approaches, the convergence behavior of these techniques, in particular with respect to thermodynamic properties is not well understood. Here, we therefore analyze the efficacy and efficiency of several state-of-the-art regression and feature selection methods, in particular in the context of FC extraction and the prediction of different thermodynamic properties. Generic feature selection algorithms such as recursive feature elimination with ordinary least-squares (OLS), automatic relevance determination regression, and the adaptive least absolute shrinkage and selection operator can yield physically sound models for systems with a modest number of degrees of freedom. For large unit cells with low symmetry and/or high-order expansions they come, however, with a non-negligible computational cost that can be more than two orders of magnitude higher than that of OLS. In such cases, OLS with cutoff selection provides a viable route as demonstrated here for both second-order FCs in large low-symmetry unit cells and high-order FCs in low-symmetry systems. While regression techniques are thus very powerful, they require well-tuned protocols. Here, the present work establishes guidelines for the design of protocols that are readily usable, e.g., in high-throughput and materials discovery schemes. Since the underlying algorithms are not specific to FC construction, the general conclusions drawn here also have a bearing on the construction of other linear models in physics and materials science.
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24. |
- Fransson, Erik, 1990, et al.
(author)
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Impact of Organic Spacers and Dimensionality on Templating of Halide Perovskites
- 2024
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In: ACS Energy Letters. - 2380-8195. ; 2024:9, s. 3947-3954
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Two-dimensional (2D) halide perovskites (HPs) are promising materials for various optoelectronic applications; yet, a comprehensive understanding of their dynamics is still elusive. Here, we offer insight into the dynamics of prototypical 2D HPs based on MAPbI3 as a function of linker molecule and the number of perovskite layers using atomic-scale simulations. We show that the layers closest to the linker undergo transitions that are distinct from those of the interior layers. These transitions can take place anywhere between a few tens of Kelvin degrees below and more than 100 K above the cubic-tetragonal transition of bulk MAPbI3. In combination with the thickness of the perovskite layer, this enables one to template phase transitions and tune the dynamics over a wide temperature range. Our results thereby reveal the details of an important and generalizable design mechanism for tuning the properties of these materials.
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25. |
- Fransson, Erik, 1990, et al.
(author)
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Limits of the phonon quasi-particle picture at the cubic-to-tetragonal phase transition in halide perovskites
- 2023
-
In: Communications Physics. - 2399-3650. ; 6:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The soft modes associated with continuous-order phase transitions are associated with strong anharmonicity. This leads to the overdamped limit where the phonon quasi-particle picture can break down. However, this limit is commonly restricted to a narrow temperature range, making it difficult to observe its signature feature, namely the breakdown of the inverse relationship between the relaxation time and damping. Here we present a physically intuitive picture based on the relaxation times of the mode coordinate and its conjugate momentum, which at the instability approach infinity and the inverse damping factor, respectively. We demonstrate this behavior for the cubic-to-tetragonal phase transition of the inorganic halide perovskite CsPbBr3 via molecular dynamics simulations, and show that the overdamped region extends almost 200 K above the transition temperature. Further, we investigate how the dynamics of these soft phonon modes change when crossing the phase transition.
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