Abstract: The atomic scattering amplitudes of the various atoms of the systems Ga1−xInxAs, GaAs1−xNx and InAs1−xNx are calculated using the density functional theory (DFT) approach. The scattering amplitudes of N, Ga, As and In in the model systems are compared with the frequently used Doyle and Turner values. Deviation from the latter values is found for small scattering vectors (s<0.3Å−1) and for these scattering vectors dependence on the orientation of the scattering vector and the chemical environment is reported. We suggest a parametrization of these modified scattering amplitudes (MASAs) for small scattering vectors (s<1.0Å−1). The MASAs are exploited within zero pressure classical Metropolis Monte Carlo (MC), finite temperature calculations to investigate the effect of quantum well size on the electron {002} structure factor (SF) of Ga1−xInxAs quantum wells.

Abstract: The energy-loss near-edge structure (ELNES) spectra of several carbon allotropes (non-hydrogenated and hydrogenated face-centered cubic (FCC) carbon, rhombohedral carbon, glitter, hexagonite and lonsdaleite) are calculated within the supercell-core-excited density functional theory approach. In particular an experimental ELNES spectrum of new diamond (n-diamond) [Konyashin et al., Diamond Relat. Mater. 10, (2001) 99102] is compared with the ELNES spectra of FCC carbon, rhombohedral carbon and the so-called glitter structure. Our calculations show that the ELNES spectrum considered in that publication cannot be that of FCC carbon.

Abstract: The modified atomic scattering amplitudes (MASAs) of mixed Ga_1-xIn_xAs, GaAs_1-xN_x, and InAs_1-xN_x are calculated using the density functional theory approach and the results are compared with those of the binary counterparts. The MASAs of N, Ga, As, and In for various scattering vectors in various chemical environments and in the zinc-blende structure are compared with the frequently used Doyle and Turner values. Deviation from the Doyle and Turner results is found for small scattering vectors (s<0.3 Å^-1) and for these scattering vectors the MASAs are found to be sensitive to the orientation of the scattering vector and on the chemical environment. The chemical environment sensitive MASAs are used within zero pressure classical Metropolis Monte Carlo, finite temperature calculations to investigate the effect of well size on the electron 002 and 220 structure factors (SFs). The implications of the use of the 002 (200) spot for the quantification of nanostructured Ga_1-xIn_xAs systems are examined while the 220 SF across the well is evaluated and is found to be very sensitive to the in-plane static displacements.

Abstract: We calculated the temperature dependence of the Debye-Waller factors for a variety of group IV, III-V and II-VI semiconductors from 0.1 to 1000 K. The approach used to fit the temperature dependence is described and resulting fit parameters are tabulated for each material. The Debye-Waller factors are deduced from generalized phonon densities of states which were derived from first principles using the WIEN2k and the ABINIT codes.

Abstract: Thermal diffuse scattered electrons significantly contribute to high-resolution transmission electron microscopy images. Their intensity adds to the background and is peaked at positions of atomic columns. In this paper we suggest an approximation to simulate intensity of thermal diffuse scattered electrons in plane-wave illumination transmission electron microscopy using an emission-potential multislice algorithm which is computationally less intensive than the frozen lattice approximation or the mutual intensity approach. Intensity patterns are computed for Au and InSb for different crystal orientations. These results are compared with intensities from the frozen lattice approximation based on uncorrelated vibration of atoms as well as with the frozen phonon approximation for Au. The frozen phonon method uses a detailed phonon model based on force constants we computed by a density functional theory approach. The comparison shows that our suggested emission-potential method is in close agreement with both the frozen lattice and the frozen phonon approximations.

Abstract: Single-chain elasticity of polyethylene at theta point up to 90% of stretching with respect to its contour length is computed by Monte Carlo simulation of an atomistic model in continuous space. The elasticity law together with the free-energy and the internal energy variations with stretching are found to be very well represented by the wormlike chain model up to 65% of the chain elongation, provided the persistence length is treated as a temperature-dependent parameter. Beyond this value of elongation simple ideal chain models are not able to describe the Monte Carlo data in a thermodynamic consistent way. This study reinforces the use of the wormlike chain model to interpret experimental data on the elasticity of synthetic polymers in the finite extensibility regime, provided the chain is not yet in its fully stretched regime. Specific solvent effects on the elasticity law and the partition between energetic and entropic contributions to single chain elasticity are investigated. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.