Abstract: Reducing the size of a superconductor below its characteristic length scales can either enhance or suppress its critical temperature (T-c). Depending on the bulk value of the electron-phonon coupling strength, electronic and phonon confinement effects will play different roles in the modification of T-c. Experimentally disentangling each contribution has remained a challenge. We have measured both the phonon density of states and T-c of Sn nanowires with diameters of 18, 35, and 100 nm in order to quantify the effects of phonon confinement on superconductivity. We observe a shift of the phonon frequency towards the low-energy region and an increase in the electron-phonon coupling constant that can account for the measured increase in T-c.

Abstract: Electro-optical modulators, which use an electric voltage (or an electric field) to modulate a beam of light, are essential elements in present-day telecommunication devices. Using a self-consistent tight-binding approach combined with the standard Kubo formula, we show that the optical conductivity and the linear dichroism of few-layer phosphorene can be modulated by a perpendicular electric field. We find that the field-induced charge screening plays a significant role in modulating the optical conductivity and the linear dichroism. Distinct absorption peaks are induced in the conductivity spectrum due to the strong quantum confinement along the out-of-plane direction and to the field-induced forbidden-to-allowed transitions. The field modulation of the linear dichroism becomes more pronounced with increasing number of phosphorene layers. We also show that the Faraday rotation is present in few-layer phosphorene even in the absence of an external magnetic field. This optical Hall effect is induced by the reduced lattice symmetry of few-layer phosphorene. The Faraday rotation is greatly influenced by the field-induced charge screening and is strongly dependent on the strength of perpendicular electric field and on the number of phosphorene layers.

Abstract: Lithium-rich layered oxides such as Li₂MnO₃have shown great potential as cathodes in Li-ion batteries, mainly because of their large capacities. However, these materials still suffer from structural degradation as the battery is cycled, reducing the average voltage and capacity of the cell. The voltage fade is believed to be related to the migration of transition metals into the lithium layer, linked to the formation of O-O dimers with a short bond length, which in turn is driven by the presence of oxygen holes due to the participation of oxygen in the redox process. We investigate the formation of O-O dimers for partially charged O1-Li₂MnO₃using a first-principles density functional theory approach by calculating the reaction energy and kinetic barriers for dimer formation. Next, we perform similar calculations for partially charged O1-Li₂IrO₃, a Li-rich material for which the voltage fade was not observed during cycling. When we compare the stability of the oxygen framework, we conclude that the formation of O-O dimers is both thermodynamically and kinetically viable for O1-Li_0.5MnO₃. For O1-Li_0.5IrO₃, we observe that the oxygen lattice is much more stable, either returning to its original state when perturbed, or resulting in a structure with an O-O dimer that is much higher in energy. This can be explained by the mixed redox process for Li₂IrO₃, which is also shown from the calculated magnetic moments. The lack of O-O dimer formation in O1-Li_0.5IrO₃provides valuable insight as to why Li₂IrO₃does not demonstrate a voltage fade as the battery is cycled, which can be used to design Li-rich battery cathodes with an improved cycling performance.

Abstract: When slow ions incident on a surface are neutralized, the excess potential energy is passed on to an electron inside the surface, leading to emission of secondary electrons. The microscopic description of this process, as
well as the calculation of the secondary electron yield, is a challenging problem due to its complexity as well
as its sensitivity to surface properties. One of the first quantitative descriptions was articulated in the 1950s by
Hagstrum, who based his calculation on a parametrization of the density of states of the material. In this paper, we
present a model for calculating the secondary electron yield, derived from Hagstrum’s initial approach. We use
first-principles density functional theory calculations to acquire the necessary input and introduce the concept of
electron cascades to Hagstrum’s model in order to improve the calculated spectra, as well as remove its reliance
on fitting parameters. We apply our model to He+ and Ne+ ions incident on Ge(111) and Si(111) and obtain
yield spectra that match closely to the experimental results of Hagstrum.

Abstract: Layered Li-rich oxides, demonstrating both cationic and anionic redox chemistry being used as positive electrodes for Li-ion batteries,have raised interest due to their high specific discharge capacities exceeding 250 mAh/g. However, irreversible structural transformations triggered by anionic redox chemistry result in pronounced voltagefade (i.e., lowering the specific energy by a gradual decay of discharge potential) upon extended galvanostatic cycling. Activating or suppressing oxygen anionic redox through structural stabilization induced by redox-inactivecation substitution is a well-known strategy. However, less emphasishas been put on the correlation between substitution degree and theactivation/suppression of the anionic redox. In this work, Ti4+-substituted Li2MnO3 was synthesizedvia a facile solution-gel method. Ti4+ is selected as adopant as it contains no partially filled d-orbitals. Our study revealedthat the layered “honeycomb-ordered” C2/m structure is preserved when increasing the Ticontent to x = 0.2 in the Li2Mn1-x Ti (x) O-3 solidsolution, as shown by electron diffraction and aberration-correctedscanning transmission electron microscopy. Galvanostatic cycling hintsat a delayed oxygen release, due to an improved reversibility of theanionic redox, during the first 10 charge-discharge cyclesfor the x = 0.2 composition compared to the parentmaterial (x = 0), followed by pronounced oxygen redoxactivity afterward. The latter originates from a low activation energybarrier toward O-O dimer formation and Mn migration in Li2Mn0.8Ti0.2O3, as deducedfrom first-principles molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for the“charged” state. Upon lowering the Ti substitution to x = 0.05, the structural stability was drastically improvedbased on our MD analysis, stressing the importance of carefully optimizingthe substitution degree to achieve the best electrochemical performance.

Abstract: The pyroantimonate pigments Naples yellow and lead tin antimonate yellow are recognized as some of the most stable synthetic yellow pigments in the history of art. However, this exceptional lightfastness is in contrast with experimental evidence suggesting that this class of mixed oxides is of semiconducting nature. In this study the electronic structure and light-induced behavior of the lead pyroantimonate pigments were determined by means of a combined multifaceted analytical and computational approach (photoelectrochemical measurements, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, STEM-EDS, STEM-HAADF, and density functional theory calculations). The results demonstrate both the semiconducting nature and the lightfastness of these pigments. Poor optical absorption and minority carrier mobility are the main properties responsible for the observed stability. In addition, novel fundamental insights into the role played by Na atoms in the stabilization of the otherwise intrinsically unstable Pb2Sb2O7 pyrochlore were obtained.

Abstract: Anatase nanosheets with exposed {001} facets
have gained increasing interest for photocatalytic applications. To
fully understand the structure-to-activity relation, combined
experimental and computational methods have been exploited.
Anatase nanosheets were prepared under hydrothermal conditions
in the presence of fluorine ions. High resolution scanning
transmission electron microscopy was used to fully characterize
the synthesized material, confirming the TiO2 nanosheet
morphology. Moreover, the surface structure and composition
of a single nanosheet could be determined by annular bright-field
scanning transmission electron microscopy (ABF-STEM) and
STEM electron energy loss spectroscopy (STEM-EELS). The photocatalytic activity was tested for the decomposition of organic
dyes rhodamine 6G and methyl orange and compared to a reference TiO2 anatase sample. The anatase nanosheets with exposed
{001} facets revealed a significantly lower photocatalytic activity compared to the reference. In order to understand the
mechanism for the catalytic performance, and to investigate the role of the presence of F−, light-induced electron paramagnetic
resonance (EPR) experiments were performed. The EPR results are in agreement with TEM, proving the presence of Ti3+
species close to the surface of the sample and allowing the analysis of the photoinduced formation of paramagnetic species.
Further, ab initio calculations of the anisotropic effective mass of electrons and electron holes in anatase show a very high effective
mass of electrons in the [001] direction, having a negative impact on the mobility of electrons toward the {001} surface and thus
the photocatalysis. Finally, motivated by the experimental results that indicate the presence of fluorine atoms at the surface, we
performed ab initio calculations to determine the position of the band edges in anatase slabs with different terminations of the
{001} surface. The presence of fluorine atoms near the surface is shown to strongly shift down the band edges, which indicates
another reason why it can be expected that the prepared samples with a large amount of {001} surface, but with fluorine atoms
near the surface, show only a low photocatalytic activity.

Abstract: We report on a first-principles study of the structural and electronic properties of a Sigma3 (112) grain boundary model in CuInSe2. The study focuses on a coherent, stoichiometry preserving, cation–Se terminated grain boundary, addressing the properties of the grain boundary as such, as well as the effect
of well known defects in CuInSe2. We show that in spite of its apparent simplicity, such a grain boundary exhibits a very rich phenomenology, providing an explanation for several of the experimentally observed properties of grain boundaries in CuInSe2 thin films. In particular, we show that the combined effect of Cu vacancies and cation antisites can result in the observed Cu depletion with no In enrichment at the grain boundaries. Furthermore, Cu vacancies are unlikely to produce a hole barrier at the grain boundaries, but Na may indeed have such an effect. We find that Na-on-Cu defects will tend to form abundantly at
the grain boundaries, and can provide a mechanism for the carrier depletion and/or type inversion experimentally reported.

Abstract: We investigate the role of transition metal atoms of group V-b (V, Nb, Ta) and VI-b (Cr, Mo, W) as n- or p-type dopants in anatase TiO$_2$ using thermodynamic
principles and density functional theory with the Heyd-Scuseria-Ernzerhof HSE06 hybrid functional. The HSE06 functional provides a realistic value for the band gap, which ensures a correct classification of dopants as shallow or deep donors or acceptors. Defect formation energies and thermodynamic transition levels are calculated taking into account the constraints imposed by the stability of TiO$_2$ and the solubility limit of the impurities.
Nb, Ta, W and Mo are identified as shallow donors. Although W provides two electrons, Nb and Ta show a considerable lower formation energy, in particular under O-poor conditions. Mo donates in principle one electron, but under specific conditions can turn into a double donor. V impurities are deep donors and Cr
shows up as an amphoteric defect, thereby acting as an electron trapping center in n-type TiO$_2$ especially under O-rich conditions. A comparison with the available experimental data yields excellent agreement.

Abstract: The DFT-1/2 method is a band-gap correction with GW precision at a density functional theory (DFT) computational cost. The method was also extended to correct the gap between defect levels, allowing for the calculation of optical transitions. However, this method fails when the atomic character of the occupied and unoccupied defect levels is similar as we illustrate by two examples, the tetrahedral hydrogen interstitial and the negatively charged vacancy in diamond. We solve this problem by decoupling the effect of the occupied and unoccupied defect levels and call this the decoupled DFT-1/2 method for defects.

Abstract: We discuss positron-annihilation lifetimes for a set of illustrative bulk materials within the framework of the weighted-density approximation (WDA). The WDA can correctly describe electron-positron correlations in strongly inhomogeneous systems, such as surfaces, where the applicability of (semi-)local approximations is limited. We analyze the WDA in detail and show that the electrons which cannot screen external charges efficiently, such as the core electrons, cannot be treated accurately via the pair correlation of the homogeneous electron gas. We discuss how this problem can be addressed by reducing the screening in the homogeneous electron gas by adding terms depending on the gradient of the electron density. Further improvements are obtained when core electrons are treated within the LDA and the valence electron using the WDA. Finally, we discuss a semiempirical WDA-based approach in which a sum rule is imposed to reproduce the experimental lifetimes.

Abstract: Recent studies showed that positron annihilation methods can provide key insights into the nanostructure and electronic structure of thin film solar cells. In this study, positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) is applied to investigate CdSe quantum dot (QD) light absorbing layers, providing evidence of positron trapping at the surfaces of the QDs. This enables one to monitor their surface composition and electronic structure. Further, 2D-Angular Correlation of Annihilation Radiation (2D-ACAR) is used to investigate the nanostructure of divacancies in photovoltaic-high-quality a-Si:H films. The collected momentum distributions were converted by Fourier transformation to the direct space representation of the electron-positron autocorrelation function. The evolution of the size of the divacancies as a function of hydrogen dilution during deposition of a-Si:H thin films was examined. Finally, we present a first positron Doppler Broadening of Annihilation Radiation (DBAR) study of the emerging class of highly efficient thin film solar cells based on perovskites.

Abstract: We present a microscopic study of superconductivity in OsB2 , and discuss the origin and characteristic length
scales of the superconducting state. From first-principles we show that OsB2 is characterized by three different
Fermi sheets, and we prove that this fermiology complies with recent quantum-oscillation experiments. Using the
found microscopic properties, and experimental data from the literature, we employ Ginzburg-Landau relations
to reveal that OsB2 is a distinctly type-I superconductor with a very low Ginzburg-Landau parameter κ—a rare
property among compound materials. We show that the found coherence length and penetration depth corroborate
the measured thermodynamic critical field. Moreover, our calculation of the superconducting gap structure using
anisotropic Eliashberg theory and ab initio calculated electron-phonon interaction as input reveals a single but
anisotropic gap. The calculated gap spectrum is shown to give an excellent account for the unconventional
behavior of the superfluid density of OsB2 measured in experiments as a function of temperature. This reveals
that gap anisotropy can explain such behavior, observed in several compounds, which was previously attributed
solely to a two-gap nature of superconductivity.

Abstract: Recent theoretical and experimental developments in the field of electron-vortex-beam physics have raised questions about what exactly this novelty in the field of electron microscopy (and other fields, such as particle physics) really provides. An important part of the answer to these questions lies in scattering theory. The present investigation explores various aspects of inelastic quantum scattering theory for cylindrically symmetric beams with orbital angular momentum. The model system of Coulomb scattering on a hydrogen atom provides the setting to address various open questions: How is momentum transferred? Do vortex beams selectively excite atoms, and how can one employ vortex beams to detect magnetic transitions? The analytical approach presented here provides answers to these questions. OAM transfer is possible, but not through selective excitation; rather, by pre- and postselection one can filter out the relevant contributions to a specific signal.

Abstract: Cu-based chalcogenides are promising materials for thin-film solar cells with more than 20% measured
cell efficiency. Using first-principles calculations based on density functional theory, the
optoelectronic properties of a group of Cu-based chalcogenides Cu2-II-IV-VI4 is studied. They are
then screened with the aim of identifying potential absorber materials for photovoltaic applications.
The spectroscopic limited maximum efficiency (SLME) introduced by Yu and Zunger [Phys. Rev.
Lett. 108, 068701 (2012)] is used as a metric for the screening. After constructing the currentvoltage
curve, the SLME is calculated from the maximum power output. The role of the nature of
the band gap, direct or indirect, and also of the absorptivity of the studied materials on the maximum
theoretical power conversion efficiency is studied. Our results show that Cu2II-GeSe4 with
II¼ Cd and Hg, and Cu2-II-SnS4 with II ¼ Cd, Hg, and Zn have a higher theoretical efficiency
compared with the materials currently used as absorber layer.