The ground state structure and properties of FeGe n0/- (n=4-16) clusters were studied by using global search technique combined with density functional theory (TPSSh). The results show that the anion cluster growth mode is: when n ≤8, it is a substituent structure; when n=9, the cluster forms a half cage structure; when n≥10, it is a cage structure. The growth mode of neutral clusters is the same as that of anionic clusters. Based on the determination of the ground state structure, the photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) of the anion cluster FeGe n- (n=4-16) was further simulated, and the average bond energy (Eb ), the second order energy difference (Δ2E), the HOMO-LUMO energy gap (Egap), and the natural layout analysis (NPA) of the cluster were calculated. The results show that FeGe10 and FeGe15-clusters have excellent thermodynamic stability and chemical stability, which can be used as the most appropriate units of new nano functional materials.
团簇作为物质结构的新层次,得到了科学家们广泛的关注和深入的研究。人们发现团簇在纳米技术应用中有重要的作用[1-2],与块状材料相比,纳米材料具有独特的尺寸和性能,使其适合应用于医药、化学、环境、能源、农业、信息和通信、重工业和消费品等各个领域[3-4]。因此,探索以团簇作为基元的新型纳米材料成为了团簇领域的研究热点,尤其是关于过渡金属掺杂锗团簇的研究。近年来已有研究人员对过渡金属掺杂锗团簇进行了较多的理论和实验研究。Anis等[5]使用B3LYP、TPSS方法研究了GeB n 和Ge2B n (n=10-20)的几何结构和电子性质,通过计算研究表明GeB20和Ge2B16具有非常好的稳定性。Atobe等[6]研究了TMGe n (TM=Sc, Ti, V, Y, Zr, Nb, Hf, Ta, 8≤n≤20)团簇在波长213 nm下的阴离子光电子能谱(PES),并报道了它们的电子亲和能和几何结构,以及对H2O的吸附反应来考察团簇的几何稳定性。Deng等[7,9-11]及文献[8]和文献[12]使用阴离子光电子能谱结合B3PW91/6~311+G(D)方法研究了过渡金属掺杂锗团簇TMGe n (TM=Ti, V, Fe, Co, Ru, Au, Mn, 2≤n≤14)的几何结构,并报道了电子亲和能等电子性质。研究表明,通过掺杂不同的过渡金属原子可以改变Ge n 团簇的磁性。Zhao等[13]、Jing等[14]和Zhao等[15]使用广义梯度近似(GGA)方法结合d-极化函数(DND)双数值基组研究TMGe n (TM=Co, Fe, Mn, 1≤n≤16)的结构和性质。研究表明,它们的结构演变模式取决于所掺杂过渡金属原子的性质,而且它们的磁矩主要来自过渡金属原子的未配对3d电子,掺杂Fe原子可以提高锗团簇的稳定性。电子布局分析表明电荷总是从Fe原子向Ge原子转移,在尺寸n=10-12,16时,FeGe n 中的Fe原子的磁性并没有猝灭[16]。Kapila等[17-18]使用自旋极化的密度泛函理论研究TMGe n (TM=Mn, Co, Ni, Cr, n=1-13)的结构生长模式和磁性等,发现CrGe n 在n=1-13和NiGe n 在n=2,4和8时磁矩没有淬灭。Tran等[19]等使用密度泛函理论和多组态CASSCF/CASPT2等方法研究了FeGe n-/0(n=1-3)团簇的激发态和电子结构,结果表明Fe的双壳层效应对于获得可靠的低位电子态的相对能级是很重要的,Fe的4d轨道包含在活性空间中。Liang等[20]对双铁原子掺杂锗团簇Fe2Ge n0/-(n=3-12)进行了研究,研究表明较小尺寸的Fe2Ge n-(n=3-8)团簇采用双棱锥型几何构型,而较大尺寸的团簇(n≥9)是内部只有1个Fe原子的多面体笼状结构。
为了分析FeGe n0/-(n=4-16)团簇的稳定性,在TPSSh方法下对团簇的平均键能(Average Binding Energy, Eb )和二阶能量差分(Second Order Energy Difference, ∆2E)进行了分析。平均键能(ABE)反应的是在团簇之间相对稳定性的关系,平均键能越高,团簇的热力学性质越稳定。二阶能量差分(∆2E)反映了1个团簇与其直接相邻2个团簇之间的相对稳定性。(∆2E)值越高,相对应团簇相对稳定性越高。平均键能(ABE)和二阶能量差分(∆2E)的计算公式如下:
绝热电子亲和能(Adiabatic Electron Affinity,AEA)是中性分子和阴离子都处于各自的优化平衡几何电子组态时的总能量之差,垂直电子解离能(Vertical Detachment Energy of the Anion,VDE)是阴离子瞬时失去1个电子所需要的能量,此时,阴离子和中性分子都处于阴离子优化平衡几何时的电子组态理论。
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