Crystal Structure Prediction and Phase Stability in Highly Anharmonic Silver-Based Chalcohalide Anti-Perovskites

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Main Authors: Benítez, Pol, López, Cibrán, Liu, Cong, Caño, Ivan, Tamarit, Josep Lluís, Saucedo, Edgardo, Cazorla, Claudio
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Benítez, Pol
López, Cibrán
Liu, Cong
Caño, Ivan
Tamarit, Josep Lluís
Saucedo, Edgardo
Cazorla, Claudio
author_facet Benítez, Pol
López, Cibrán
Liu, Cong
Caño, Ivan
Tamarit, Josep Lluís
Saucedo, Edgardo
Cazorla, Claudio
contents Silver-based chalcohalide anti-perovskites (CAP), Ag$_{3}$BC (B = S, Se; C = Cl, Br, I), represent an emerging family of energy materials with intriguing optoelectronic, vibrational and ionic transport properties. However, the structural features and phase stability of CAP remain poorly investigated to date, hindering their fundamental understanding and potential integration into technological applications. Here we employ theoretical first-principles methods based on density functional theory to fill this knowledge gap. Through crystal structure prediction techniques, ab initio molecular dynamics simulations, and quasi-harmonic free energy calculations, we unveil a series of previously overlooked energetically competitive phases and temperature-induced phase transitions for all CAP. Specifically, we identify a new cubic $P2_{1}3$ structure as the stable phase of all CAP containing S both at zero temperature and $T \neq 0$ K conditions. Consequently, our calculations suggest that the cubic $Pm\overline{3}m$ phase identified in room-temperature X-ray diffraction experiments is likely to be metastable. Furthermore, for CAP containing Se, we propose different orthorhombic ($Pca2_{1}$ and $P2_{1}2_{1}2_{1}$) and cubic ($I2_{1}3$) structures as the ground-state phases and reveal several phase transformations induced by temperature. This theoretical investigation not only identifies new candidate ground-state phases and solid-solid phase transformations for all CAP but also provides insights into potential stability issues affecting these highly anharmonic superionic materials.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2406_04966
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Crystal Structure Prediction and Phase Stability in Highly Anharmonic Silver-Based Chalcohalide Anti-Perovskites
Benítez, Pol
López, Cibrán
Liu, Cong
Caño, Ivan
Tamarit, Josep Lluís
Saucedo, Edgardo
Cazorla, Claudio
Materials Science
Silver-based chalcohalide anti-perovskites (CAP), Ag$_{3}$BC (B = S, Se; C = Cl, Br, I), represent an emerging family of energy materials with intriguing optoelectronic, vibrational and ionic transport properties. However, the structural features and phase stability of CAP remain poorly investigated to date, hindering their fundamental understanding and potential integration into technological applications. Here we employ theoretical first-principles methods based on density functional theory to fill this knowledge gap. Through crystal structure prediction techniques, ab initio molecular dynamics simulations, and quasi-harmonic free energy calculations, we unveil a series of previously overlooked energetically competitive phases and temperature-induced phase transitions for all CAP. Specifically, we identify a new cubic $P2_{1}3$ structure as the stable phase of all CAP containing S both at zero temperature and $T \neq 0$ K conditions. Consequently, our calculations suggest that the cubic $Pm\overline{3}m$ phase identified in room-temperature X-ray diffraction experiments is likely to be metastable. Furthermore, for CAP containing Se, we propose different orthorhombic ($Pca2_{1}$ and $P2_{1}2_{1}2_{1}$) and cubic ($I2_{1}3$) structures as the ground-state phases and reveal several phase transformations induced by temperature. This theoretical investigation not only identifies new candidate ground-state phases and solid-solid phase transformations for all CAP but also provides insights into potential stability issues affecting these highly anharmonic superionic materials.
title Crystal Structure Prediction and Phase Stability in Highly Anharmonic Silver-Based Chalcohalide Anti-Perovskites
topic Materials Science
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2406.04966