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Main Authors: Lei, Ming, Abate, Iwnetim I.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.02054
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author Lei, Ming
Abate, Iwnetim I.
author_facet Lei, Ming
Abate, Iwnetim I.
contents Polarons are quasiparticles that arise from the coupling of electrons or holes with ionic vibrations in polarizable materials. Typically, they are either localized at a single atomic site or delocalized over multiple sites. However, after the desodiation of Na$_{2}$Mn$_{3}$O$_{7}$, we identify a rare split-hole polaron, where a single hole is shared between two adjacent oxygen atoms rather than fully localized or delocalized. We present a density functional theory (DFT) study on the migration and transport properties of these oxygen hole polarons in NaMn$_{3}$O$_{7}$ and Na$_{1.5}$Mn$_{3}$O$_{7}$. Our calculations reveal that the split polaron configuration near a sodium vacancy is the ground state, while the localized polaron acts as the transition state. Migration occurs via a stepwise charge transfer mechanism along the $b$-axis, where the split-hole polaron transitions through a localized hole state. This transport behavior closely resembles the Grotthuss mechanism, which describes proton transport in H$_{2}$O. We compute the polaron mobility as $μ$ = 1.37 $\times$ 10$^{-5}$ cm$^2$/(V$\cdot$s) with an energy barrier of 242 meV. Using the Mulliken-Hush theory, we determine the electronic coupling parameter $V_{AB}$ = 0.87 eV. A similar migration mechanism is observed in Na$_{1.5}$Mn$_{3}$O$_{7}$, where the split polaron remains more stable than in the localized state. This study provides the first theoretical investigation of split-hole polaron migration, offering new insights into the charge transport of exotic polaronic species in materials with implications for a wide range of functional materials including battery cathodes, thermoelectrics, photocatalysts, and next-generation optoelectronic devices.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2504_02054
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Grotthuss-type oxygen hole polaron transport in desodiated Na$_{2}$Mn$_3$O$_7$
Lei, Ming
Abate, Iwnetim I.
Materials Science
Polarons are quasiparticles that arise from the coupling of electrons or holes with ionic vibrations in polarizable materials. Typically, they are either localized at a single atomic site or delocalized over multiple sites. However, after the desodiation of Na$_{2}$Mn$_{3}$O$_{7}$, we identify a rare split-hole polaron, where a single hole is shared between two adjacent oxygen atoms rather than fully localized or delocalized. We present a density functional theory (DFT) study on the migration and transport properties of these oxygen hole polarons in NaMn$_{3}$O$_{7}$ and Na$_{1.5}$Mn$_{3}$O$_{7}$. Our calculations reveal that the split polaron configuration near a sodium vacancy is the ground state, while the localized polaron acts as the transition state. Migration occurs via a stepwise charge transfer mechanism along the $b$-axis, where the split-hole polaron transitions through a localized hole state. This transport behavior closely resembles the Grotthuss mechanism, which describes proton transport in H$_{2}$O. We compute the polaron mobility as $μ$ = 1.37 $\times$ 10$^{-5}$ cm$^2$/(V$\cdot$s) with an energy barrier of 242 meV. Using the Mulliken-Hush theory, we determine the electronic coupling parameter $V_{AB}$ = 0.87 eV. A similar migration mechanism is observed in Na$_{1.5}$Mn$_{3}$O$_{7}$, where the split polaron remains more stable than in the localized state. This study provides the first theoretical investigation of split-hole polaron migration, offering new insights into the charge transport of exotic polaronic species in materials with implications for a wide range of functional materials including battery cathodes, thermoelectrics, photocatalysts, and next-generation optoelectronic devices.
title Grotthuss-type oxygen hole polaron transport in desodiated Na$_{2}$Mn$_3$O$_7$
topic Materials Science
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.02054