The band alignment of Mg(OH)2-based heterostructures is investigated based on first-principles calculation. (111)-MgO/(0001)-Mg(OH)2 and (0001)-wurtzite ZnO/(0001)-Mg(OH)2 heterostructures are considered. The O 2s level energy is obtained for each O atom in the heterostructure supercell, and the band edge energies are evaluated following the procedure of the core-level spectroscopy. The calculation is based on the generalized gradient approximation with the on-site Coulomb interaction parameter U considered for Zn. For MgO/Mg(OH)2, the band alignment is of type II, and the valence band edge of MgO is higher by 1.6 eV than that of Mg(OH)2. For ZnO/Mg(OH)2, the band alignment is of type I, and the valence band edge of ZnO is higher by 0.5 eV than that of Mg(OH)2. Assuming the transitivity rule, it is expected that Mg(OH)2 can be used for certain types of heterostructure solar cells and dye-sensitized solar cells to improve the performance.
AbstractMany novel materials are being actively considered for quantum information science and for realizing high-performance qubit operation at room temperature. It is known that deep defects in wide-band gap semiconductors can have spin states and long coherence times suitable for qubit operation. We theoretically investigate from ab-initio density functional theory (DFT) that the defect states in the hexagonal silicon carbide (4H-SiC) are potential qubit materials. The DFT supercell calculations were performed with the local-orbital and pseudopotential methods including hybrid exchange-correlation functionals. Di-vacancies in SiC supercells yielded defect levels in the gap consisting of closely spaced doublet just above the valence band edge, and higher levels in the band gap. The divacancy with a spin state of 1 is charge neutral. The divacancy is characterized by C-dangling bonds and a Si-dangling bonds. Jahn-teller distortions and formation energies as a function of the Fermi level and single photon interactions with these defect levels will be discussed. In contrast, the anti-site defects where C, Si are interchanged have high formation energies of 5.4 eV and have just a single shallow defect level close to the valence band edge, with no spin. We will compare results including the defect levels from both the electronic structure approaches.
It's highly desired to design an effective Z-scheme photocatalyst with excellent charge transfer and separation, a more negative conduction band edge (ECB) than O2/·O2− (−0.33 eV) and a more positive valence band edge (EVB) than ·OH/OH− (+2.27 eV).
ABSTRACTThe paper reviews the electronic properties of defects in amorphous silicon nitride (a-Si3N4) and the hydrogenated alloys a-SiNx:H. The main defects in a-Si3N4 are the Si and N dangling bonds (DBs). The Si DB forms a sp3 state near midgap, while the N DB forms a highly localized pπ level just above the valence band edge. The behaviour of the alloys changes near x ≈ 1.1, the percolation threshold of Si-Si bonds. In the Si-rich alloys, both band edges are Si-like, only Si DBs are seen and their density is controlled by equilibration with weak Si-Si bonds. The x>1.1 alloys behave like silicon nitride; the valence band changes towards N pπ-like, both Si and N DBs can arise, the Si DB can have a high density and prefers to be in its charged diamagnetic configurations.
Calculation of Band Offsets of Mg(OH)2-Based Heterostructures