Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 5, 2026

Probe Type II Band Alignment in One-Dimensional Van Der Waals Heterostructures Using First-Principles Calculations
Published on: October 12, 2019
Efficient band gap prediction for solids
1Physics/Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
Abstract:
An efficient method for the prediction of fundamental band gaps in solids using density functional theory (DFT) is proposed. Generalizing the Delta self-consistent-field (ΔSCF) method to infinite solids, the Δ-sol method is based on total-energy differences and derived from dielectric screening properties of electrons. Using local and semilocal exchange-correlation functionals (local density and generalized gradient approximations), we demonstrate a 70% reduction of mean absolute errors compared to Kohn-Sham gaps on over 100 compounds with experimental gaps of 0.5-4 eV, at computational costs similar to typical DFT calculations.
More Related Videos
10:35Using Microwave and Macroscopic Samples of Dielectric Solids to Study the Photonic Properties of Disordered Photonic Bandgap Materials
Published on: September 26, 2014
08:04Excitonic Hamiltonians for Calculating Optical Absorption Spectra and Optoelectronic Properties of Molecular Aggregates and Solids
Published on: May 27, 2020
Related Concept Videos
Band Theory
The energy difference between these bands is known as the band gap.
Conductor, Semiconductor,...
Energy Bands in Solids
Band Formation:
When atoms are brought close together, as in a solid, these discrete energy levels begin to split due to the overlap of electron orbitals from adjacent atoms. This split occurs because of the Pauli exclusion principle, which states that no two...
Semiconductors
Metals such as copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), or lead (Pb) have low resistivity and feature conduction bands that are either not fully occupied or overlap with the valence band, making a bandgap non-existent. This allows electrons in the highest energy levels of the valence band to easily transition to the conduction band upon gaining...
Fermi Level Dynamics
Electron affinity in semiconductors refers to the energy gap between the minimum of its conduction band and the vacuum level and it is a critical parameter in determining how easily a semiconductor can accept additional electrons.
The work...
Fermi Level
At absolute zero temperature, electrons fill all energy states up to the Fermi level, leaving upper states empty. As the temperature rises,...
Molecular and Ionic Solids
Molecular Solids
Molecular crystalline solids, such as ice, sucrose (table sugar), and iodine, are solids that are composed of neutral molecules as their constituent units. These molecules are held together by weak intermolecular forces such as London dispersion forces, dipole-dipole interactions, or hydrogen bonds, which...