Communication: a density functional investigation of structure-property evolution in the tetrakis hexahedral C4Al14
Benjamin J Irving1, Fedor Y Naumkin1
1Faculty of Science, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, 2000 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, Ontario L1H 7K4, Canada.
Abstract:
Nanoclusters are prime objects of study in modern nanotechnology and offer a variety of applications promoted by their properties tunable by size, shape, and composition. DFT calculations are employed to analyze structure, stability, and selected electronic properties of a core-shell C4Al14 species. With insertion of the carbon core, the original low-symmetry aluminum cluster is predicted to undergo a considerable reshaping and acquire a striking D4h tetrakis-hexahedral geometry, with proportions controlled by a near-degenerate spin state or charge. The system also becomes more stable to dissociation. Surprisingly, other properties such as ionisation energy and electron affinity do not change significantly, although still exhibit some interesting features including opposite variations for vertical and adiabatic values. The stability and property evolutions are analyzed in terms of contributions from reshaping of the shell and its further interaction with the core. The system thus has potential applications as a symmetric building unit and a molecular device for nano-electronics/spintronics.
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