Issue 37, 2017

First-principles calculations of oxygen interstitials in corundum: a site symmetry approach

Abstract

Using site symmetry analysis, four possible positions of interstitial oxygen atoms in the α-Al2O3 hexagonal structure have been identified and studied. First principles hybrid functional calculations of the relevant atomic and electronic structures for interstitial Oi atom insertion in these positions reveal differences in energies of ∼1.5 eV. This approach allows us to get the lowest energy configuration, avoiding time-consuming calculations. It is shown that the triplet oxygen atom is barrierless displaced towards the nearest regular oxygen ion, forming a singlet dumbbell (split interstitial) configuration with an energy gain of ∼2.5 eV. The charge and spatial structure of the dumbbell is discussed. Our results are important, in particular, for understanding the radiation properties and stability of α-Al2O3 and other oxide crystals.

Graphical abstract: First-principles calculations of oxygen interstitials in corundum: a site symmetry approach

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
15 Jun 2017
Accepted
30 Aug 2017
First published
11 Sep 2017

Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2017,19, 25245-25251

First-principles calculations of oxygen interstitials in corundum: a site symmetry approach

R. A. Evarestov, A. Platonenko, D. Gryaznov, Y. F. Zhukovskii and E. A. Kotomin, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2017, 19, 25245 DOI: 10.1039/C7CP04045H

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements