Pressure induced tetragonal to monoclinic transition in RbN{sub 3} studied from first principles theory
- Advanced Centre of Research in High Energy Materials (ACRHEM), University of Hyderabad, Prof. C. R. Rao Road, Gachibowli, Hyderabad-500046 (India)
Alkali metal azides are well known for their application as explosives and gas generators. They are used as precursors in synthesis of polymeric nitrogen, an ultimate green high energy density material. Among the alkali metal azides, rubidium azide RbN{sub 3} crystallizes in tetragonal structure with linear azide ions arranged in layers and binds through weak dispersive interactions. In this present work, we have studied the structural stability, electronic structure and optical properties of solid RbN{sub 3} by using van der Waals corrected density functional theory. We find that the ambient tetragonal structure undergoes a structural transition to monoclinic structure at 0.72 GPa, which is in good agreement with the experimental transition pressure of less than 1 GPa. The phonon frequencies at the gamma point are calculated and found that the lattice mode Eg softens under pressure which may supports the structural phase transition. The electronic band structure and optical properties are calculated by using Tran Blaha-modified Becke Johnson (TB-mBJ) functional and found that solid RbN{sub 3} is an insulator with a gap of 5.976 eV and the optical absorption starts with the UV light of wave length 207.5 nm.
- OSTI ID:
- 22269523
- Journal Information:
- AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1591, Issue 1; Conference: 58. DAE solid state physics symposium 2013, Patiala, Punjab (India), 17-21 Dec 2013; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0094-243X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
AZIDES
DENSITY FUNCTIONAL METHOD
ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE
ENERGY DENSITY
ENERGY GAP
MONOCLINIC LATTICES
NITRIDES
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHASE STABILITY
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PHONONS
PRESSURE DEPENDENCE
PRESSURE RANGE GIGA PA
RUBIDIUM COMPOUNDS
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION