J. Appl. Cryst.の発刊に際して

: The unpolarized absorption and circular dichroism spectra of the fundamental vibrational transitions of the chiral molecule, 4-methyl-2-oxetanone, are calculated ab initio. Harmonic force fields are obtained using Density Functional Theory (DFT), MP2, and SCF methodologies and a 5S4P2D/3S2P (TZ2P) basis set. DFT calculations use the Local Spin Density Approximation (LSDA), BLYP, and Becke3LYP (B3LYP) density functionals. Mid-IR spectra predicted using LSDA, BLYP, and B3LYP force fields are of significantly different quality, the B3LYP force field yielding spectra in clearly superior, and overall excellent, agreement with experiment. The MP2 force field yields spectra in slightly worse agreement with experiment than the B3LYP force field. The SCF force field yields spectra in poor agreement with experiment.The basis set dependence of B3LYP force fields is also explored: the 6-31G* and TZ2P basis sets give very similar results while the 3-21G basis set yields spectra in substantially worse agreements with experiment. jg

Ab initio calculation of vibrational absorption and circular dichroism spectra using density functional force fields

The latest release of the Crystal program for solid-state quantum-mechanical ab initio simulations is presented. The program adopts atom-centered Gaussian-type functions as a basis set, which makes it possible to perform all-electron as well as pseudopotential calculations. Systems of any periodicity can be treated at the same level of accuracy (from 0D molecules, clusters and nanocrystals, to 1D polymers, helices, nanorods, and nanotubes, to 2D monolayers and slab models for surfaces, to actual 3D bulk crystals), without any artificial repetition along nonperiodic directions for 0–2D systems. Density functional theory calculations can be performed with a variety of functionals belonging to several classes: local-density (LDA), generalized-gradient (GGA), meta-GGA, global hybrid, range-separated hybrid, and self-consistent system-specific hybrid. In particular, hybrid functionals can be used at a modest computational cost, comparable to that of pure LDA and GGA formulations, because of the efficient implementation of exact nonlocal Fock exchange. Both translational and point-symmetry features are fully exploited at all steps of the calculation, thus drastically reducing the corresponding computational cost. The various properties computed encompass electronic structure (including magnetic spin-polarized open-shell systems, electron density analysis), geometry (including full or constrained optimization, transition-state search), vibrational properties (frequencies, infrared and Raman intensities, phonon density of states), thermal properties (quasi-harmonic approximation), linear and nonlinear optical properties (static and dynamic [hyper]polarizabilities), strain properties (elasticity, piezoelectricity, photoelasticity), electron transport properties (Boltzmann, transport across nanojunctions), as well as X-ray and inelastic neutron spectra. The program is distributed in serial, parallel, and massively parallel versions. In this paper, the original developments that have been devised and implemented in the last 4 years (since the distribution of the previous public version, Crystal14, occurred in December 2013) are described.

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Quantum-mechanical condensed matter simulations with CRYSTAL

Mean-field electronic structure methods like Hartree–Fock, semilocal density functional approximations, or semiempirical molecular orbital (MO) theories do not account for long-range electron correlation (London dispersion interaction). Inclusion of these effects is mandatory for realistic calculations on large or condensed chemical systems and for various intramolecular phenomena (thermochemistry). This Review describes the recent developments (including some historical aspects) of dispersion corrections with an emphasis on methods that can be employed routinely with reasonable accuracy in large-scale applications. The most prominent correction schemes are classified into three groups: (i) nonlocal, density-based functionals, (ii) semiclassical C6-based, and (iii) one-electron effective potentials. The properties as well as pros and cons of these methods are critically discussed, and typical examples and benchmarks on molecular complexes and crystals are provided. Although there are some areas for furthe...

Dispersion-Corrected Mean-Field Electronic Structure Methods.

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is a gas species that plays an important role in certain industrial, farming, and healthcare sectors. However, there are still significant challenges for NO2 sensing at low detection limits, especially in the presence of other interfering gases. The NO2 selectivity of current gas-sensing technologies is significantly traded-off with their sensitivity and reversibility as well as fabrication and operating costs. In this work, we present an important progress for selective and reversible NO2 sensing by demonstrating an economical sensing platform based on the charge transfer between physisorbed NO2 gas molecules and two-dimensional (2D) tin disulfide (SnS2) flakes at low operating temperatures. The device shows high sensitivity and superior selectivity to NO2 at operating temperatures of less than 160 °C, which are well below those of chemisorptive and ion conductive NO2 sensors with much poorer selectivity. At the same time, excellent reversibility of the sensor is demonstrated, which has rarely been observed in other 2D material counterparts. Such impressive features originate from the planar morphology of 2D SnS2 as well as unique physical affinity and favorable electronic band positions of this material that facilitate the NO2 physisorption and charge transfer at parts per billion levels. The 2D SnS2-based sensor provides a real solution for low-cost and selective NO2 gas sensing.

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Physisorption-Based Charge Transfer in Two-Dimensional SnS2 for Selective and Reversible NO2 Gas Sensing

Consistent basis sets of triple-zeta valence with polarization quality for main group elements and transition metals from row one to three have been derived for periodic quantum-chemical solid-state calculations with the crystalline-orbital program CRYSTAL. They are based on the def2-TZVP basis sets developed for molecules by the Ahlrichs group. Orbital exponents and contraction coefficients have been modified and reoptimized, to provide robust and stable self-consistant field (SCF) convergence for a wide range of different compounds. We compare results on crystal structures, cohesive energies, and solid-state reaction enthalpies with the modified basis sets, denoted as pob-TZVP, with selected standard basis sets available from the CRYSTAL basis set database. The average deviation of calculated lattice parameters obtained with a selected density functional, the hybrid method PW1PW, from experimental reference is smaller with pob-TZVP than with standard basis sets, in particular for metallic systems. The effects of basis set expansion by diffuse and polarization functions were investigated for selected systems.

Consistent Gaussian basis sets of triple-zeta valence with polarization quality for solid-state calculations.

Revised versions of our published pob-TZVP [Peintinger, M. F.; Oliveira, D. V. and Bredow, T., J. Comput. Chem., 2013, 34 (6), 451-459.] and unpublished pob-DZVP basis sets, denoted as pob-TZVP-rev2 and pob-DZVP-rev2, have been derived for the elements HBr. It was observed that the pob basis sets suffer from the basis set superposition error (BSSE). In order to reduce this effect, we took into account the counterpoise energy of hydride dimers as an additional parameter in the basis set optimization. The overall performance, portability, and SCF stability of the resulting rev2 basis sets are significantly improved compared to the original pob basis sets. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

BSSE-correction scheme for consistent gaussian basis sets of double- and triple-zeta valence with polarization quality for solid-state calculations.

We extend the previously developed geometrical correction for the inter- and intramolecular basis set superposition error (gCP) to periodic density functional theory (DFT) calculations. We report g...

Geometrical correction for the inter- and intramolecular basis set superposition error in periodic density functional theory calculations.

A recently developed empirical dispersion correction (Grimme et al., J. Chem. Phys. 2010, 132, 154104) to standard density functional theory (DFT-D3) is implemented in the plane-wave program package VASP. The DFT-D3 implementation is compared with an implementation of the earlier DFT-D2 version (Grimme, J. Comput. Chem. 2004, 25, 1463; Grimme, J. Comput. Chem. 2006, 27, 1787). Summation of empirical pair potential terms is performed over all atom pairs in the reference cell and over atoms in shells of neighboring cells until convergence of the dispersion energy is obtained. For DFT-D3, the definition of coordination numbers has to be modified with respect to the molecular version to ensure convergence. The effect of three-center terms as implemented in the original molecular DFT-D3 version is investigated. The empirical parameters are taken from the original DFT-D3 version where they had been optimized for a reference set of small molecules. As the coordination numbers of atoms in bulk and surfaces are much larger than in the reference compounds, this effect has to be discussed. The results of test calculations for bulk properties of metals, metal oxides, benzene, and graphite indicate that the original parameters are also suitable for solid-state systems. In particular, the interlayer distance in bulk graphite and lattice constants of molecular crystals is considerably improved over standard functionals. With the molecular standard parameters (Grimme et al., J. Chem. Phys. 2010, 132, 154104; Grimme, J. Comput. Chem. 2006, 27, 1787) a slight overbinding is observed for ionic oxides where dispersion should not contribute to the bond. For simple adsorbate systems, such as Xe atoms and benzene on Ag(111), the DFT-D implementations reproduce experimental results with a similar accuracy as more sophisticated approaches based on perturbation theory (Rohlfing and Bredow, Phys. Rev. Lett. 2008, 101, 266106).

Implementation of Empirical Dispersion Corrections to Density Functional Theory for Periodic Systems

The structure, electronic properties and relative stability of seven thermodynamically stable, meta-stable and high-pressure alumina polymorphs as well as the structure and relative stability of four aluminum hydroxides were calculated with periodic hybrid density functional theory calculations and compared with available experimental data. For a number of polymorphs several structure models that are discussed in the literature were compared in terms of their agreement with structural data and stability. In order to compare oxides and hydroxides the energies and heats of atomization of the latter were corrected by the reaction energy with water. The following overall energetic order was obtained: gibbsite < bayerite < boehmite < akdalaite < α-Al2O3 < κ-Al2O3 < θ-Al2O3 < δ-Al2O3 < γ-Al2O3 < η-Al2O3 < ι-Al2O3.

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Michael F. Peintinger

Papers

Consistent Gaussian basis sets of triple-zeta valence with polarization quality for solid-state calculations.

BSSE-correction scheme for consistent gaussian basis sets of double- and triple-zeta valence with polarization quality for solid-state calculations.

Geometrical correction for the inter- and intramolecular basis set superposition error in periodic density functional theory calculations.

Implementation of Empirical Dispersion Corrections to Density Functional Theory for Periodic Systems

Quantum-chemical study of stable, meta-stable and high-pressure alumina polymorphs and aluminum hydroxides