Computational study of antiferromagnetic and mixed-valent diamagnetic phase of AgF2: crystal, electronic and phonon structure and p-T phase diagram

Abstract

Crystal and electronic structure, lattice dynamics and thermodynamic stability of little known mixed valent diamagnetic AgIAgIIIF4 beta form of AgF2 is thoroughly examined for the first time and compared with well known antiferromagnetic AgIIF2 alpha form within the framework of Density Functional Theory based methods, phonon direct method and quasiharmonic approximation. Computed equations of state, bulk moduli, electronic densities of states, electronic and phonon band structures including analysis of optically active modes and p T phase diagram of the alpha/beta system are presented. This study demonstrates that alpha is thermodynamically preferred over beta at all temperatures and pressures of its existance but simultaneously beta is dynamically stable in much broader pressure range. The beta phase is discussed in broader context of isostructural ternary metal fluorides and isolectronic oxides including NaCuO2, the reference compound for existence of CuIII species in high temperature oxocuprate superconductors.