arXiv subjects

Anh T. Ngo

Publications and source records attributed to Anh T. Ngo.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Solvation Restructuring Accelerates Early SEI Nucleation in Lithium Metal Batteries

The development of high-energy-density lithium metal batteries is limited by electrolyte instability and the poorly understood onset of solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation. Here, we use AIMD-trained Deep Potential molecular dynamics to link electrolyte solvation structure to early SEI nucleation in \ce{LiTFSI}/DMC electrolytes. Increasing \ce{LiTFSI} concentration drives the electrolyte from solvent-separated ion pairs toward contact ion pairs and aggregates, with \SI{3.5}{M} showing the strongest anion coordination. This anion-rich environment promotes earlier interfacial Li--F/Li--O bond formation, faster consumption of intact \ce{TFSI-} and solvent, and a denser, LiF/Li$_2$O-rich nascent interphase, in contrast to the more organic-laden, phosphorus/fluorine-based interphase formed by a \SI{1}{M} \ce{LiPF6} reference electrolyte. These results show that bulk solvation architecture biases both the timing and chemistry of early SEI formation and suggest solvation control as a design handle for Li-metal electrolytes.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2026

Revealing Short- and Long-range Li-ion diffusion in Li$_2$MnO$_3$ from finite-temperature dynamical mean field theory

Li$_2$MnO$_3$ is a key component of Li-excess layered cathodes of the form $(1-x),\mathrm{LiMO_2} + x,\mathrm{Li_2MnO_3}$ ($M$ = Mn, Ni, Co, \dots), yet its role in setting Li-ion transport limitations remains under debate. Here we combine DFT+$U$, finite-temperature DFT+DMFT with a continuous-time quantum Monte Carlo impurity solver, and nudged-elastic-band (NEB) calculations to study Li$^{+}$ migration in paramagnetic Li$_2$MnO$_3$ in the presence of a single Li vacancy. Evaluating DMFT total energies along the DFT+$U$ NEB geometries reveals that dynamical correlations strongly renormalize the lowest-barrier processes, reducing the activation energies to $E_a = 0.18$ eV for the shortest-range hop and $E_a = 0.50$ eV for the next-lowest (transport-controlling) step. The 0.18 eV barrier quantitatively reproduces the short-range activation energy from $μ^{+}$SR, while the 0.50 eV barrier is consistent with the long-range transport scale extracted from ac-impedance measurements. This single-vacancy, paramagnetic DMFT description thus provides a unified interpretation of local and macroscopic probes without invoking clustered vacancy configurations or strong extrinsic disorder, consistent with nearly stoichiometric Li$_2$MnO$_3$ powders. More broadly, our results highlight finite-temperature dynamical correlations as an essential ingredient for predicting ionic migration energetics in correlated oxide electrodes.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2026

Atomic-Scale Mechanisms of Li-Ion Transport Mediated by Li10GeP2S12 in Composite Solid Polyethylene Oxide Electrolytes

Polymer electrolytes incorporating Li$_{10}$GeP$_{2}$S$_{12}$ (LGPS) nanoparticles show promise for solid-state lithium batteries owing to their enhanced ionic conductivity, though the governing mechanisms remain unclear. We combine molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, experimental ionic conductivity measurements, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations to elucidate the effect of LGPS loading on polyethylene oxide (PEO) structure and Li-ion transport. MD and experimental results agree up to 10\% LGPS, showing a volcano-shaped conductivity trend driven by polymer segmental dynamics and interfacial effects. Beyond 10\%, experiments reveal additional conductivity enhancement unexplained by MD, suggesting a distinct transport regime. DFT calculations indicate that Li-ion migration at the PEO|LGPS interface proceeds via vacancy-mediated hopping, with low barriers favored by S-rich interfacial sites and hindered by Ge. These findings link interfacial chemistry and microstructure to Li-ion dynamics, offering guidelines for designing high-performance composite polymer electrolytes.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2025

Ionic Interdiffusion at Cathode-Solid-Electrolyte Interface: A Machine Learning-Assisted Multiscale Investigation and Mitigation Strategies

Future lithium-based batteries are expected to use solid electrolytes to achieve higher energy density and fast charge capabilities. The majority of solid electrolytes are thermodynamically unstable against layered oxide cathodes. Here, the stability of LiCoO2 (LCO) cathode with Li10GeP2S12 (LGPS) solid electrolyte is investigated using ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) and machine learning molecular dynamics (MLMD). The propensity of ionic interdiffusion, formation of a passivation layer, and corresponding decay in cell performance is addressed using a continuum model. The large-scale MLMD simulations confirm that the LCO|LGPS interface permits interdiffusion of Co and other ionic species, leading to the formation and growth of a resistive interphase and dramatic capacity fade even in the first cycle. We then examine the literature evidence that incorporating a thin layer of LiNb0.5Ta0.5O3 (LNTO) between LCO and LGPS prevents the interdiffusion of ions. Atomistic simulations suggest that the substitution of Li in LNTO with Co is not thermodynamically favorable, which helps to minimize the ionic interdiffusion process. The stable Nb/Ta5+ states form a rigid metal-oxide framework, which consequently also prevents the substitution of Nb/Ta. However, continuum level analysis suggests that due to the higher mechanical stiffness of LNTO, interfacial delamination between the LCO and LNTO is possible, which can minimize the effectiveness of the protective layer. This paper suggests the need for the development of novel interlayers that balance low interdiffusion with low stiffness.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2025

Unveiling the Lithium-Ion Transport Mechanism in Li2ZrCl6 Solid-State Electrolyte via Deep Learning-Accelerated Molecular Dynamics Simulations

Lithium zirconium chlorides (LZCs) present a promising class of cost-effective solid electrolyte for next-generation all-solid-state batteries. The unique crystal structure of LZCs plays a crucial role in facilitating lithium-ion mobility, which further affects its electrochemical performance. To understand the underlying mechanism governing ion transport, we employed deep learning-accelerated molecular dynamics simulation on Li2ZrCl6 (trigonal α- and monoclinic \b{eta}-LZC), focusing specifically on the zirconium coordination environment. Our results reveal that disordered α-LZC exhibits the highest ionic conductivity, while \b{eta}-LZC demonstrates significantly lower conductivity, closely aligning with experimental findings. The study confirms that across all phases, lithium migration proceeds via site-to-site hopping mechanism, where variations in site residence times critically impact the overall ionic conductivity. In α-LZCs, lithium ions prefer to anisotropically diffuse across interlayers as the result of lower energy barrier, driven primarily by collective diffusion. In contrast, lithium ions in \b{eta}-LZC primarily isotropically diffuse within intralayer, hindered by higher energy barriers and determined by individual diffusion. The variation in ZrCl62- octahedral unit softening, induced by the specific layered arrangement of zirconium atoms, emerges as a critical determinant of the energy barriers across the LZC phases. These atomic-scale insights into the transport processes provide valuable guidance for the rational design and optimization of LZCs-based electrolytes, accelerating their practical application in advanced energy storage technologies.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2025

Interactive Multiscale Modeling to Bridge Atomic Properties and Electrochemical Performance in Li-CO$_2$ Battery Design

Li-CO$_2$ batteries are promising energy storage systems due to their high theoretical energy density and CO$_2$ fixation capability, relying on reversible Li$_2$CO$_3$/C formation during discharge/charge cycles. We present a multiscale modeling framework integrating Density Functional Theory (DFT), Ab-Initio Molecular Dynamics (AIMD), classical Molecular Dynamics (MD), and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to investigate atomic and cell-level properties. The considered Li-CO$_2$ battery consists of a lithium metal anode, an ionic liquid electrolyte, and a carbon cloth cathode with Sb$_{0.67}$Bi$_{1.33}$Te$_3$ catalyst. DFT and AIMD determined the electrical conductivities of Sb$_{0.67}$Bi$_{1.33}$Te$_3$ and Li$_2$CO$_3$ using the Kubo-Greenwood formalism and studied the CO$_2$ reduction mechanism on the cathode catalyst. MD simulations calculated the CO$_2$ diffusion coefficient, Li$^+$ transference number, ionic conductivity, and Li$^+$ solvation structure. The FEA model, parameterized with atomistic simulations data, reproduced the available experimental voltage-capacity profile at 1 mA/cm$^2$ and revealed spatio-temporal variations in Li$_2$CO$_3$/C deposition, porosity, and CO$_2$ concentration dependence on discharge rates in the cathode. Accordingly, Li$_2$CO$_3$ can form large and thin film deposits, leading to dispersed and local porosity changes at 0.1 mA/cm$^2$ and 1 mA/cm$^2$, respectively. The capacity decreases exponentially from 81,570 mAh/g at 0.1 mA/cm$^2$ to 6,200 mAh/g at 1 mA/cm$^2$, due to pore clogging from excessive discharge product deposition that limits CO$_2$ transport to the cathode interior. Therefore, the performance of Li-CO$_2$ batteries can be improved by enhancing CO$_2$ transport, regulating Li$_2$CO$_3$ deposition, and optimizing cathode architecture.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2025

Impact of structural distortions on the correlated electronic structure of orbital-selective Mott insulating Na$_3$Co$_2$SbO$_6$ under strains

Na$_{3}$Co$_{2}$SbO$_6$ is a promising candidate to realize the Kitaev spin liquid phase since the large Kitaev spin exchange interaction is tunable via the change in electronic structure, such as the trigonal crystal field splitting ($Δ_{TCF}$). Here, we show that the uncorrelated electronic structure of Na$_{3}$Co$_{2}$SbO$_6$ is rather insensitive to the strain effect due to the low crystal symmetry accompanied by oxygen displacements and the presence of Sb $s$ orbitals. This suggests that the Kitaev spin-exchange interaction obtained from perturbation theory also does not depend much on the strain effect. Using density functional theory plus dynamical mean field theory, we find that the correlated electronic structure of Na$_{3}$Co$_{2}$SbO$_6$ is an orbital selective Mott insulating state where the trigonal $a_{1g}$ orbital is insulating due to correlation-assisted hybridization, while other $d$ orbitals behave as typical Mott insulators, resulting in tunability of $Δ_{TCF}$ under the strain effect effectively. Our results show that the local Co-site symmetry and dynamical correlation effects will play an important role in engineering the novel magnetic phase in this and related materials.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2025

Mechanisms and Stability of Li Dynamics in Amorphous Li-Ti-P-S-Based Mixed Ionic-Electronic Conductors: A Machine Learning Molecular Dynamics Study

Mixed ionic-electronic conductors (MIECs) exhibit both high ionic and electronic conductivity to improve the battery performance. In this work, we investigate the mechanism and stability of transport channels in our recently developed MIEC material, amorphous Ti-doped lithium phosphorus sulfide (LPS), using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with a 99\% accurate machine-learning force field (MLFF) trained on \textit{ab-initio} MD data. The achieved MLFF helps efficient large-scale MD simulations on LPS with three Ti concentrations (10\%, 20\%, and 30\%) and six temperatures (25$^\mathrm{o}$C to 225$^\mathrm{o}$C) to calculate ionic conductivity, activation energy, Li-ion transport mechanism, and configurational entropy. Results show that ionic conductivities and activation energies are consistent with our recent experimental values. Moreover, Li-ion transport occurs via free-volume diffusion facilitated by the formation of disordered Li-S polyhedra. The enhanced stability of transport channels at 10\% and 20\% Ti doping, compared to 0\% and 30\%, is observed by analyzing the vibrational and configurational entropy of these disordered Li-S polyhedra. Overall, this study highlights the utility of MLFF-based large-scale MD simulations in explaining the transport mechanism and the stability of Li-ion in Ti-doped LPS electrolyte with significant computational efficiency.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2025

First-principle Study of Multiple Metastable Charge Ordering States in La$_{1/3}$Sr$_{2/3}$FeO$_{3}$

La doped SrFeO$_{3}$, La$_{1/3}$Sr$_{2/3}$FeO$_{3}$, exhibits a metal-to-insulator transition accompanied by both antiferromagnetic and charge ordering states along with the Fe-O bond disproportionation below a critical temperature near 200K. Unconventionally slow charge dynamics measured in this material near the critical temperature shows that its excited charge ordering states can exhibit novel electronic structures with nontrivial energy profiles. Here, we reveal possible metastable states of charge ordering structures in La$_{1/3}$Sr$_{2/3}$FeO$_{3}$ using the first-principle and climbing image nudged elastic band methods. In the strong correlation regime, La$_{1/3}$Sr$_{2/3}$FeO$_{3}$ is an antiferromagnetic insulator with a charge ordering state of the big-small-big pattern, consistent with the experimental measurement of this material at the low temperature. As the correlation effect becomes weak, we find at least two possible metastable charge ordering states with the distinct Fe-O bond disproportionation. Remarkably, a ferroelectric metallic state emerges with the small energy barrier of $\sim$7 meV, driven by a metastable CO state of the small-medium-big pattern. The electronic structures of these metastable charge ordering states are noticeably different from those of the ground-state. Our results can provide an insightful explanation to multiple metastable charge ordering states and the slow charge dynamics of this and related oxide materials.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2025

Energetic preference and topological constraint effects on the formation of DNA twisted toroidal bundles

DNA toroids are compact torus-shaped bundles formed by one or multiple DNA molecules being condensed from the solution due to various condensing agents. It has been shown that the DNA toroidal bundles are twisted. However, the global conformations of DNA inside these bundles are still not well understood. In this study, we investigate this issue by solving different models for the toroidal bundles and performing replica-exchange molecular dynamics (REMD) simulations for self-attractive stiff polymers of various chain lengths. We find that a moderate degree of twisting is energetically favorable for toroidal bundles, yielding optimal configurations of lower energies than in other bundles corresponding to spool-like and constant radius of curvature arrangements. The REMD simulations show that the ground states of the stiff polymers are twisted toroidal bundles with the average twist degrees close to those predicted by the theoretical model. Constant-temperature simulations show that twisted toroidal bundles can be formed through successive processes of nucleation, growth, quick tightening and slow tightening of the toroid, with the two last processes facilitating the polymer threading through the toroid's hole. A relatively long chain of 512 beads has an increased dynamical difficulty to access the twisted bundle states due to the polymer's topological constraint. Interestingly, we also observed significantly twisted toroidal bundles with a sharp U-shaped region in the polymer conformation. It is suggested that this U-shaped region makes the formation of twisted bundles easier by effectively reducing the polymer length. This effect can be equivalent to having multiple chains in the toroid.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2024

Exploring the Coexistence of Spin States in [Fe-(tpy-ph)$_2$]$^{2+}$ Complexes on Au(111) using ab initio calculations

In this work, we systematically study the electronic structure and stability of spin states of the [Fe-(tpy-ph)$_2$]$^{2+}$ molecule in both gas phase and on a Au(111) substrate using density functional theory +U (DFT+U) calculations. We find that the stability of the Fe$^{2+}$ ion's spin states is significantly influenced by the Hubbard U parameter. In the gas phase, the low-spin (LS, S=0) state is found to be energetically favorable for U(Fe) $\leq$ 3 eV, whereas the high-spin (HS, S=2) state is stabilized for U(Fe) > 3 eV. Interaction with the Au(111) substrate is found to elevate the critical U for the spin-state transition to 3.5 eV. Additionally, we perform L-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) calculations based on time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) for both HS and LS states. The calculated XAS suggests that the HS state more closely aligns with the experimental observations, indicating the potential coexistence of the HS state as the initial state during the X-ray excitation process. These findings enrich our understanding of spin-state dynamics in [Fe-(tpy-ph)$_2$]$^{2+}$.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

Exploring Li-ion Transport Properties of Li$_3$TiCl$_6$: A Machine Learning Molecular Dynamics Study

We performed large-scale molecular dynamics simulations based on a machine-learning force field (MLFF) to investigate the Li-ion transport mechanism in cation-disordered Li$_3$TiCl$_6$ cathode at six different temperatures, ranging from 25$^\mathrm{o}$C to 100$^\mathrm{o}$C. In this work, deep neural network method and data generated by $ab-initio$ molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations were deployed to build a high-fidelity MLFF. Radial distribution functions, Li-ion mean square displacements (MSD), diffusion coefficients, ionic conductivity, activation energy, and crystallographic direction-dependent migration barriers were calculated and compared with corresponding AIMD and experimental data to benchmark the accuracy of the MLFF. From MSD analysis, we captured both the self and distinct parts of Li-ion dynamics. The latter reveals that the Li-ions are involved in anti-correlation motion that was rarely reported for solid-state materials. Similarly, the self and distinct parts of Li-ion dynamics were used to determine Haven's ratio to describe the Li-ion transport mechanism in Li$_3$TiCl$_6$. Obtained trajectory from molecular dynamics infers that the Li-ion transportation is mainly through interstitial hopping which was confirmed by intra- and inter-layer Li-ion displacement with respect to simulation time. Ionic conductivity (1.06 mS/cm) and activation energy (0.29eV) calculated by our simulation are highly comparable with that of experimental values. Overall, the combination of machine-learning methods and AIMD simulations explains the intricate electrochemical properties of the Li$_3$TiCl$_6$ cathode with remarkably reduced computational time. Thus, our work strongly suggests that the deep neural network-based MLFF could be a promising method for large-scale complex materials.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

Systematic Improvement of Quantum Monte Carlo Calculations in Transition Metal Oxides: sCI-Driven Wavefunction Optimization for Reliable Band Gap prediction

Accurate determination of electronic properties of correlated oxides remains a significant challenge for computational theory. Traditional Hubbard-corrected density functional theory (DFT+U) frequently encounters limitations in precisely capturing electron correlation, particularly when predicting band gaps. We introduce a systematic methodology to enhance the accuracy of diffusion Monte Carlo (DMC) simulations for both ground and excited states, focusing on LiCoO$_2$ as a case study. By employing a selected CI (sCI) approach, we demonstrate the capability to optimize wavefunctions beyond the constraints of single-reference DFT+U trial wavefunctions. We show that the sCI framework enables accurate prediction of band gaps in LiCoO$_2$, closely aligning with experimental values and substantially improving upon traditional computational methods. The study uncovers a nuanced mixed state of $t_{2g}$ a $e_g$ orbitals at the band edges that is not captured by conventional single-reference methods, further elucidating the limitations of PBE+U in describing $d$-$d$ excitations. Our findings advocate for the adoption of beyond-DFT methodologies, such as sCI, to capture the essential physics of excited state wavefunctions in strongly correlated materials. The improved accuracy in band gap predictions and the ability to generate more reliable trial wavefunctions for DMC calculations underscore the potential of this approach for broader applications in the study of correlated oxides. This work not only provides a pathway for more accurate simulations of electronic structures in complex materials but also suggests a framework for future investigations into the excited states of other challenging systems.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

Impact of Electron-Withdrawing Groups on Ion Transport and Structure in Lithium Borate Ionic Liquids

Among the distinctive structural features of lithium ionic liquids (LILs), a novel class of single-component electrolytes, the variation of the electron-withdrawing group stands out as a key factor in determining their dynamics. To understand this phenomenon, we conducted molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for LILs based on hexafluoro-2-propanoxy (LIL2), hexafluoro-2-methyl-2-propanoxy (LIL4), and trifluoro-2-propanoxy (LIL6) derivatives. Results revealed that correlated ion dynamics govern the general transport characteristics in LILs, while the electron-withdrawing group regulates the Li transport mechanism. Upon saturation by fluorine atoms, LILs exhibit higher inhomogeneity in their transport and structure properties. Strong coordination along the ethoxide group promotes jumps of Li across positive domains, while in fluorine-poor LILs, stronger coordination in proximity to boron atoms carries the anion along Li transport. Understanding the results of MD simulation will aid the further design and widespread use of this class of electrolytes in production of the energy storage and conversion devices

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2023

Delocalized polaron and Burstein-Moss shift induced by Li in $α$-$\textrm{V}_{2}\textrm{O}_{5}$: DFT+DMFT study

We performed density functional theory (DFT)+$U$ and dynamical mean field theory (DMFT) calculations with continuous time quantum Monte Carlo impurity solver to investigate the electronic properties of V$_2$O$_5$ and Li$_x$V$_2$O$_5$ ($x$ = 0.125 and 0.25). Pristine V$_2$O$_5$ is a charge-transfer insulator with strong O $p$-V $d$ hybridization, and exhibits a large band gap ($E_{\textrm{gap}}$) as well as non-zero conduction band (CB) gap. We show that the band gap, the number of $d$ electrons of vanadium, $N_d$, and conduction band (CB) gap for V$_2$O$_5$ obtained from our DMFT calculations are in excellent agreement with the experimental values. While the DFT+$U$ approach replicates the experimental band gap, it overestimates the value of $N_d$ and underestimates the CB gap. In the presence of low Li doping, the electronic properties of V$_2$O$_5$ are mainly driven by a polaronic mechanism, the electron spin resonance and electron nuclear double resonance spectroscopies observed the coexistence of free and bound polarons. Notably, our DMFT results identify both polaron types, with the bound polaron being energetically preferred, while DFT+$U$ method predicts only the free polaron. Our DMFT analysis also reveals that increased Li doping leads to electron filling in the conduction band, shifting the Fermi level, this result consistent with the observed Burstein-Moss shift upon enhanced Li doping and we thus demonstrate that the DFT+DMFT approach can be used for accurate and realistic description of strongly correlated materials.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2023

Effect of Off-Diagonal Elements in Wannier Hamiltonian on DFT+DMFT for low-symmetry material: Study of Li$_2$MnO$_3$

We study the effect of the off-diagonal elements of the Wannier Hamiltonian on the electronic structure of low-symmetry material Li$_2$MnO$_3$ ($C2/m$), using dynamical mean field theory calculations with continuous-time Quantum Monte Carlo impurity solver. Presence of significant off-diagonal elements leads to a pronounced suppression of the energy gap. The off-diagonal elements are largest when the Wannier projection is used based on the global coordinate, and they remain substantial even with the projection using the local coordinate close to the direction of Mn-O bonds. We show that the energy gap is enhanced by the diagonalization of the Mn $d$ block in the full $p$-$d$ Hamiltonian, with applying unitary rotation matrix. Additionally, the inclusion of a small double counting energy is crucial for achieving the experimental gap by reducing $p$-$d$ hybridization. Furthermore, we establish the efficiency of a low-energy ($d$-only basis) model for studying the electronic structure of Li$_2$MnO$3$, as the Wannier basis represents a hybridized state of Mn $d$ and O $p$ orbitals. These findings suggest an appropriate new approach for investigating low-symmetry materials using the DFT+DMFT method. To the best of our knowledge, no systematic study of the effect of off-diagonal terms has been conducted thus far. We also find that the antiferromagnetic ground state $Γ_{2u}$ is stable with $U \leq 2$ eV within density functional theory+$U$ calculations, which is much smaller than widely used $U$=5 eV.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2023

Spin and electronic excitations in $4f$ atomic chains on Au(111) substrates

High spin systems, like those that incorporate rare-earth $4f$ elements (REEs), are increasingly relevant in many fields. Although research in such systems is sparse, the large Hilbert spaces they occupy are promising for many applications. In this work, we examine a one-dimensional linear array of europium (Eu) atoms on a Au(111) surface and study their electronic and magnetic excitations. Ab initio calculations using VASP with PBE+U are employed to study the structure. We find Eu atoms to have a net charge when on gold, consistent with a net magnetic momemt of $\simeq 3.5 μ_B$. Examining various spin-projection configurations, we can evaluate first and second neighbor exchange energies in an isotropic Heisenberg model between spin-$\frac{7}{2}$ moments to obtain $J_1 \approx -1.2 \, \mathrm{K}$ and $J_2 \approx 0.2 \, \mathrm{K}$ for the relaxed-chain atomic separation of $a \approx 5$ $\mathrm{\dot{A}}$. These parameters are used to obtain the full spin excitation spectrum of a physically realizable four-atom chain. The large $|J_1|/J_2$ ratio results in a highly degenerate ferromagnetic ground state that is split by a significant easy plane single ion anisotropy of $0.6$ K. Spin-flip excitations are calculated to extract differential conductance profiles as those obtained by scanning tunneling microscopy techniques. We uncover interesting behavior of local spin excitations, especially as we track their dispersion with applied magnetic fields.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2020

DFT+DMFT study of spin-charge-lattice coupling in covalent LaCoO$_3$

We study energetics and the nature of both homogeneous and mixed spin (MS) states in LaCoO$_3$ incorporating structural changes of the crystal volume expansion and the Co-O bond disproportionation (BD) during the spin-state transition using the density functional theory plus dynamical mean field theory (DFT+DMFT) method. DFT+DMFT predicts that energetics of both excited spin states are almost the same while DFT+U calculations of the same structures energetically favor the MS states and produce various metastable solutions whose energetics depend sensitively on final spin states. Within DFT+DMFT, the homogeneous spin state in the expanded crystal volume shows the multiconfigurational nature with non-negligible occupancy probabilities of both high spin (HS) and low spin (LS) states along with $d^6$ and $d^7$ charge configurations indicating the dynamically fluctuating nature of spin and charge states due to the Co-O covalency. The nature of the MS state under the BD structure reveals that Co sites with the long Co-O bonds develop a Mott insulating state and favor HS with a $d^6$ configuration, while more covalent Co sites with the short Co-O bonds occupy more LS states with a $d^7$ configuration and behave as a band insulator, as a result, charge ordering is induced in the BD structure from the spin-state ordering. We also find that both energetics and electronic structure sensitively depend on the Co-O covalency effect, which can be tuned by changing the double counting potential and the resulting $d-$occupancy ($N_d$), and $N_d$ close to 6.7 is consistent with the nature of the spin-state transition. Our results show that structural changes during the spin-state transition can play an important role in understanding energetics and electronic structure of LaCoO$_3$.

cond-mat.str-el↗