arXiv subjects

N. Gonzalez Szwacki

Publications and source records attributed to N. Gonzalez Szwacki.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Pair anisotropy in disordered magnetic systems

Accurate modelling of magnetism is pivotal for elucidating the microscopic origins of magnetic phenomena in functional materials. However, for a specified class of materials, such as random dilute ferromagnets or alloys, the reliance on simplifying assumptions, such as single-ion anisotropy, limits the accuracy of existing spin models. In such systems, there is a significant probability of the formation of nearest-neighbor magnetic ion pairs or higher order clusters, whose presence breaks the local symmetry of otherwise isolated magnetic species. Here, we introduce the concept of pair-induced uniaxial anisotropy and demonstrate how nearby atoms influence each other's anisotropic behavior. This effect is investigated in the dilute magnetic semiconductor Ga$_{1-x}$Mn$_x$N, by means of density functional theory calculations. The inclusion of pair anisotropy in the atomistic spin simulations significantly improves the agreement between simulated and experimental magnetization curves, in contrast to models that consider only single-ion anisotropy.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2025

Electric field manipulation of magnetization in an insulating dilute ferromagnet through piezoelectromagnetic coupling

We report magnetization changes generated by an electric field in ferromagnetic Ga$_{1-x}$Mn$_x$N grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Two classes of phenomena have been revealed. First, over a wide range of magnetic fields, the magnetoelectric signal is odd in the electric field and reversible. Employing a macroscopic spin model and atomistic Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert theory with Langevin dynamics, we demonstrate that the magnetoelectric response results from the inverse piezoelectric effect that changes the trigonal single-ion magnetocrystalline anisotropy. Second, in the metastable regime of ferromagnetic hystereses, the magnetoelectric effect becomes non-linear and irreversible in response to a time-dependent electric field, which can reorient the magnetization direction. Interestingly, our observations are similar to those reported for another dilute ferromagnetic semiconductor Cr$_x$(Bi$_{1-y}$Sb$_y$)$_{1-x}$Te$_3$, in which magnetization was monitored as a function of the gate electric field. Those results constitute experimental support for theories describing the effects of time-dependent perturbation upon glasses far from thermal equilibrium in terms of an enhanced effective temperature.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2021

The structure of porous 2D boron crystals

In this work, we foresee the structure of a new class of borophenes with smaller 2D densities of atoms than those explored so far for 2D boron crystals. Boron atoms in the porous borophenes tend to be $5$-coordinated in contrast to commonly investigated structures with hexagonal holes for which the number of nearest neighbors of each atom varies from $3$ to $6$. High metallic character is the usual feature of borophenes, however, we have also identified a semimetallic borophene that turns into semiconductor upon unit cell expansion. A $10\%$ increase in lattice constant of this structure gives rise to an energy gap of $0.3\,\textnormal{eV}$. This extends to semiconductor industry the possible application of 2D boron crystals.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2017

Energy decomposition analysis of neutral and negatively charged borophenes

The effect of external static charging on borophenes - 2D boron crystals - is investigated by using first principles calculations. The influence of the excess negative charge on the stability of the 2D structures is examined using a very simple analysis of decomposition of the binding energy of a given boron layer into contributions coming from boron atoms that have different coordination numbers. This analysis is important to understand how the local neighbourhood of an atom influences the overall stability of the monolayer structure. The decomposition is done for the $α$-sheet and its related family of structures. From this analysis, we have found a preference for 2D boron crystals with very small or very high charges per atom. The structures with intermediate charges are energetically not favourable. We have also found a clear preference in terms of binding energy for the experimentally seen $γ$-sheet and $δ$-sheet structures that is almost independent on the considered excess of negative charge of the structures. On the other hand, we have shown that a model based solely on nearest-neighbour interactions, although instructive, is too simple to predict binding energies accurately.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2017

Unraveling the hardness of a borophene-based compound

Two-dimensional systems have strengthened their position as one of the key materials for novel applications. Very recently, boron joined the distinguished group of elements that are confirmed to possess 2D allotropes, named borophenes. In this work, we explore the stability and hardness of the highest boride of tungsten, which is regarded as built of borophenes separated by metal atoms. We show that WB$_{3+x}$ has Vickers hardnesses approaching 40 GPa only for small values of $x$. The insertion of extra boron atoms is, in general, detrimental for WB$_{3}$ in terms of hardness since leads to the formation of quasi-planar boron sheets that are less tightly connected with the adjacent W layers. Very high concentrations of boron ($x \approx 1$), give rise to a soft (Vickers hardness of about 8 GPa) and unstable $hP$20-WB$_{4}$ structure that can be considered as built of quasi-planar boron $α$-sheets separated by graphitic W layers. On the other hand, we show that the formation of tungsten vacancies brings on structures, e.g. W$_{0.75}$B$_{3+x}$, with Vickers hardnesses that are less sensitive to variations in the boron content and are close in value to the experimentally reported load-independent values above 20 GPa.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2015

(Ga,Mn)As under pressure: a first-principles investigation

Electronic and magnetic properties of Ga$_{1-x}$Mn$_{x}$As, obtained from first-principles calculations employing the hybrid HSE06 functional, are presented for $x=6.25\%$ and $12.5\%$ under pressures ranging from 0 to 15 GPa. In agreement with photoemission experiments at ambient pressure, we find for $x=6.25\%$ that non-hybridized Mn-3$d$ levels and Mn-induced states reside about 5 and 0.4 eV below the Fermi energy, respectively. For elevated pressures, the Mn-3$d$ levels, Mn-induced states, and the Fermi level shift towards higher energies, however, the position of the Mn-induced states relative to the Fermi energy remains constant due to hybridization of the Mn-3$d$ levels with the valence As-4$p$ orbitals. We also evaluate, employing Monte Carlo simulations, the Curie temperature ($T_{\rm C}$). At zero pressure, we obtain $T_{\rm C}=181$K, whereas the pressure-induced changes in $T_{\rm C}$ are d$T_{\rm C}$/d$p=+4.3$K/GPa for $x=12.5\%$ and an estimated value of d$T_{\rm C}$/d$p\approx+2.2$K/GPa for $x=6.25\%$ under pressures up to 6 GPa. The determined values of d$T_{\rm C}$/d$p$ compare favorably with d$T_{\rm C}$/d$p=+$(2-3) K/GPa at $p\leq1.2$GPa found experimentally and estimated within the $p$-$d$ Zener model for Ga$_{0.93}$Mn$_{0.07}$As in the regime where hole localization effects are of minor importance [M. Gryglas-Borysiewicz $et$ $al$., Phys. Rev. B ${\bf 82}$, 153204 (2010)].

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2015

$Ab~initio$ studies of Co$_2$FeAl$_{1-x}$Si$_x$ Heusler alloys

We present results of extensive theoretical studies of Co$_2$FeAl$_{1-x}$Si$_x$ Heusler alloys, which have been performed in the framework of density functional theory employing the all-electron full-potential linearized augmented plane-wave scheme. It is shown that the Si-rich alloys are more resistive to structural disorder and as a consequence Si stabilizes the $L2_1$ structure. Si alloying changes position of the Fermi level, pushing it into the gap of the minority spin-band. It is also shown that the hyperfine field on Co nuclei increases with the Si concentration, and this increase originates mostly from the changes in the electronic density of the valence electrons.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2012

B12Hn and B12Fn: Planar vs Icosahedral Structures

Using density functional theory (DFT) and quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) calculations we show that the B12Hn and B12Fn (n = 0-4) quasi-planar structures are energetically more favorable than the corresponding icosahedral clusters. Moreover, we show that the fully planar B12F6 cluster is more stable than the 3D counterpart. These results open up the possibility of designing larger boron based nanostructures starting from quasi-planar or fully planar building blocks.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2011

The Fe-Mg interplay and the effect of deposition mode in (Ga,Fe)N doped with Mg

The effect of Mg codoping and its deposition mode on the Fe distribution in (Ga,Fe)N layers grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy is investigated. Both homogeneously- and digitally-Mg codoped samples are considered and contrasted to the case of (Ga,Fe)N layers obtained without any codoping by shallow impurities. The structural analysis of the layers by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and by high-resolution- and synchrotron x-ray diffraction gives evidence of the fact that in the case of homogenous-Mg doping, Mg and Fe competitively occupy the Ga-substitutional cation sites, reducing the efficiency of Fe incorporation. Accordingly, the character of the magnetization is modified from ferromagnetic-like in the non-codoped films to paramagnetic in the case of homogeneous Mg codoping. The findings are discussed vis-`a-vis theoretical results obtained by ab initio computations, showing only a weak effect of codoping on the pairing energy of two Fe cations in bulk GaN. However, according to these computations, codoping reverses the sign of the paring energy of Fe cations at the Ga-rich surface, substantiating the view that the Fe aggregation occurs at the growth surface. In contrast to the homogenous deposition mode, the digital one is found to remarkably promote the aggregation of the magnetic ions. The Fe-rich nanocrystals formed in this way are distributed non-uniformly, giving reason for the observed deviation from a standard superparamagnetic behavior.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2011

Aggregation and magnetism of Cr, Mn, and Fe cations in GaN

A first-principles DFT-GGA+U study of the doping of GaN with Cr, Mn, or Fe confirms a strong tendency for the formation of embedded clusters occupying Ga sites of the wurtzite and zinc blende phases of GaN. Within the employed computation model, the tendency for aggregation is larger for Cr and Mn than for Fe. In contrast to previous DFT-GGA calculations, we predict a ferromagnetic ordering of the Cr and Mn clusters having more than two atoms while the Fe clusters are all antiferromagnetic. We have also investigated the magnetic ordering of nearest-neighboring ionic pairs that substitute gallium atoms at the (0001) wz-GaN surface. We find that Fe dopants tend to aggregate, whereas there is a repulsive interaction in the case of Cr and Mn. Nearest neighbor Mn and Fe pairs are coupled antiferromagnetically whereas the Cr pair is coupled ferromagnetically. The relevance of our finding to recent experimental findings is discussed.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2010

The Symmetry of the Boron Buckyball and a Related Boron Nanotube

We investigate the symmetry of the boron buckyball and a related boron nanotube. Using large-scale ab-initio calculations up to second-order Møller Plesset perturbation theory, we have determined unambiguously the equilibrium geometry/symmetry of two structurally related boron clusters: the B80 fullerene and the finite-length (5,0) boron nanotube. The B80 cluster was found to have the same symmetry, Ih, as the C60 molecule since its 20 additional boron atoms are located exactly at the centers of the 20 hexagons. Additionally, we also show that the (5,0) boron nanotube does not suffer from atomic buckling and its symmetry is D5d instead of C5v as has been described by previous calculations. Therefore, we predict that all the boron nanotubes rolled from the α-sheet will be free from structural distortions, which has a significant impact on their electronic properties.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2009

Aromatic Borozene

Based on our comprehensive theoretical investigation and known experimental results for small boron clusters, we predict the existence of a novel aromatic inorganic molecule, B12H6. This molecule, which we refer to as borozene, has remarkably similar properties to the well-known benzene. Borozene is planar, possesses a large first excitation energy, D3h symmetry, and more importantly is aromatic. Furthermore, the calculated anisotropy of the magnetic susceptibility of borozene is three times larger in absolute value than for benzene. Finally, we can show that borozene molecules may be fused together to give larger aromatic compounds with even larger anisotropic susceptibilities.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗