Disentangling the Effects of Laser and Electron Irradiation on AgX (X = Cl, Br, and I): Insights from Quantum Chemical Calculations.

Cabral, Luis; Leite, Edson R; Longo, Elson; San-Miguel, Miguel A; da Silva, Edison Z; Andrés, Juan · Nano Lett · 2024

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

The effects on the lattice structure and electronic properties of different polymorphs of silver halide, AgX (X = Cl, Br, and I), induced by laser irradiation (LI) and electron irradiation (EI) are investigated using a first-principles approach, based on the electronic temperature (<i>T</i><sub>e</sub>) within a two-temperature model (TTM) and by increasing the total number of electrons (<i>N</i><sub>e</sub>), respectively. <i>Ab initio</i> molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations provide a clear visualization of how <i>T</i><sub>e</sub> and <i>N</i><sub>e</sub> induce a structural and electronic transformation process during LI/EI. Our results reveal the diffusion processes of Ag and X ions, the amorphization of the AgX lattices, and a straightforward interpretation of the time evolution for the formation of Ag and X nanoclusters under high values of <i>T</i><sub>e</sub> and <i>N</i><sub>e</sub>. Overall, the present work provides fine details of the underlying mechanism of LI/EI and promises to be a powerful toolbox for further cross-scale modeling of other semiconductors.