Band Energy Dependence of Defect Formation in the Topological Semimetal Cd3As2

Chase Brooks, M. van Schilfgaarde, D. Pashov, J.N. Nelson, K. Alberi, D.S. Dessau, Stephan Lany

Research output: NRELPresentation

Abstract

Cadmium Arsenide (Cd3As2) is a prototypical Dirac semimetal that manifests topological properties in a 3D bulk material. In defect-free Cd3As2, the Fermi level lies at a minimum in the density of states at the Dirac point, but experimentally it forms with excess electron carriers and an elevated EF, thereby masking the topological features. To computationally study the self-doping of Cd3As2, we combine density functional theory (DFT) calculations for defect formation energies with quasi-particle self-consistent GW (QSGW) electronic structure calculations. We demonstrate an innate dependence of the point defect formation energies on carrier concentrations and use the QSGW calculated density of states to extrapolate formation energies to arbitrary electron concentrations. This approach allows the quantitative modeling of thermodynamic defect equilibria in topological semimetals and is used to predict how Cd3As2 growth conditions affect the position of EF relative to the Dirac point.
Original languageAmerican English
Number of pages10
StatePublished - 2023

Publication series

NamePresented at the American Physical Society's (APS) March Meeting, 5-10 March 2023, Las Vegas, Nevada

NREL Publication Number

  • NREL/PR-5K00-85538

Keywords

  • defect equilibria
  • electronic structure
  • topological semimetal

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