We present first-principles calculations of metallic atomic hydrogen in the 400-600 GPa pressure range in a tetragonal structure with space group I41/amd, which is predicted to be its first atomic phase. Our calculations show a band structure close to the free-electron-like limit due to the high electronic kinetic energy induced by pressure. Bands are properly described even in the independent electron approximation fully neglecting the electron-electron interaction. Linear-response harmonic calculations show a dynamically stable phonon spectrum with marked Kohn anomalies. Even if the electron-electron interaction has a minor role in the electronic bands, the inclusion of electronic exchange and correlation in the density response is essential to obtain a dynamically stable structure. Anharmonic effects, which are calculated within the stochastic self-consistent harmonic approximation, harden high-energy optical modes and soften transverse acoustic modes up to a 20% in energy. Despite a large impact of anharmonicity has been predicted in several high-pressure hydrides, here the superconducting critical temperature is barely affected by anharmonicity, as it is lowered from its harmonic 318 K value only to 300 K at 500 GPa. We attribute the small impact of anharmonicity on superconductivity to the absence of softened optical modes and the fairly uniform distribution of the electron-phonon coupling among the vibrational modes.

Anharmonic effects in atomic hydrogen: Superconductivity and lattice dynamical stability / Borinaga, M.; Errea, I.; Calandra, M.; Mauri, F.; Bergara, A.. - In: PHYSICAL REVIEW. B. - ISSN 2469-9969. - ELETTRONICO. - 93:17(2016), pp. 174308.1-174308.8. [10.1103/PhysRevB.93.174308]

Anharmonic effects in atomic hydrogen: Superconductivity and lattice dynamical stability

Calandra M.;
2016-01-01

Abstract

We present first-principles calculations of metallic atomic hydrogen in the 400-600 GPa pressure range in a tetragonal structure with space group I41/amd, which is predicted to be its first atomic phase. Our calculations show a band structure close to the free-electron-like limit due to the high electronic kinetic energy induced by pressure. Bands are properly described even in the independent electron approximation fully neglecting the electron-electron interaction. Linear-response harmonic calculations show a dynamically stable phonon spectrum with marked Kohn anomalies. Even if the electron-electron interaction has a minor role in the electronic bands, the inclusion of electronic exchange and correlation in the density response is essential to obtain a dynamically stable structure. Anharmonic effects, which are calculated within the stochastic self-consistent harmonic approximation, harden high-energy optical modes and soften transverse acoustic modes up to a 20% in energy. Despite a large impact of anharmonicity has been predicted in several high-pressure hydrides, here the superconducting critical temperature is barely affected by anharmonicity, as it is lowered from its harmonic 318 K value only to 300 K at 500 GPa. We attribute the small impact of anharmonicity on superconductivity to the absence of softened optical modes and the fairly uniform distribution of the electron-phonon coupling among the vibrational modes.
2016
17
Borinaga, M.; Errea, I.; Calandra, M.; Mauri, F.; Bergara, A.
Anharmonic effects in atomic hydrogen: Superconductivity and lattice dynamical stability / Borinaga, M.; Errea, I.; Calandra, M.; Mauri, F.; Bergara, A.. - In: PHYSICAL REVIEW. B. - ISSN 2469-9969. - ELETTRONICO. - 93:17(2016), pp. 174308.1-174308.8. [10.1103/PhysRevB.93.174308]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11572/259930
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