First-principle study on bonding mechanism of ZnO by LDA + U method

The electronic structure and the bonding mechanism of ZnO have been studied by using the Full-Potential Linear Augmented Plane Wave (FP-LAPW) method within the density-functional theory (DFT) based on LDA + U exchange correlation potential. The valence and the bonding charge density are calculated and compared with those derived from LDA and GGA to describe the bonding mechanism. The charge transfer along with the bonding process is analyzed by using the theory of Atoms in Molecules (AIM). The bonding, the topological characteristics and the p–dp–d coupling effects on the bonding mechanism of ZnO are shown quantitatively with the critical points (CPs) along the bonding trajectory and the charge in the atomic basins. Meanwhile, the bonding characteristics for wurtzite, zinc blende and rocksalt phase of ZnO are discussed systematically in the present paper.