Density functional calculations of Pb1−xCaxSySe1−y alloys lattice matched to different substrates

Density functional calculations are performed to study the structural and electronic properties of technologically important Pb1−xCaxSySe1−y quaternary alloys. The calculations are based on the total-energy calculations within the full-potential augmented plane-wave (FP-LAPW) method. For exchange-correlation energy and corresponding potential, the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) by Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof (PBE) and Engel–Vosko (EVGGA) have been used. We investigated the effect of composition on lattice constant, bulk modulus and band gap for pseudobinary as well as for quaternary alloys, which showed non-linear dependence on the composition x and y. The presented contour maps of energy band gap and lattice constants versus concentrations could be useful for designing new structures with the desired optical properties. In addition, the energy band gap and natural band offset of simple cubic Pb1−xCaxSySe1−y quaternary alloys lattice matched to PbS and SrS substrates are investigated. The obtained results show that the quaternary alloys of interest could be appropriate materials for designing heterostructures with desired optical and interfacial properties.