FP-APW+lo calculations of the electronic and optical properties of alkali metal sulfides under pressure

The electronic and optical properties of M2S (M = Li, Na, K and Rb) compounds in the cubic antifluorite structure have been calculated, using a full relativistic version of the full-potential augmented plane-wave plus local orbitals method based on density functional theory, within both the local density approximation (LDA) and the generalized gradient approximation (GGA). Moreover, the Engel-Vosko GGA formalism (EV-GGA) is applied so as to optimize the corresponding potential for band structure calculations. The calculated equilibrium lattices and bulk moduli are in good agreement with the available data. Band structure, density of states, electron charge density and pressure coefficients of energy gaps are given. Results obtained for band structure using EV-GGA are larger than those with LDA and GGA. It is found that the spin-orbit coupling lifts the triple degeneracy at the Γ point and the double degeneracy at the X point. The analysis of the electron charge density shows that the M-S bonds have a significant ionic character. The complex dielectric functions ε2(ω) for alkali metal sulfides were calculated for radiation up to 30 eV and the assignment of the critical points to the band structure energy differences at various points of the Brillouin zone was made. The pressure and volume dependence of the static dielectric constant and the refractive index are calculated. © 2009 IOP Publishing Ltd.