In this paper we use density functional theory corrected for on-site Coulomb interactions (DFT + U) to study the defects formed in the ceria (111) and (110) surfaces doped with La. To describe consistently the defect formed with substitutional La(3+) doping at a Ce(4+) site we use DFT and DFT + U, with U = 5 eV for Ce 4f states and U = 7 eV for O 2p states. When La(3+) substitutes on a Ce(3+) site, an La'(Ce) + O.(o)defect state, with an oxygen hole, is formed at both surfaces, but only with the DFT + U approach. The formation energy of an oxygen vacancy in a structure with two La dopants in their most stable distribution is reduced over the undoped surfaces but remains positive. Formation of an oxygen vacancy results in the appearance of a reduced Ce(3+) cation and a compensated oxygen hole, instead of compensation of both oxygen holes, which is typical of metal oxides doped with lower valence cations. We tentatively suggest that the key role in the formation of this unusual defect is played by cerium and arises from the ease with which cerium can be reduced, as compared to other metal oxides. Experimental confirmation of these results is suggested.

In this paper we use density functional theory corrected for on-site Coulomb interactions (DFT+U) to study the adsorption of CO at La-doped ceria (111) and (110) surfaces. Doping of ceria with La is known to enhance oxidation of CO to CO(2) and this study investigates the atomic level details of this reaction. With La(3+) doping, an [La(3+)-O(-)] defect state with an oxygen hole is formed at both surfaces. The formation energy of an oxygen vacancy is reduced and vacancy formation results in the appearance of Ce(3+), instead of hole compensation. On the doped surfaces weak and strong adsorption of CO is found. In the former, the molecule remains intact. In the latter, the final adsorption species depends strongly on the surface and whether oxygen vacancies are present or not. On (111) a CO(2)-like species forms, while on the (110) surface, mono- or bidentate carbonates are present. La-doping of ceria surfaces shows enhanced reactivity over the undoped surfaces and we discuss the origin of the enhanced reactivity and the nature of the surface species upon CO adsorption.

As electronics devices scale to sub-10 nm lengths, the distinction between "device" and "electrodes" becomes blurred. Here, we study a simple model of a molecular tunnel junction, consisting of an atomic gold chain partitioned into left and right electrodes, and a central "molecule." Using a complex absorbing potential, we are able to reproduce the single-particle energy levels of the device region including a description of the effects of the semi-infinite electrodes. We then use the method of configuration interaction to explore the effect of correlations on the system's quasiparticle peaks. We find that when excitations on the leads are excluded, the device's highest occupied molecular orbital and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital quasiparticle states when including correlation are bracketed by their respective values in the Hartree-Fock (Koopmans) and ΔSCF approximations. In contrast, when excitations on the leads are included, the bracketing property no longer holds, and both the positions and the lifetimes of the quasiparticle levels change considerably, indicating that the combined effect of coupling and correlation is to alter the quasiparticle spectrum significantly relative to an isolated molecule.

Electronegativity is shown to control charge transfer, energy level alignments, and electron currents in single molecule tunnel junctions, all of which are described through the density matrix. Currents calculated from the one-electron reduced density matrix correct to second order in electron-electron correlation are identical to currents obtained from the one-electron Green's function corrected to second order in electron self-energy. A tight binding model of hexa-1,3,5-triene-1,6-dithiol bonded between metal electrodes is introduced, and the effect of analytically varying electron-electron correlation on electron currents and electronegativity is examined. The model analysis is compared to electronic structure descriptions of a gold-hexatriene (approximated by different exchange-correlation functionals) and Hartree-Fock states as zeroth-order approximations to the one-electron Green's function. Comparison between the model calculations and the electronic structure treatment allows us to relate the ability to describe electronegativity within a single particle approximation to predictions of current-voltage characteristics for molecular tunnel junctions.