Study of Magnesium Diboride Clusters Using Hybrid Density Functional Theory

Abstract

Using hybrid density functional theory and a relatively large basis set, the lowest energy equilibrium structure, vibrational spectrum, and natural orbital analysis were obtained for magnesium diboride clusters [(MgB2)x for x=1,2, and 3]. For comparison, boron clusters [Bx for x=2,4, and 6] were also considered. The MgB2 and (MgB2)2 showed equilibrium structures with the boron atoms in arrangements similar to what was obtained for pure boron atoms, whereas, for (MgB2)3 a different arrangement of boron was obtained. From the population analysis, large electron density in the boron atoms forming the clusters was observed.