title: Origin of structural analogies and differences between the atomic structures of GeSe4 and GeS4 glasses: A first principles study.
abstract: First-principles molecular dynamics simulations based on density functional theory are employed for a comparative study of structural and bonding properties of two stoichiometrically identical chalcogenide glasses, GeSe4 and GeS4. Two periodic cells of 120 and 480 atoms are adopted. Both glasses feature a coexistence of Ge-centered tetrahedra and Se(S) homopolar connections. Results obtained for N = 480 indicate substantial differences at the level of the Se(S) environment, since Ge-Se-Se connections are more frequent than the corresponding Ge-S-S ones. The presence of a more prominent first sharp diffraction peak in the total neutron structure factor of glassy GeS4 is rationalized in terms of a higher number of large size rings, accounting for extended Ge-Se correlations. Both the electronic density of states and appropriate electronic localization tools provide evidence of a higher ionic character of Ge-S bonds when compared to Ge-Se bonds. An interesting byproduct of these investigations is the occurrence of discernible size effects that affect structural motifs involving next nearest neighbor distances, when 120 or 480 atoms are used.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Physique et de Chimie des Matériaux de Strasbourg, Université de Strasbourg and CNRS UMR 7504, 23 rue du Loess, BP43, F-67034 Strasbourg Cedex 2, France.
authors.forename: Assil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bouzid
authors.affiliation: Institut de Physique et de Chimie des Matériaux de Strasbourg, Université de Strasbourg and CNRS UMR 7504, 23 rue du Loess, BP43, F-67034 Strasbourg Cedex 2, France.
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Le Roux
authors.affiliation: Institut de Physique et de Chimie des Matériaux de Strasbourg, Université de Strasbourg and CNRS UMR 7504, 23 rue du Loess, BP43, F-67034 Strasbourg Cedex 2, France.
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ori
authors.affiliation: Institut de Physique et de Chimie des Matériaux de Strasbourg, Université de Strasbourg and CNRS UMR 7504, 23 rue du Loess, BP43, F-67034 Strasbourg Cedex 2, France.
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boero
authors.affiliation: Institut de Physique et de Chimie des Matériaux de Strasbourg, Université de Strasbourg and CNRS UMR 7504, 23 rue du Loess, BP43, F-67034 Strasbourg Cedex 2, France.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Massobrio