Structural, elastic, and polarization parameters and band structures of wurtzite ZnO and MgO

Ab initio calculations were carried out to predict lattice constants, elastic stiffness constants, spontaneous polarization, piezoelectric constants, and band structure of virtually wurtzite (wz)-MgO. The ground-state properties for both wz-ZnO and wz-MgO were computed using the pseudopotential-planewave method in conjunction with the local density approximation adding the Hubbard parameter to density functional theory. From the results of fitting to reliable in-plane and out-of-plane lattice constants for strain-free and perfectly pseudomorphic wz-MgxZn1-xO alloys, the elastic stiffness constant C-33 of the alloy system is revealed to deviate from Vegard's law. The validity of other calculated results for virtually wz-MgO is discussed based on the physical meaning and accuracy, making a comparison with the results shown in previous reports. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4757023]