Lattice dynamics of chalcopyrite semiconductors LiAlTe2, LiGaTe2 and LiInTe2

Within density functional perturbation theory using norm conserving pseudopotentials and a plane-wave basis set calculations of phonon dispersion relations and densities of states of LiAlTe2, LiGaTe2 and LiInTe2 compounds being crystallized into the tetragonal chalcopyrite structure have been performed. Theoretical values of phonon mode frequencies in LiGaTe2 and LiInTe2 are in good agreement with the experimental data available for these crystals obtained by the methods of Raman and infrared spectroscopies. The similarity of the physical and chemical properties of the crystals concerned manifests itself in the similarity of their phonon spectra that are especially close to each other in low- and high-frequency ranges. Phonon modes of the upper phonon band are predominantly caused by the lithium sublattice vibrations and have an upper bound of 350 - 750 cm(-1). In a mid-frequency range a significant downshift of the vibrational frequencies is observed on going from LiAlTe2 to LiGaTe2 and LiInTe2 that is a consequence of the third group cation mass reduction. From calculated electron density maps it follows that Li-containing chalcopyrites are characterized by a less pronounced bond between the first group cation and anion as compared with the Cu- and Ag-based analogs due to the absence of pd-hybridization. (C) 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim