Superdense hexagonal BP and AlP with quartz topology: Crystal chemistry and DFT study

The superdense hexagonal phosphides BP and AlP, whose structures are formed by distorted tetrahedra and characterized by quartz-derived (qtz) topology, were predicted from crystal chemistry and first principles as potential high-pressure phases. From full geometry structure relaxations and ground state energies calculations based on quantum density functional theory (DFT), qtz BP and AlP were found to be less cohesive than the corresponding cubic zinc-blende (zb) phases with diamond-like (dia) topology, but were confirmed to be mechanically (elastic constants) and dynamically (phonons) stable. From the energy-volume equations of state, qtz phases were found to be energetically favorable at small volumes, with zb-to-qtz transition pressures of 144 GPa for BP and 28 GPa for AlP. According to the electronic band structures and the site projected density of states, both phosphides exhibit larger band gaps of the zinc-blende phases compared to the qtz phases; the smaller values for the latter result from the smaller volumes per formula unit, leading to an increased covalence.