Computer modeling of point defects, polarons, excitons, and surfaces in perovskite ferroelectrics

We review results of our recent large-scale computer simulations of point defects, excitons and polarons in ABO3 perovskite crystals, focusing mostly on KNbO3 and KTaO3 as representative examples. We have calculated the atomic and electronic structure of defects, their optical absorption and defect-induced electron density redistribution. The majority of results are obtained using the quantum chemical method of the intermediate neglect of differential overlap (INDO) based on the Hartree-Frock formalism. The main findings are compared with results of ab initio Density Functional Theory (FP-LMTO) first-principles calculations. The results of the electronic structure calculations for different terminations of SrTiO3 (100) thin films are discussed. These calculations are based on the ab initio Hartree-Fock (HF) method and Density Functional Theory (DFT). Results are compared with previous ab initio plane-wave LDA and classical Shell Model (SM) calculations. Calculated considerable increase of the Ti-O chemical bond nearby the surface is confirmed by experimental data.