Search arXivSearch

arXiv · 2411.16190

ToMSGKpoint: A user-friendly package for computing symmetry transformation properties of electronic eigenstates of nonmagnetic and magnetic crystalline materials

Abstract

The calculation of (co)irreducible representations of energy bands at high-symmetry points (HSPs) is essential for high-throughput research on topological materials based on symmetry-indicators or topological quantum chemistry. However, existing computational packages usually require transforming crystal structures into specific conventions, thus hindering extensive application, especially to materials whose symmetries are yet to be identified. To address this issue, we developed a Mathematica package, \texttt{ToMSGKpoint}, capable of determining the little groups and (co)irreducible representations of little groups of HSPs, high-symmetry lines (HSLs), and high-symmetry planes (HSPLs) for any nonmagnetic and magnetic crystalline materials in two and three dimensions, with or without considering spin-orbit coupling. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first package to achieve such functionality. The package also provides magnetic space group operations, supports the analysis of (co)irreducible representations of energy bands at HSPs, HSLs, and HSPLs using electronic wavefunctions obtained from \textit{ab initio} calculations interfaced with VASP. Designed for user convenience, the package generates results in a few simple steps and presents all relevant information in clear tabular format. Its versatility is demonstrated through applications to nonmagnetic topological insulator Bi$_2$Se$_3$ and Dirac semimetal Na$_3$Bi, as well as the antiferromagnetic topological material MnBi$_2$Te$_4$. Suitable for any crystal structure, this package can be conveniently applied in a streamlined study once magnetic space group varies with various symmetry-breakings caused by phase transitions.

Explore related subjects

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

Liangliang Huang, Xiangang Wan, Feng Tang. 2024-11-25. ToMSGKpoint: A user-friendly package for computing symmetry transformation properties of electronic eigenstates of nonmagnetic and magnetic crystalline materials. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpc.2025.109510

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related papers

Structure and dynamics of the negative thermal expansion material Cd(CN)$_2$ under hydrostatic pressure

We use a combination of variable-temperature / variable-pressure neutron powder diffraction, variable-pressure inelastic neutron scattering, and quantum chemical calculations to interrogate the behaviour of the negative thermal expansion (NTE) material $^{114}$Cd(CN)$_2$ under hydrostatic pressure. We determine the equation of state of the ambient-pressure phase, and discover the so-called `warm hardening' effect whereby the material becomes elastically stiffer as it is heated. We also identify a number of high-pressure phases, and map out the phase behaviour of Cd(CN)$_2$ over the range $0\leq p\leq0.5$\,GPa, $100\leq T\leq300$\,K. As expected for an NTE material, the low-energy phonon frequencies are found to soften under pressure, and we determine an effective Gr{ü}neisen parameter for these modes. Finally, we show that the elastic behaviour of Cd(CN)$_2$ is sensitive to the local Cd coordination environment, which suggests an interplay between short- (phononic) and long-timescale (cyanide flips) fluctuations in Cd(CN)$_2$.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci

Unconventional Magnetism, Sliding Ferroelectricity, and Magneto-Optical Kerr Effect in Multiferroic Bilayers

Antiferromagnetic (AFM) materials provide a platform to couple altermagnetic (AM) spin-splitting with the magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE), offering potential for next-generation quantum technologies. In this work, first-principles calculations, symmetry analysis, and kp modeling are employed to show that interlayer sliding in AFM multiferroic bilayers enables control of electronic, magnetic, and magneto-optical properties. This study reveals an intriguing dimension-driven AM crossover: the 2D paraelectric (PE) bilayer exhibits spin-degenerate bands protected by the [C2||Mc] spin-space symmetry, whereas the 3D counterpart manifests AM spin-splitting along kz \neq 0 paths. Furthermore, interlayer sliding breaks this Mc symmetry and stabilizes a ferroelectric (FE) state with compensated ferrimagnetism, where the Zeeman-like field is responsible for the nonrelativistic spin-splitting. In the FE phase, spin-orbit coupling (SOC) lifts accidental degeneracies and produces `alternating' spin-polarized bands through the interplay of Zeeman and Rashba effects. Crucially, spin polarization, ferrovalley polarization, and the Kerr angle can all be reversed by switching either sliding ferroelectricity or the Neel vector. Our findings reveal the rich coupling among electronic, magnetic, and optical orders in sliding multiferroics, illustrating new prospects for ultralow-power spintronic and optoelectronic devices.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci

Lead-free piezoelectric perovskites for arterial-pulse e-skin: from configurational complexity to equivariant machine-learning potentials

Continuous, non-invasive monitoring of the arterial pulse is a clinical priority for cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of global mortality. Flexible piezoelectric electronic skins can transduce the 1-10 kPa pressure wave into a self-powered voltage, but the best-performing piezoceramics are lead-based, and their toxicity is incompatible with skin contact and with tightening RoHS/REACH regulation. Among lead-free alternatives, the BaTiO$3$-based solid solution BZT-BCT reaches $d{33} \approx 620$ pC/N near its tricritical morphotropic phase boundary, rivalling soft PZT while remaining biocompatible. Exploiting this in a wearable confronts a sensitivity-flexibility paradox and three computational walls: the combinatorial explosion of atomic configurations in a disordered solid solution, the band-gap error of affordable density-functional approximations, which corrupts leakage and insulation estimates, and the 0 K nature of standard calculations against a 310 K operating temperature. We review lead-free piezoelectrics, morphotropic-boundary physics and fabricated flexible devices, then argue that equivariant machine-learning interatomic potentials --- coupled to a tiered functional hierarchy and finite-temperature lattice dynamics --- can survey the full configurational ensemble at body temperature and close the gap to a clinically viable lead-free pulse sensor.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci