First-Principles Study of the γ Angle Deformation Path in the Wurtzite-to-Rocksalt Phase Transition in Aluminum Nitride

A new transition path (γ angle deformation path) is put forward and used to characterize the wurtzite-rocksalt transition in AlN. The enthalpy surface and the contour plot of enthalpy difference at equilibrium pressure are obtained by first-principles pseudopotential method within the generalized gradient approximation. The phase transition is needed to overcome two barriers and a metaphase arises between them. The total barrier height is 0.26 eV. The pressure region of the phase transition is estimated to be 13.9-23.5 GPa, in which the experimental result is well located. Along the least barrier path, the changes of density of states and the fields of charge density difference are investigated. The similarities and differences between γ angle deformation path and the orthorhombic deformation path are analyzed.