First-Principles Calculation of Static Equation of State and Elastic Constants for GaSe

The all-electron full potential augmented plane-wave plus local orbital (APW+lo) method with the local-density approximation (LDA) is used to calculate the static equation of state (EOS) and elastic constants of crystalline GaSe. After the full relaxation of atomic positions, the calculated band structure at ambient pressure is consistent with the experimental data to the extent expected to give the known limits of LDA one-electron energies. The equilibrium lattice parameters found here exhibit the usual LDA-induced contraction. However, constrained with the experimental cell volume, the interlayer separation exhibits an expansion due to the LDA underestimate of the weak interlayer bonding. The calculated values of elastic constants are in good agreement with acoustic measurements. The pressure derivatives of the lattice constants derived from the theoretical elastic constants are in very good agreement with x-ray spectra measurements. Two analytical EOSs have been determined at pressures up to 4.5GPa. The pressure evolution of the structure indicates that the layer thickness decreases slightly under pressure.