Atomistic computer simulation studies of Sr2RuO4 and Ca2RuO4 Original Research Article

Atomistic static computer simulation techniques have been applied to investigate the energetics of defects and dopants in Sr2RuO4 (SRO) and Ca2RuO4 (CRO). Interatomic potentials have been derived which reproduced the crystal structures of these systems. Solution energies are calculated for different dopant ions to ascertain the site occupied by the dopant ion in the host lattice. Monovalent and divalent ions are predicted to substitute preferentially at the alkaline-earth site in both the systems. Trivalent cations of smaller ionic radii substitute at the Ru sites while those having larger ionic radii prefer to substitute at the Sr or Ca sites in SRO or CRO systems, respectively. In addition, there is a possibility of self-compensation, where a trivalent cation can substitute at both Sr(Ca) and Ru sites. Tetravalent dopants are found to substitute at the ruthenium sites in both systems.