A DFT study on alkali and alkaline earth metal encapsulated fullerene-like BeO cluster

By using Density Functional Theory (DFT), we have performed alkali metal and alkaline earth metal inside fullerene-like BeO cluster (FLBeOC) in terms of energetic, geometric, charge transfer, work function and electronic properties. It has been found that encapsulated processes of the alkali metal are exothermic and thermodynamically more favorable than alkaline earth metal encapsulation, so that interaction energy (Eint) of the alkali metal encapsulation FLBeOC is in the range of -0.02 to -1.15 eV at level of theory. It is found that, the electronic properties of the pristine fullerene-like BeO cluster are much more sensitive to the alkali metal encapsulation in comparison to alkaline earth metal encapsulation. The alkali and alkaline earth metal encapsulated fullerene-like BeO cluster systems exhibit good sensitivity, promising electronic properties which may be useful for a wide variety of next-generation nano-sensor device components. The encapsulation of alkali and alkali earth metal may increase the electron emission current from the FLBeOC surface by reducing of the work function.