In this thesis, quantum-mechanical calculations within density-functional theory on metallic systems are presented. The overarching goal has been to investigate effects of disorder. In particular, one of the properties investigated is the bindingenergy shifts for core electrons in binary alloys using different theoretical methods. These methods are compared with each other and with experimental results. One such method, the so-called Slater-Janak transition state method relies on the assumption that the single-particle eigenvalues within density-functional theory are linear functions of their respective occupation number. This assumption is investigated and it is found that while the eigenvalues to a first approximation show linear behavior, there are also nonlinearities which can influence the core-level binding energy shifts.

Another area of investigation has been iron based alloys at pressures corresponding to those in the Earth’s inner core. This has been done for the hexagonal close packed and face entered cubic structures. The effects of alloying iron with magnesium and nickel on the equation of state as well on the elastic properties have been investigated. The calculations have shown that the hexagonal close packed structure in FeNi is more isotropic than the face-centered cubic structure, and that adding Mg to Fe has a large impact on the elastic properties.

Finally, the effects of disorder due to thermal motion of the atoms have been investigated through ab-initio molecular dynamics simulations. Within the limits of this method and the setup, it is found that the face-centered cubic structure of molybdenum can be dynamically stabilized at high temperature, leading to a metastable structure, on the average. The dynamical stabilization of face-centered cubic molybdenum also rendered it possible to accurately calculate the lattice stability relative to the body-centered cubic phase. Inclusion of temperature effects for the lattice stability using ab-initio molecular dynamics simulations resolves the disagreement between ab-initio calculations and thermochemical methods.

In this thesis, ab initio calculations on metallic systems are presented. The overall aim is to probe properties that are often considered to be difficult to obtain within the framework of density-functional theory. The aim has also been to chose problems and systems that are of a wider interest and not only a testbed for calculations.

One of the properties investigated is the binding-energy shifts for core electrons in binary alloys of face-centered cubic structure using different theoretical methods. These methods are compared with each other and with experimental results. One of the methods, the so-called Slater-Jank transition state method has been investigated in more detail. This method relies on the assumption that the single-particle eigenvalues within density-functional theory are linear functions of their respective occupation number. This assumption is investigated , and it is found that while the eigenvalues to a first approximation show linear behaviour, the Slater-Jank transition state method can be improved by a first-order correction to the non-linearities.

Another area of investigation have been FeNi systems at high pressure. Calculations of elastic constants in this alloy at pressures corresponding to the Earth's core have been done for the hexagonal close packed and face centered cubic structures. These calculations show that, contrary to many other systems, the hexagonal close packed structure in FeNi is more isotropic than the face centered cubic structure.

By means of ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations we carry out a detailed stdly of the electronic and atomic structure of Mo upon the thermal stabilization of its dynamically unstable face-centered cubic (fcc) phase, Wc calculate how the atomic positions, radial distribution function, and the ei<xtronic density of states of fcc Mo evolve with temperature. The results are compared with those for dynamically stable body-centered cubic (bcc) phase of Mo, as well as with bcc Zr, which is dynamically unstable at T = OK, but (in contrast to fcc Mo) becomes thermodynamically stable at high temperature, In particular, wc emphasize the difference between the local positions of atoms in the simulation boxes at a particular step of AIMD simulation and the average positions, around which the atoms vibrate, and show that the former are solcly responsible for the electronic properties of the material. WE observe that while the average atomic positions in fcc Mo correspond perfectly to the ideal structure at high temperature, the electronic structure of the metal calculated from AIMD differs substantially from the canonical shape of the density of states for the ideal fcc crystaL From a comparison of our results obtained for fcc Mo arid bcc Zr, we advocate the use of the electronic structure calculations, complemented with studies of radial distribution functions, as a sensitive test of a degree of the temperature induced stabilization of phases, which are dynamically unstable at T = OK.

We have ca1culated the equation of state and elastic properties of face-centered cubic Fe and Fe-rich FeMg alloy at ultrahigh pressures from first principles using the Exact Muffin-Tin Orbitals method. The results show that adding Mg into Fe influences strongly the equation of state, and cause a large degree of softening of the elastic constants, even at concentrations as small as 1-2 at. %. Moreover, the e1astic anisotropy increases, and the effect is higher at higher pressures.

The single-crystal and polycrystalline elastic constants and the elastic anisotropy in face-centered cubic and hexagonal close-packed FeNi alloys have been investigated at ultrahigh pressures by means of first-principles calculations using the exact muffin-tin orbitals method and the coherent-potential approximation. Comparisons with earlier calculations for pure Fe and experimental results are presented and discussed. We show that Ni alloying into Fe increases slightly the density and has very little effect on bulk moduli. Moreover, the relative decrease in c(44) elastic constant is much stronger in the hcp phase than in the fcc one. It is found that the elastic anisotropy is higher for face-centered cubic than for the hexagonal close-packed structure of FeNi, even though the face-centered cubic phase has a higher degree of symmetry. The anisotropy in face-centered cubic structure decreases with increasing nickel concentration while a very weak increase is observed for the hexagonal close-packed structure.

The energy differences between the ground state body-centered structure and closed-packed face-centered structure for transition metals in the middle of the series show unusually large disagreements when they are obtained by the thermochemical approach based on the analysis of experimental data or by first-principles electronic structure calculations. Considering a typical example, the lattice stability of Mo, we present a solution to this long-standing problem. We carry out ab initio molecular dynamics simulations for the two phases at high temperature and show that the configurational energy difference approaches the value derived by means of the thermochemical approach. The main contribution to the effect comes from the modification of the canonical band structure due to anharmonic thermal motion at high temperature.

According to the so-called Janak’s theorem, the eigenstates of the Kohn-Sham Hamiltonian are given by the derivative of the total energy with respect to the occupation numbers of the corresponding one-electron states. The linear dependence of the Kohn-Sham eigenvalues on the occupation numbers is often assumed in order to use the Janak’s theorem in applications, for instance, in calculations of the core-level shifts in materials by means of the Slater-Janak transition state model. In this work first-principles density-functional theory calculations using noninteger occupation numbers for different core states in 24 different random alloy systems were carried out in order to verify the assumptions of linearity. It is found that, to a first approximation, the Kohn-Sham eigenvalues show a linear behavior as a function of the occupation numbers. However, it is also found that deviations from linearity have observable effects on the core-level shifts for some systems. A way to reduce the error with minimal increase of computational efforts is suggested.

We have studied the influence of the Mn content on the elastic properties of Fe–Mn random alloys (space group of Fmm) using ab initio calculations. The magnetic effects in Fe–Mn alloys have a strong influence on the elastic properties, even above the Néel temperature. As the Mn content is increased from 5  to  40  at.  %, the C₄₄ elastic constant is unaffected, while C₁₁ and C₁₂ decrease. This behavior can be understood based on the magnetovolume effect which softens the lattice. Since the amplitude of local magnetic moments is less sensitive to volume conserving distortions, the softening is not present during shearing.

First-principles theoretical calculations of the core-level binding-energy shift (CLS) for eight binary face-centered-cubic (fcc) disordered alloys, CuPd, AgPd, CuNi, NiPd, CuAu, PdAu, CuPt, and NiPt, are carried out within density-functional theory (DFT) using the coherent potential approximation. The shifts of the Cu and Ni 2p_3∕2, Ag and Pd 3d_5∕2, and Pt and Au 4f_7∕2 core levels are calculated according to the complete screening picture, which includes both initial-state (core-electron energy eigenvalue) and final-state (core-hole screening) effects in the same scheme. The results are compared with available experimental data, and the agreement is shown to be good. The CLSs are analyzed in terms of initial- and final-state effects. We also compare the complete screening picture with the CLS obtained by the transition-state method, and find very good agreement between these two alternative approaches for the calculations within the DFT. In addition the sensitivity of the CLS to relativistic and magnetic effects is studied.

We show that core-level binding energy shifts (CLS) can be reliably calculated within density functional theory. The scheme includes both the initial (electron energy eigenvalue) as well as final state (relaxation due to core-hole screening) effects in the same framework. The results include CLS as a function of composition in substitutional random bulk and surface alloys. Sensitivity of the CLS to the local chemical environment in the bulk and at the surface is demonstrated. A possibility to use the CLS for structural determination is discussed. Finally, an extension of the model is made for Auger kinetic energy shift calculations.