The electronic density of states of disordered compounds

Recently, the electronic properties of liquid alkali (Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs)-group IV (Si, Ge, Sn, Pb) alloys have been discussed by the present authors using a tight-binding model. Only anion orbitals (= group IV) are taken into account. Disorder is described by a pseudo lattice, which takes into account local coordination in one of the sublattices (cation or anion) only. In the first part of this paper it is shown that this approximation is consistent with the usual valence rules used by structural chemists for crystalline structures. In the second part of the paper the solutions for the density of states of the tight-binding Hamiltonian are studied for a number of pseudolattices. The infinite set of Green function equations is solved by using the effective transfer method, which replaces the famous Block condition. It is shown that such a model can explain the formation of bandgaps in disordered systems. By choosing the proper smallest cluster(s) of transfer loops to model the real structure by a pseudolattice, a density of states is obtained which represents properly that of the corresponding crystalline structure. Structures reminiscent to those caused by van Hove singularities already appear in the electronic density of states when relatively small cluster(s) of transfer loops are used. The approach outlined in this paper is capable of describing the electronic density of states due to various degrees of local order in a sublattice. Some of the peculiarities occurring in the solution of the density of states of certain pseudolattices, such as poles outside the band, are discussed in an appendix. (author)