A detailed first principle study on the structural, elastic, and electronic properties of indium arsenide (InAs) under induced pressure

An ab initio calculation of the structural, elastic, and electronic properties of indium arsenide (InAs) under induced pressure is investigated using density functional theory with modified Becke–Johnson potential within the generalised gradient approximation of the Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof scheme. The lattice parameters are found to be in good agreement with experimental and other theoretical data. The pressure-induced structural phase transition of InAs zinc blende to rock salt structure is found to occur at 4.7 GPa pressure with a 17.2% of volume collapse. The elastic properties of both the zinc blende and rock salt structures at different pressures are studied. The electronic band structures at different pressures for both the structures are investigated using the total and partial density of states. The energy band gap of the InAs zinc blende phase is increased with increasing pressure while in rock salt the phase the conduction band crosses towards the valence band and thus shows metallic behaviour.