Electronic Structure and Electrical Conductivity of Undoped LiFePO[sub 4]

The electronic structure of underpins transport properties important to its use as a lithium storage electrode. Here we have calculated the electronic structure of in the ordered olivine structure by a first-principles method to determine the effective mass of carriers and the nature of the band structure. The electrical conductivity in high purity undoped has also been measured experimentally. Spin-polarized calculations show a large electron effective mass and a much smaller but highly anisotropic hole effective mass, suggesting that hole-doped compositions should have the greater electronic conductivity. More surprisingly, the calculations show that this polyanion compound is a half-metal with spin-sensitive band structure, like some other oxides being studied for spintronics applications. This previously unappreciated aspect of the electronic structure may play a role in determining transport properties including those relevant to electrochemical applications.