Local density approximation description of electronic properties of wurtzite cadmium sulfide (w-CdS)

We present calculated, electronic, and related properties of wurtzite cadmium sulfide (w-CdS). Our ab initio, nonrelativistic calculations employ a local density functional approximation (LDA) potential and the linear combination of atomic orbitals (LCAO). Following the Bagayoko, Zhao, and Williams (BZW) method, we solved self-consistently both the Kohn–Sham equation and the equation giving the ground-state density in terms of the wave functions of the occupied states. Our calculated, direct band gap of 2.47 eV at the Γ point is in excellent agreement with experiment. So are the calculated density of states and the electron effective mass. In particular, our results reproduce the peaks in the conduction band density of states, within experimental uncertainties.