Dielectric function and plasmonic behavior of Ga(II) and Ga(III)

In order to exploit gallium’s (Ga) rich polymorphism in the design of phase-change plasmonic systems, accurate understanding of the dielectric function of the different Ga-phases is crucial. The dielectric dispersion profiles of those phases appearing at atmospheric pressure have been reported in the literature, but there is no information on the dielectric function of the high-pressure Ga-phases. Through first principles calculations we present a comprehensive analysis of the interdependence of the crystal structure, band structure, and dielectric function of two high-pressure Ga phases (Ga(II) and Ga(III)). The plasmonic behavior of these high-pressure Ga-phases is compared to those stable (liquid- and α-Ga) and metastable (β-, γ- and δ-Ga) at atmospherics pressure. This analysis can have important implications in the design of pressure-driven phase-change Ga plasmonic devices and high-pressure SERS substrates.