Boron isotope effects on Raman scattering in bulk BN, BP, and BAs: A density functional theory study

For many materials, Raman spectra are intricately structured and provide valuable information about compositional stoichiometry and crystal quality. Here we use density-functional theory calculations, mass approximation, and the Raman intensity weighted Γ-point density of state approach to analyze Raman scattering and vibrational modes in zincblende, wurtzite, and hexagonal BX (X = N, P, and As) structures. The influence of crystal structure and boron isotope disorder on Raman line shapes is examined. Our results demonstrate that long-range Coulomb interactions significantly influence the evolution of Raman spectra in cubic and wurtzite BN compounds. With the evolution of the compositional rate from B11 to B10, a shift toward higher frequencies, as well as the maximum broadening and asymmetry of the Raman peaks, is expected around the 1:1 ratio. The calculated results are in excellent agreement with the available experimental data. This study serves as a guide for understanding how crystal symmetry and isotope disorder affect phonons in BX compounds, which are relevant to quantum single-photon emitters, heat management, and crystal quality assessments.