First-Principles Study of Pressure-Induced Phase Transition in CuGaO₂

We have studied the structural, elastic, electronic properties, and pressure-induced phase transition of CuGaO₂ by using the plane-wave ultrasoft pseudopotential technique based on the first-principles density-functional theory (DFT). The obtained ground state properties of three phases were in agreement with previous works. The calculated enthalpy variations with pressure showed that the structural phase transition (β → 3R/2H) appeared at 65.5 ± 1 GPa. The changes in volume and band gap of β phase showed that there was a break between 30 and 40 GPa. The independent elastic constants of three phases were calculated. The 3R, 2H, and β phases were all mechanical stability and behaved in ductile manner under zero pressure.