Theoretical investigation of LaCn+ (n=2-8) clusters

LaCn+ (n = 2-8) have been studied using Hartree-Fock (HF) and B3LYP density functional method. The results indicated that at both levels, isomers with C-2v, C-s symmetry for n = 2, and edge insertion isomer for n = 4, 6, 8, as well as edge binding isomer for n = 3, 5, 7 were found as ground states. This is in good agreement with experimental results. The exceptional case is for n = 6 at B3LYP level, in which edge insertion and edge binding isomers were computed to be near isoenergetic. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.