First principles predictions of electronic and elastic properties of BaPb^sub 2^As^sub 2^ in the ThCr2Si2-type structure

A first-principles approach is used to predicts the electronic and elastic properties of BaPb2As2 superconductor compound, using full-potential linearized augmented plane wave plus local orbitals (FP-L/APW+lo) scheme within the local density approximation LDA. The calculated equilibrium structural parameter a agree well with the experiment while the c/a ratio is far away from the experimental result. The band structure, density of states, together with the charge density and chemical bonding are discussed. The calculated elastic constants for our compound indicate that it is mechanically stable at ambient pres- sure. Polycrystalline elastic maduli (Young's, Bulk, shear Modulus and the Poisson's ratio) were calculated according to the Voigte-Reusse-Hill (VRH) average.