STRUCTURE AND STABILITY OF TINNM CLUSTERS

Theoretical electronic structure calculations on small TinNm clusters forming various structures have been carried out using a linear combin ation of atomic orbitals molecular-orbital approach within the density -functional formalism. The cuboid clusters are found to be most stable , and the binding energy increases with size. The stability is shown t o be dominated by geometry and not the composition. The bonding in clu sters is shown to be a mix of metallic, covalent, and ionic character.