The structural, mechanical, electronic and optical properties of SrTMO3 (TM = Rh, Zr) compounds are investigated by using first principle calculations based on density functional theory (DFT). The exchange-correlation potential was treated with the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) for the structural properties. Moreover, the modified Becke-Johnson (mBJ) approximation was also employed for the electronic properties. The calculated lattice constants are in good agreement with the available experimental and theoretical results. The elastic constants and their derived moduli reveal that SrRhO3 is ductile and SrZrO3 is brittle in nature. The band structure and the density of states calculations with mBJ-GGA predict a metallic nature for SrRhO3 and an insulating behavior for SrZrO3. The optical properties reveal that both SrRhO3 and SrZrO3 are suitable as wave reflectance compounds in the whole spectrum for SrRhO3 and in the far ultraviolet region (FUV) for SrZrO3.

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In this work, we used Raman spectroscopic and optical absorption measurements and first-principles calculations to unravel the properties of wolframite-type ScNbO4 at ambient pressure and under high pressure. We found that monoclinic wolframite-type ScNbO4 is less compressible than most wolframites and that under high pressure it undergoes two phase transitions at ∼5 and ∼11 GPa, respectively. The first transition induces a 9% collapse of volume and a 1.5 eV decrease of the band gap energy, changing the direct band gap to an indirect one. According to calculations, pressure induces symmetry changes (P2/c–Pnna–P2/c). The structural sequence is validated by the agreement between phonon calculations and Raman experiments and between band structure calculations and optical absorption experiments. We also obtained the pressure dependence of Raman modes and proposed a mode assignment based upon calculations. They also provided information on infrared modes and elastic constants. Finally, noncovalent and charge analyses were employed to analyze the bonding evolution of ScNbO4 under pressure. They show that the bonding nature of ScNbO4 does not change significantly under pressure. In particular, the ionicity of the wolframite phase is 61% and changes to 63.5% at the phase transition taking place at ∼5 GPa.