Several first-principles calculations of positron-annihilation characteristics in solids have added gradient corrections to the local-density approximation within the theory by Arponen and Pajanne [Ann. Phys. (NY) 121, 343 (1979)] since this theory systematically overestimates the annihilation rates. As a further remedy, we propose to use gradient corrections for other local-density approximation schemes based on perturbed hypernetted chain and on quantum Monte Carlo results. Our calculations for various metals and semiconductors show that the proposed schemes generally improve the positron lifetimes when they are confronted with experiment. We also compare the resulting positron affinities in solids with data from slow-positron measurements.

• Received 26 August 2013
• Revised 22 March 2014

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.89.155111