Stabilization of Si₆₀ cage structure

Detailed calculations were performed on C₆₀@Si₆₀. Si₆₀ was stabilized as a cage structure if smaller magic clusters were used. These clusters have geometries that are commensurate with the fullerene structure and can be embedded without causing too much strain in the Si-Si bonds. The accuracy of the theoretical method was high to predict that synthesis of Si₆₀ in the fullerene structure is possible if small metal clusters were used as endohedral complexes.