  The band structure and the Fermi surface of hexagonal diborides ZrB2, VB2,
NbB2, TaB2 have been studied by the self-consistent full-potential LMTO method
and compared with those for the isostructural superconductor MgB2. Factors
responsible for the superconducting properties of AlB2-like diborides are
analyzed, and the results obtained are compared with previous calculations and
available experimental data.
