Multiphase density functional theory parameterization of the interatomic potential for silver and gold

The ground state energies of Ag and Au in the face-centered cubic (FCC), body-centeredcubic (BCC), simple cubic (SC) and the hypothetical diamond-like phase, and dimer werecalculated as a function of bond length using density functional theory (DFT). Theseenergies were then used to parameterize the many-body Gupta potential for Ag and Au. Wepropose a new parameterization scheme that adopts coordination dependence of theparameters using the well-known Tersoff potential as its starting point. Thisparameterization, over several phases of Ag and Au, was performed to guaranteetransferability of the potentials and to make them appropriate for studies of relatednanostructures. Depending on the structure, the energetics of the surface atoms play acrucial role in determining the details of the nanostructure. The accuracy of theparameters was tested by performing a 2?ns MD simulation of a cluster of 55 Ag?atoms – awell studied cluster of Ag, the most stable structure being the icosahedral one. Withinthis time scale, the initial FCC lattice was found to transform to the icosahedralstructure at room temperature. The new set of parameters for Ag was then used in atemperature dependent atom-by-atom deposition of Ag nanoclusters of up to 1000 atoms. Wefind a deposition temperature of 500?±?50?K where low energy clusters are generated,suggesting an optimal annealing temperature of 500?K for Ag cluster synthesis. Surfaceenergies were also calculated via a 3 ns MD simulation.     

Competition between direct and concerted movements in surface diffusion with application to the Au(110) surface

Recent calculations of the energetic barriers for diffusion of Au atoms on the Au(110) surface have shown that for moves perpendicular to the close-packed atomic rows, concerted, or multi-atom movements are energetically favorable over single-atom movements for the same displacement. Entropic hindrances, however are expected to limit concerted moves. In the present paper this competition is investigated via simulation techniques based on model potentials that reproduce the relevant energtic and entropic features of the Au(110) situation. Apparently non-Arrhenius behavior is found for the concerted motions. A new scheme, which avoids the necessity of long simulation runs to determine the “hop” rate at several temperatures, for determining entropic barriers directly is proposed and tested. Though this method is applied in the present context to a simplified model for the interatomic potentials, it can be straightforwardly extended to realistic treatments of those interactions.     

STM simulation of molecules on ultrathin insulating overlayers using tight-binding: Au-pentacene on NaCl bilayer on Cu

We present fast and efficient tight-binding (TB) methods for simulating scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) imaging of adsorbate molecules on ultrathin insulating films. Due to the electronic decoupling of the molecule from the metal surface caused by the presence of the insulating overlayer, STM can be used to image the frontier molecular orbitals of the adsorbate. These images can be simulated with a very efficient scheme based on hopping integrals which also enables the analysis of phase shifts in the STM current. Au-pentacene complex adsorbed on a NaCl bilayer on Cu substrate provides an intricate model system which has been previously studied both experimentally and theoretically. Our calculations indicate that the complicated shape of the molecular orbitals may cause multivalued constant current surfaces - leading to ambiguity of the STM image. The results obtained using the TB methods are found to be consistent with both DFT calculations and experimental data.     

平均键能模型的物理基础及该模型的应用

平均键能模型是一种建立在数值基础上的用来确定半导体异质界面能带偏移的模型方法。本文首先对这一模型方法的物理基础进行了理论分析,并给予其完整的物理解释。通过与TB“pinned”模型、介电隙能级(DME)模型以及电中性点(CNP)模型的比较,揭示了各模型之间的相互关系,并分析了平均键能模型的优点及其局限性。在此基础上,本文应用这一模型方法对二十七种异质界面的价带偏移值进行了全面的计算,并对结果进行了广泛的分析和比较。结果表明:(1)阳离子浅d轨道是影响价带偏移理论值的一个重要因素;(2)界面偶极子势是决定异质界面价带偏移值的一个关键要素;(3)在与实验的比较上,平均键能模型的准确性优于几种其它的模型方法;(4)平均键能模型不适用于不具有sp³杂化特性的材料系统。     

Electronic transport in large systems through a QUAMBO-NEGF approach: Application to atomic carbon chains

The conductance of single-atom carbon chain (SACC) between two zigzag graphene nanoribbons (GNR) is studied by an efficient scheme utilizing tight-binding (TB) parameters generated via quasi-atomic minimal basis set orbitals (QUAMBOs) and non-equilibrium Green?s function (NEGF). Large systems (SACC contains more than 50 atoms) are investigated and the electronic transport properties are found to correlate with SACC?s parity. The SACCs provide a stable off or on state in broad energy region (0.1-1 eV) around Fermi energy. The off state is not sensitive to the length of SACC while the corresponding energy region decreases with the increase of the width of GNR.     

Thermodynamics and molecular dynamics investigation of a possible new critical size for surface and inner cohesive energy of Al nanoparticles

In this study, the authors first review the previously developed, thermodynamics-based theory for size dependency of the cohesion energy of free-standing spherically shaped Al nanoparticles. Then, this model is extrapolated to the cubic and truncated octahedron Al nanoparticle shapes. A series of computations for Al nanoparticles with these two new shapes are presented for particles in the range of 1–100 nm. The thermodynamics computational results reveal that there is a second critical size around 1.62 and 1 nm for cubes and truncated octahedrons, respectively. Below this critical size, particles behave as if they consisted only of surface-energy-state atoms. A molecular dynamics simulation is used to verify this second critical size for Al nanoparticles in the range of 1–5 nm. MD simulation for cube and truncated octahedron shapes shows the second critical point to be around 1.63 and 1.14 nm, respectively. According to the modeling and simulation results, this second critical size seems to be a material property characteristic rather than a shape-dependent feature.     

Hartree–Fock self-consistent field method for atoms with two open shells of identical symmetry

A generalization of the Roothaan–Bagus method (Roothaan–Hartree–Fock atomic theory) on atoms with open shells of identical symmetry is given. Using orbital exponents of Slater-type atomic orbitals optimized with high accuracy by methods for the minimization of the first and second orders, energy values for atoms with two open s-type shells are calculated within the limits of the Roothaan–Hartree–Fock atomic theory.     

On the exact treatment of time-dependent self-interaction correction

We present a new formulation of the time-dependent self-interaction correction (TDSIC). It is derived variationally obeying explicitly the constraints on orthonormality of the occupied single-particle orbitals. The thus emerging rather involved symmetry condition amongst the orbitals is dealt with using two separate sets of (occupied) single-particle wavefunctions, related by a unitary transformation. The double-set TDSIC scheme is well suited for numerical implementation. We present results for laser-excited dynamics in a 1D model for a molecule and in fully fledged 3D calculations.     

Molecular dynamics simulation of thermal conductivity of Cu–Ar nanofluid using EAM potential for Cu–Cu interactions

Mechanism of heat conduction in copper-argon nanofluids is studied by molecular dynamics simulation and the thermal conductivity was obtained using the Green–Kubo method. While the interatomic potential between argon atoms is described using the well-known Lennard–Jones (L–J) potential, a more accurate embedded atom method (EAM) potential is used in describing the interatomic interaction between copper atoms. It is found that the heat current autocorrelation function obtained using L–J potential to describe the copper-copper interatomic interaction fluctuates periodically due to periodic oscillation of the instantaneous microscopic heat fluxes. Thermal conductivities of nanofluids using EAM potentials were calculated with different volume fractions but the same nanoparticle size. The results show that thermal conductivity of nanofluids are almost a linear function of the volume fraction and slightly higher than the results predicted by the conventional effective media theory for a well-dispersed solution. A solid-like base fluid liquid layer with a thickness of 0.6 nm was found in the simulation and this layer is believed to account for the small discrepancy between the results of MD simulation and the conventional effective media theory.     

The investigation of solid–solid phase transformation at CuAlNi alloy using molecular dynamics simulation

In this study the thermodynamic and structural properties of a CuAlNi model alloy (3A) system were investigated using a molecular dynamics (MD) simulation method. The interactions between atoms were modelled by the Sutton-Chen embedded atom method (SCEAM) based on many-body interactions. It was observed that at the end of thermal process the thermo-elastic phase transformation occurred in the model alloy system. In order to analyse the structures obtained from MD simulation, techniques such as thermodynamic parameters and radial distribution function (RDF) were used. The local atomic order in the model alloy was analysed using Honeycutt–Andersen (HA) method.     

Noncanonical localized orbitals and chemisorption

A localization scheme is applied to the Hückel N-atom linear chain in the limit that the chain becomes semi-infinite. It is shown that eigenvalues which arise from the localization procedure serve to separate a set of orbitals localized near the surface from a set of bulk orbitals. The effect of localization on the binding energy of an adatom is also reported where the adatom is assumed to be identical to the bulk atoms. Approximate binding energies are computed by taking combinations of the adatom orbital plus localized orbitals. Agreement to within 10% with the exact energy is found for the case of localization to two end atoms.     

Molecular dynamics study of mechanical properties of carbon nanotube-embedded gold composites

The mechanical properties of nano-single crystal gold and carbon nanotube-embedded gold (CNT/Au) composites under axial tension were investigated using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation method. The interactions between atoms were modeled using the many-body tight-binding (TB) potential and the empirical Tersoff potential coupled with the Lennard-Jones (L-J) potential. We get the yield strain and the yield stress of nano-single crystal gold 0.092, 5.74 GPa, respectively. The computational results show that the increase in Young's modulus of the long CNT-embedded gold composite over pure gold is much large. From the simulation, we also find that the yield stress and the yield strain of short CNT-embedded gold composite are evidently less than that of the nano-single crystal gold.     

Interpretation of orientational contrast in STM images of GaAs(1 1 0) cleavage surface

The electronic structure of GaAs(1 1 0) surface is analyzed using Density Functional Theory (DFT-GGA) in atomic orbital basis (LCAO). The surface orbitals and the corresponding local density of electronic states (LDOS) are calculated for purposes of interpreting STM images. We show how local atomic orbitals of surface atoms are related to tunneling channels for electrons in STM imaging. A destructive interference between orbitals of two neighbouring atoms increases the contrast between the two atoms, and this is reflected in directionality of STM patterns of GaAs(1 1 0) surfaces. We also discuss how the basic formalism of Tersoff-Hamann approach to STM simulation can be reformulated to reveal the role of phase difference between tunneling channels.     

Influence of nanometer scale film structure of ZDDP tribofilm on Its mechanical properties: A computational chemistry study

We investigated the influence of a nanometer scale film structure of a tribofilm generated from zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDDP) anti-wear additive on its mechanical properties using a combined molecular dynamics (MD) and finite element (FE) method. The frictional behavior of an interface between a native iron oxide layer on steel surface and zinc metaphosphate - regarded as a model material of ZDDP tribofilm - was firstly studied using the MD method. The results showed that the iron atoms in the oxide layer diffused into the phosphate layer during the friction process. The zinc atoms in the phosphate layer also diffused into the oxide layer. Significant interdiffusion of iron and zinc atoms was observed with increasing simulation time. Thus, metallic phosphate with a gradient composition of iron and zinc atoms was formed on the phosphate/oxide interface. We then constructed an axisymmetric nanoindentation simulation model from the MD-derived structures at a certain simulation time and carried out a FE calculation. As a result, we found that the rubbed ZDDP tribofilm, including the phosphate with the gradient composition of metallic atoms, showed larger contact stiffness and hardness. The combined MD/FE simulation indicates that the tribofilm becomes stiffer and harder due to the interdiffusion of iron and zinc atoms on the tribofilm/oxide interface. We have found that the gradient composition formation in ZDDP tribofilm during friction process influences on its mechanical properties.     

Multiscale simulation from atomistic to continuum – coupling molecular dynamics (MD) with the material point method (MPM)

A new multiscale simulation approach is introduced that couples atomistic-scale simulations using molecular dynamics (MD) with continuum-scale simulations using the recently developed material point method (MPM). In MPM, material continuum is represented by a finite collection of material points carrying all relevant physical characteristics, such as mass, acceleration, velocity, strain and stress. The use of material points at the continuum level provides a natural connection with the atoms in the lattice at the atomistic scale. A hierarchical mesh refinement technique in MPM is presented to scale down the continuum level to the atomistic level, so that material points at the fine level in MPM are allowed to directly couple with the atoms in MD. A one-to-one correspondence of MD atoms and MPM points is used in the transition region and non-local elastic theory is used to assure compatibility between MD and MPM regions, so that seamless coupling between MD and MPM can be accomplished. A silicon single crystal under uniaxial tension is used in demonstrating the viability of the technique. A Tersoff-type, three-body potential was used in the MD simulations. The coupled MD/MPM simulations show that silicon under nanometric tension experiences, with increasing elongation in elasticity, dislocation generation and plasticity by slip, void formation and propagation, formation of amorphous structure, necking, and final rupture. Results are presented in terms of stress–strain relationships at several strain rates, as well as the rate dependence of uniaxial material properties. This new multiscale computational method has potential for use in cases where a detailed atomistic-level analysis is necessary in localized spatially separated regions whereas continuum mechanics is adequate in the rest of the material.     

Ultra-cold atoms in an optical cavity: two-mode laser locking to the cavity avoiding radiation pressure

The combination of ultra-cold atomic clouds with the light fields of optical cavities provides a powerful model system for the development of new types of laser cooling and for studying cooperative phenomena. These experiments critically depend on the precise tuning of an incident pump laser with respect to a cavity resonance. Here, we present a simple and reliable experimental tuning scheme based on a two-mode laser spectrometer. The scheme uses a first laser for probing higher-order transversal modes of the cavity having an intensity minimum near the cavity’s optical axis, where the atoms are confined by a magnetic trap. In this way the cavity resonance is observed without exposing the atoms to unwanted radiation pressure. A second laser, which is phase locked to the first and tuned close to a fundamental cavity mode, drives the coherent atom-field dynamics. PACS 42.50.Vk; 42.55.-f; 42.60.Lh; 34.50.-s     

Accurate non-relativistic density functional theory predictions for 77Se NMR shielding parameters

A reoptimized density functional theory (DFT) hybrid functional gives orbitals and energies which when substituted into the uncoupled generalized gradient approximation (GGA) sum-over-states expressions gives NMR shielding constants of high accuracy for first- and second-row nuclei. This procedure is validated further and its performance compared against well established exchange-correlation (XC) functionals for the prediction of the third-row ⁷⁷Se NMR shielding constants, in a series of challenging molecules where both accurate theoretical and experimental data are available. The shielding parameters obtained from this new mixed hybrid GGA scheme provide a significant improvement over conventional XC functionals. and are competitive with the benchmark coupled-cluster singles and doubles (CCSD) methods. From these results together with previous studies it is now apparent that this new GGA shielding scheme provides high accuracy NMR shielding constants for first-, second-and third-row atoms (excluding transition-metal atoms) even in molecules exhibiting large correlation effects.     

Scaling behaviour of polyelectrolytes and polyelectrolyte brushes

Summary Simulation results as well as experimental data indicate that full stretching of flexible polyelectrolytes will not occur under experimentally realizable conditions. Using density-dependent swelling exponents ν(ϕ) as suggested by Stevens and Kremer from the results of a MD simulation study, we present an Alexander-de Gennes-like scaling picture for the behaviour of charged brushes. The brush height is found to become dependent on the grafting density as soon as internal stretching is incomplete. For a particular anchoring technique used in experimental studies the grafting density itself becomes dependent on the chain length. The resulting modified overall chain length dependence of the brush height is discussed. Paper presented at the I International Conference on Scaling Concepts and Complex Fluids, Copanello, Italy, July 4–8, 1994.     

A new approach to bonding in transition metal clusters

The idea that the molecular orbitals of a cluster of atoms can be usefully classified according to their nodal structure, so that the energy increases with the number of nodes, is quantified and shown to apply in its usual form only to molecular orbitals constructed from atomic σ orbitals. The method is extended to deal with atomic π and δ orbitals by the use of vector and tensor surface harmonics respectively. In all cases the orbitals can be classified approximately in terms of angular momentum quantum numbers l and m, but in the π and δ cases there are two orbitals, with different parity, for each lm, and the energy is determined primarily by the parity. The method provides a classification scheme and an approximate energy ordering which does not depend on any point-group symmetry that the cluster may have, and therefore provides a useful framework for discussion of the bonding in cluster compounds such as the boron hydrides and the transition metal cluster carbonyls.     

CdTe和HgTe电子结构的紧束缚模型计算

基于局域密度近似(LDA或GGA)的密度泛函理论计算往往低估体系的禁带宽度,而这一低估对窄带隙半导体尤为严重.尽管基于混合泛函的密度泛函理论能有效地修正这一误差,但是由于计算量较大仍无法用于计算较大体系.本文发展了一组能够比较准确描述CdTe和HgTe晶体电子结构的紧束缚参数.将基于混合泛函的密度泛函计算结果作为输入,我们构建了正交的sp~3s~*基组下的紧束缚模型.此模型能够比较准确地描述能带结构在费米面附近4 eV范围内的色散关系.利用当前模型计算了CdTe和HgTe非晶的电子态密度,计算结果与他人的理论计算和实验值符合较好.