A relation between structure and pair potential for liquid metals

We emphasize the importance of considering the relationship between the structure of a liquid and the interatomic potential directly from the point of view of wave vector space (k space). Although the Ornstein-Zernike equation was not originally derived from this point of view, this equation when transformed into the k-space representation has direct physical content, when coupled with a normal mode representation according to the approaches of Pines and Bohm (1952), and Percus and Yevick (1958). These normal modes are defined isothermally, and the relation to the dynamical modes of the liquid is discussed. The use of a simple k-space relationship between the transform of the Ornstein-Zernike direct correlation function and the transform, V_k , of the interatomic potential is explored. This leads to a correspondingly simple relationship between the structure factor and the interatomic potential. It is equivalent to a generalized Debye-Hückel equation and is expected to be valid only under special circumstances; namely, where the potential is long range in a particular sense and the small k behaviour of V_k is dependent mainly upon this long-range behaviour and relatively insensitive to details of the potential at short distances. It is noted that these conditions appear to be met reasonably well for the liquid alkali metals. The comparison of theory and experiment is somewhat uncertain because of incomplete experimental data on the structure factor as well as unresolved theoretical issues.