The effect of 3-body forces and anharmonicity on the phonon spectrum of solid argon

The phonon spectra of solidified argon have been computed by a phenomenological rigid-atom-model. This model, which takes the constituent atoms as rigid-hard spheres, assumes that the potential energy of the solid is the sum of central and non-central interactions, and derives the same from the Buckingham-Corner potential function together with the Axilrod-Teller interaction term. The zero-point quantum and anharmonic effects, have been included. The effect of many-body forces as well as anharmonicity on the frequency spectrum and the lattice heat capacities of the solid is seen to be appreciable. The agreement between theoretical and the experimental results is not very satisfactory.