Parametric effects of the potential energy function on the geometrical features of ternary lennard-jones clusters

The impact of parameters in potential function for describing atomic or molecular clusters is complex due to the complicated potential energy surface. Ternary Lennard-Jones (TLJ) A(l)B(m)C(n) clusters with two-body potential are investigated to study the effect of parameters. In the potential, the size parameter (σ(AA)) of A atoms is fixed, and corresponding parameters of B and C atoms (relative to A atoms), i.e., σ(BB)/σ(AA) and σ(CC)/σ(AA) > 1.00, are used to control the atomic interaction among A, B, and C atoms in TLJ clusters. The minimum energy configurations of A(l)B(m)C(n) clusters with different species are optimized by adaptive immune optimization algorithm. Ternary cluster structures, bonds, and energies of the putative minima are studied. The results show that two different structures based on double-icosahedra are found in 30-atom TLJ clusters. Furthermore, with increasing potential size parameters of B and C atoms, A atoms tend to be more compact for the increasing numbers of A-A bonds, but the short-range attractive part in TLJ clusters becomes weaker. To lower the potential energy, B and C atoms grow around the A atoms in pursuit of a compact configuration. The results are also approved in A(l)B(m)C(n) (l + m + n = 9-55) clusters and A(l)B(m)C(n) (l = 13, m + n = 42) clusters.     

Binding energy of large icosahedral and cuboctahedral Lennard-Jones clusters

It is widely believed that the lowest energy configurations for small rare gas clusters have icosahedral symmetry. This contrasts with the bulk crystal structures which have cuboctahedral fcc symmetry. It is of interest to understand the transition between this finite and bulk behavior. To model this transition in rare gas clusters we have undertaken optimization studies within the Lennard-Jones pair potential model. Using a combination of Monte Carlo and Partan Search optimization methods, the lowest energy relaxed structures of Lennard-Jones clusters having icosahedral and cuboctahedral symmetry were found. Studies were performed for complete shell clusters ranging in size from one shell having 13 atoms to 14 shells having 10,179 atoms. It was found that the icosahedral structures are lower in energy than the cuboctahedral structures for cluster sizes having 13 shells or fewer. Additional studies were performed using the more accurate Aziz-Chen [HFD-C] pair potential parameterized for argon. The conclusions appear to be relatively insensitive to the form of the potential.     

Computational insight into the static and dynamic polarizabilities of aluminum nanoclusters

The static and dynamic polarizabilities for the lowest-energy structures of pure aluminum clusters up to 31 atoms have been investigated systematically within the framework of density functional theory. The size evolution of several electronic properties such as ionization potential, electron affinity, the energy gap between the highest occupied molecular orbital and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital, and chemical hardness have also been discussed for aluminum clusters. Our primary focus in this article, however, has been upon the study of polarizability of aluminum clusters, although we also looked at the role of other electronic properties. From the energetics point of view, the relative stability of aluminum clusters at different sizes is studied in terms of the calculated second-order difference in the total energy of cluster and fragmentation energy, exhibiting that the magic numbers of stabilities are n = 7, 13, and 20. Moreover, the minimum polarizability principle is used to characterize the stability of aluminum clusters. The results show that polarizabilities and electronic properties can reflect obviously the stability of clusters. Electronically, the size dependence of ionization potential and electron affinity of clusters is determined. On the basis of the Wood and Perdew model these quantities converge asymptotically to the value of the bulk aluminum work function.     

Geometric and energetic properties of Al-doped Sin (n = 2–21) clusters: FP-LMTO-MD calculations

We have investigated the effect of aluminum impurity atoms on the geometric structures and stabilities of neutral and ionic Si_n (n = 2–21) clusters in detail by using full-potential linear-muffin-tin-orbital molecular-dynamics (FP-LMTO-MD) method. Our calculations suggest that most of the ground state structures for neutral and ionic Si_nAl (n = 1–20) clusters can be obtained by substituting one Si atom of their corresponding Si clusters with an Al atom. The neutral Si_n–1Al clusters with one Al atom have similar geometrical configurations to those of the pure Si_n clusters except for local structural distortion. But one Al impurity atom probably reverses the energy ordering of two isomers with small difference. Although, an Al heteroatom reduces the average binding energies for the mixed clusters, it would improve the bond strength between Si atoms in some mixed clusters. Our calculations also suggest that most of the ionic Si_n–1Al clusters adopt the same geometrical configurations as their neutral clusters. But for one selected mixed cluster, the charged structures probably have different energy ordering from the neutral clusters. The anionic Si_n–1Al⁻ clusters, which are isoelectronic to their corresponding pure Si_n clusters, show similar magic behavior.     

Low energy structures of gold nanoclusters in the size range 3–38 atoms

Using a combination of first principles calculations and empirical potentials we have undertaken a systematic study of the low energy structures of gold nanoclusters containing from 3 to 38 atoms. A Lennard-Jones and many-body potential have been used in the empirical calculations, while the first principles calculations employ an atomic orbital, density functional technique. For the smaller clusters (n=3–5) the potential energy surface has been mapped at the ab initio level and for larger clusters an empirical potential was first used to identify low energy candidates which were then optimised with full ab initio calculations. At the DFT-LDA level, planar structures persist up to six atoms and are considerably more stable than the cage structures by more than 0.1 eV/atom. The difference in ab initio energy between the most stable planar and cage structures for seven atoms is only 0.04 eV/atom. For larger clusters there are generally a number of minima in the potential energy surface lying very close in energy. Furthermore our calculations do not predict ordered structures for the magic numbers n=13 and 38. They do predict the ordered tetrahedral structure for n=20. The results of the calculations show that gold nanoclusters in this size range are mainly disordered and will likely exist in a range of structures at room temperature.     

硫原子团簇负离子的螺旋结构

在使用B3LYP密度泛函进行几何构型优化和振动频率计算得到的硫原子团簇负离子的结构中,分子的总能量最低的S9- 到 S13-的同分异构体呈螺旋状构型。另外也计算了螺旋状的Sn- (n = 14~20)的结构。大多数的的硫负离子是链状结构,这与相应中性硫原子团簇的环状构型完全不同。     

Dihydrogen bond cooperativity in (HCCBeH)n clusters

A theoretical study has been carried out on the clusters formed by the association of ethynylhydroberyllium (HC[triple bond]CBeH) monomers. The monomer presents a linear disposition with a dipole moment of 0.94 D. Clusters from two to six monomers have been calculated for three different configurations (linear, cyclic with dihydrogen bonds, and cyclic with hydrogen bonds to the pi-cloud), the third one being the most stable. The electronic properties of the clusters have been analyzed by means of the atoms in molecules and natural bond orbitals methodologies. Cooperative effects, similar to the ones described for standard hydrogen bonded clusters, are observed in those configurations where dihydrogen bonds are the main interacting force.     

Energy Stabilities,Magnetic Properties,and Electronic Structures of Diluted Magnetic Semiconductor Zn1-xMnxS(001) Thin Films

We investigate the electronic and magnetic properties of the diluted magnetic semiconductors Zn_1-xMn_xS(001) thin films with different Mn doping concentrations using the total energy density functional theory. The energy stability and density of states of a single Mn atom and two Mn atoms at various doped configurations and different magnetic coupling state were calculated. Different doping configurations have different degrees of p-d hybridization, and because Mn atoms are located in different crystal-field environment, the 3d projected densities of states peak splitting of different Mn doping configurations are quite different. In the two Mn atoms doped, the calculated ground states of three kinds of stable configurations are anti-ferromagnetic state. We analyzed the 3d density of states diagram of three kinds of energy stability configurations with the two Mn atoms in different magnetic coupling state. When the two Mn atoms are ferromagnetic coupling, due to d-d electron interactions, density of states of anti-bonding state have significant broadening peaks. As the concentration of Mn atoms increases, there is a tendency for Mn atoms to form nearest neighbors and cluster around S. For such these configurations, the antiferromagnetic coupling between Mn atoms is energetically more favorable.     

Structural properties of 3-dimensional carbon clusters

Structural properties of 3d carbon clusters were calculated employing recently developed model potential energy functions for carbon. Primarily, spherical shell structures were included in the present investigation. Configurations corresponding to local energy minima were calculated for various shells of an icosahedron containing different number of C atoms. For C₆₀, the two low-lying isomers, the buckminsterfullerene and truncated dodecahedron, were found to be almost isoenergetic. It was also found that fully relaxed structures of C₉₀ and C₁₂₀ have energies very comparable to that of C₆₀. Furthermore, a systematic analysis carried out in this study for carbon clusters with varying dimensionalities, revealed an interesting relationship between the bond lengths and the distribution of bond angles. In all cases, shorter bond distances were found to be associated with larger bond angles.     

Finite temperature path integral Monte Carlo simulations of structural and dynamical properties of Ar(N)-CO(2) clusters

We report finite temperature quantum mechanical simulations of structural and dynamical properties of Ar(N)-CO(2) clusters using a path integral Monte Carlo algorithm. The simulations are based on a newly developed analytical Ar-CO(2) interaction potential obtained by fitting ab initio results to an anisotropic two-dimensional Morse∕Long-range function. The calculated distributions of argon atoms around the CO(2) molecule in Ar(N)-CO(2) clusters with different sizes are consistent to the previous studies of the configurations of the clusters. A first-order perturbation theory is used to quantitatively predict the CO(2) vibrational frequency shift in different clusters. The first-solvation shell is completed at N = 17. Interestingly, our simulations for larger Ar(N)-CO(2) clusters showed several different structures of the argon shell around the doped CO(2) molecule. The observed two distinct peaks (2338.8 and 2344.5 cm(-1)) in the υ(3) band of CO(2) may be due to the different arrangements of argon atoms around the dopant molecule.     

液态金属Al快速凝固过程中团簇结构的形成特性

A simulation study on the formation characteristics of clusters in a large-scale liquid Al system consisting of 105 atoms has been performed by the molecular dynamics method. And a cluster-type index method（CTIM）has been used to describe the structural configurations of various clusters. The results demonstrate that the icosahedron clusters（12 0 12 0）and their combinations play the most important role in the microstructure transition. The nanoclusters（containing up to 104 atoms）have been formed by combining some middle clusters which have been formed by combining smaller basic clusters. The structures of these nano-clusters are very different from those of nano-clusters obtained by evaporation,ionic spray methods,and so on. The latter is formed by the multi-shell crystals accumulated with an atom as the center and the surrounding atoms arranged according to octahedron configuration. The center atoms of these basic clusters are bond-connected each other with the linear or twisting mode. The corners of the nano-cluster just could become the starting points of the dendrite growth in the solidification processes of liquid metals.     

Structure of hydrogenated silicon clusters. Medium-sized clusters

The structures of the Si_nH_m clusters containing 10 to 70 silicon atoms and different numbers of hydrogen atoms are calculated in the MINDO/3 approximation using the Monte Carlo technique. The geometry optimization of the clusters showed the existence of several structural varieties that determine the optimal geometry of the clusters differing in size and hydrogen content. Small clusters (n < 20) with various geometrical configurations often have a hollow structure if the number of silicon atoms in the cluster is more than 12. For 20 ≤ n < 60 and the hydrogen content m ≤ n, hollow spheroidal geometry is most favorable. Staring from n ≈ 56−60, diamond structures are more favorable. The ratio c = m/n < 1, at which the spheroidal structure remains optimal, decreases with further increase in n.     

Charge‐transfer‐to‐solvent absorption spectra of I−(H2O)3–5 at a finite temperature via simulation

Ground‐state equilibrium Born–Oppenheimer molecular dynamics on I^?(H₂O)_3–5 clusters at ～200 K are performed to sample configurations for calculating the charge‐transfer‐to‐solvent (CTTS) absorption spectra for these clusters. When there are more water molecules in clusters, the calculated CTTS spectra are found to become more intense with the absorption maxima shifting to higher energies, which is in agreement with experimental results. In addition, compared with the findings for optimized structures, the absorption energies of the iodide 5p orbitals are red‐shifted at ～200 K because, on average, the distances between the iodide and the dangling hydrogen atoms are increased at finite temperatures which weakens the interactions between the iodide and water molecules in the clusters. Moreover, the number of ionic hydrogen bonds in the clusters are also reduced. However, it is found that all dangling hydrogen atoms must be considered to obtain a good correlation between the CTTS excitation energy and the average distance between the iodide and the dangling hydrogen atoms, which indicates the existence of the strong interactions of the CTTS electron with all of the dangling hydrogen atoms.     

Global optimization of bimetallic cluster structures. II. Size-matched Ag-Pd, Ag-Au, and Pd-Pt systems

Genetic algorithm global optimization of Ag-Pd, Ag-Au, and Pd-Pt clusters is performed. The 34- and 38-atom clusters are optimized for all compositions. The atom-atom interactions are modeled by a semiempirical potential. All three systems are characterized by a small size mismatch and a weak tendency of the larger atoms to segregate at the surface of the smaller ones. As a result, the global minimum structures exhibit a larger mixing than in Ag-Cu and Ag-Ni clusters. Polyicosahedral structures present generally favorable energetic configurations, even though they are less favorable than in the case of the size-mismatched systems. A comparison between all the systems studied here and in the previous paper (on size-mismatched systems) is presented.     

Water–Water and Water–Solute Interactions in Microsolvated Organic Complexes

A structural study of microsolvated clusters of β‐propiolactone (BPL) formed in a pulsed molecular jet expansion is presented. The rotational spectra of BPL–(H₂O)_n (n=1–5) adducts have been analyzed by broadband microwave spectroscopy. Unambiguous identification of the structures has been achieved using isotopic substitution and experimental measurements of the cluster dipole moment. The observed structures are discussed in terms of the different intermolecular interactions between water molecules and between water and BPL, which include n–π* interactions involving the lone pairs of electrons on water oxygen atoms and the antibonding orbital of the BPL carbonyl group. The changes induced in the structures of the water hydrogen‐bonding network by complexation to BPL indicate that water clusters adopt specific configurations to maximize their links to solute molecules.     

Electronic structure and stability of AlnPn (n = 2-4) clusters

The geometry, electronic configurations, harmonic vibrational frequencies, and stability of the structural isomers of aluminum phosphide clusters have been investigated using the density functional theory. For dimers and trimers, the lowest energy structures are cyclic (IIs, IIIs) with D(nh) symmetry. The caged structure with Td symmetry (Xs) lie lowest in energy among the tetramers. The Al--P bond dominates the structures for many isomers so that one preferred dissociation channel is loss of the AlP monomer. The hybridization and chemical bonding in the different structures are also discussed. Comparisons with silicon and boron nitride clusters, the ground state structures of Al(n)P(n) clusters are analogous to those of their corresponding Si(2n) counterparts. This similarity follows the isoelectronic principle.     

Investigation of energy and structural changes of Lin (n=3, 4) microclusters based on temperature

The energy and structural changes of lithium microclusters based on temperature has been investigated by using Molecular-Dynamic simulation Method. Two and three-body interacted semi-empiric potential energy formula that characterized the interaction has been used. It has been calculated that the dissociation of atoms from cluster has started after 1300 K for Li₃ and 1350 K for Li₄, respectively. Dissociations at the fixed temperatures are very close to the expected values of the lithium metal. Additionally, it has been observed that Li₄ microclusters above 1000 K and Li₃ clusters above 700 K temperatures have steady structures in two different energy values.     

Structure and energetics of equiatomic K-Cs and Rb-Cs binary clusters

The basin-hopping algorithm combined with the Gupta many-body potential is used to study the structural and energetic properties of (KCs)(n) and (RbCs)(n) bimetallic clusters with N=2n up to 50 atoms. Each binary structure is compared to those of the pure clusters of the same size. For the cluster size N=28 and for the size range of N=34-50, the introduction of K and Rb atoms in the Cs alkali metal cluster results in new ground state structures different from those of the pure elements. In the size range N>/=38 the binary and pure clusters show not only structural differences, but they also display different magic numbers. Most of the magic Rb-Cs and K-Cs clusters possess highly symmetric structures. They belong to a family of pIh structures, where a fivefold pancake is a dominant structural motif. Such geometries have not been reported for alkali binary clusters so far, but have been found for series of binary transition metal clusters with large size mismatch. Moreover, tendency to phase separation (shell-like segregation) is predicted for both K-Cs and Rb-Cs clusters with up to 1000 atoms. Our finding of a surface segregation in Rb-Cs clusters is different from that of theoretical and experimental studies on bulk Rb-Cs alloys where phase separation does not occur.     

Global optimization study of small (10 < or = N < or = 120) Pd clusters supported on MgO(100)

Experimental evidence suggests that Pd clusters on MgO, known to be good reaction catalysts, have face centered cubic (fcc) epitaxial structures. The structure of such clusters is the result of the interplay of Pd-Pd and Pd-substrate bonds, the former inclined to favor icosahedral (Ih) and decahedral (Dh)-like structures, the latter leading to place Pd atoms on top of oxygen sites, according to an epitaxial stacking. This paper shows the results of a basin-hopping global optimization procedure applied to free and MgO-supported Pd clusters in the size range 10 < or = N < or = 120. Pd-MgO interactions are modeled by an analytical function fitted to ab initio results, while Pd-Pd interactions are modeled by a semiempirical potential. Besides the tight-binding Rosato-Guillopé-Legrand (RGL) potential, we have adopted a modified version of RGL that better reproduces the experimental surface energy of palladium, modifying the attractive part of Pd atoms potential energy. We have compared the two potential models, and as a result, the RGL potential favors clusters with epitaxial arrangements, so that cluster structures are epitaxial fcc in almost all the size ranges considered. On the contrary, the alternative potential model preserves some Ih-like characteristics typical of the free Pd clusters, and it suggests that a transition size from Ih-like to epitaxial structures can take place at about 100 atoms.     

A Computational Study of 3‐D Helium Clusters

Physical and thermodynamic properties have been calculated and analyzed for the best and optimized geometries of the 3‐D clusters with N = 3 to N = 10 atoms and unit cells of three types of crystalline systems using ab initio RHF/6–31G^** method. Dependence of the lattice binding energy on the cluster parameter, R, has been studied. Similar behavior observed for the binding energies for all clusters shows that probabilities of their existence in the condensed phase are more or less the same. In the next step, thermodynamic properties have been calculated and analyzed for He₂₇ 3‐D helium clusters with simple cubic, body centered cubic (bcc), trigonal and hexagonal (hcp) configurations. The results show that the hexagonal cluster is more favored over other clusters. It is found that these clusters are electronically stable over a limited range of the values for the lattice parameter. Δ_fH is constant in this stability region and thus the Δ_fG exactly follows the variations of TΔ_fS. Surface effects have been investigated by comparing the square and hexagonal He₉ 2‐D lattices with the cubic and hexagonal He₂₇ 3‐D lattices, respectively. The lattice parameters, densities and molar volumes calculated for the clusters with hcp and bcc configurations have satisfactory agreement with the available experimental values. Properties of the He₁₃, He₃₄ and He₁₀₄ hcp clusters have also been calculated and analyzed.