Monte Carlo study of interfacial silicon suboxide layers and oxidation kinetics

A simple simulation scheme that simultaneously describes the growth kinetics of SiO₂ films at the nanometer scale and the SiO_x/Si interface dynamics (its extent, and spatial/temporal evolution) is presented. The simulation successfully applies to experimental data in the region above and below 10 nm, reproduces the Deal and Grove linear-parabolic law and the oxide growth rate enhancement in the very thin film regime (the so-called anomalous region). According to the simulation, the oxidation is governed mainly by two processes: (a) the formation of a transition suboxide layer and (b) its subsequent drift towards the silicon bulk. We found that it is the superposition of these two processes that produces the crossover from the anomalous oxidation region behavior to the linear-parabolic law.     

Critical dynamics of the three-dimensional Ising model: A Monte Carlo study

Extensive Monte Carlo simulations have been performed to analyze the dynamical behavior of the three-dimensional Ising model with local dynamics. We have studied the equilibrium correlation functions and the power spectral densities of odd and even observables. The exponential relaxation times have been calculated in the asymptotic one-exponential time region. We find that the critical exponentz=2.09 ±0.02 characterizes the algebraic divergence with lattice size for all observables. The influence of scaling corrections has been analyzed. We have determined integrated relaxation times as well. Their dynamical exponentz _int agrees withz for correlations of the magnetization and its absolute value, but it is different for energy correlations. We have applied a scaling method to analyze the behavior of the correlation functions. This method verifies excellent scaling behavior and yields a dynamical exponentz _scal which perfectly agrees withz.     

Surface reconstruction in reactive dynamics: A kinetic Monte Carlo approach

The oscillatory CO oxidation reaction on the restructuring surface of Pt(1 0 0) is studied through a mesoscopic kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) approach. The present model is an extension of the standard ZGB model with specific attention to the emergence of oscillations in surface reactions. A square and a purely hexagonal lattice are used as substrates on which the CO oxidation reaction steps take place. The dynamics of the reaction on the two substrates exhibit the ZGB kinetic phase transitions, at different kinetic parameter values for each substrate. Surface reconstruction is modelled through switching between the two lattice types. Oscillations are produced in those parametric areas where the steady state concentrations on the two substrates are considerably different. The parametric area where notable oscillations are observed is narrow, but is greatly enhanced when different sticking coefficients of oxygen are taken into account. CO diffusion introduced microscopically to the model on the hexagonal lattice shifts the kinetic transition points and increases considerably the time needed to reach the steady state.     

Monte Carlo study of percolation on disordered triangular lattices

A simple model for amorphous solids, consisting of a mixed bond triangular lattice with a fraction of attenuated bonds randomly distributed (which simulate the presence of defects in the surface), is studied here by using computational simulation. The degree of disorder of the surface is tunable by selecting the values of (1) the fraction of regular [attenuated] bonds ρ [1−ρ] (0≤ρ≤1) and (2) the factor r, which is defined as the ratio between the value of the conductivity associated to an attenuated bond and that corresponding to a regular bond (0≤r≤1). The results obtained show how the percolation properties of the disordered system are modified with respect to the standard random bond percolation problem (r=0).     

Monte Carlo study of the XY-model on Sierpinski gasket

We have performed a Monte Carlo study of the classical XY-model on two-dimensional Sierpinski gaskets (SGs) of several cluster sizes. From the dependence of the helicity modulus on the cluster size we conclude that there is no phase transition in this system at a finite temperature. This is in agreement with previous findings for the harmonic approximation to the XY-model on SG and is analogous to the absence of finite-temperature phase transition for the Ising model on fractals with a finite order of ramification.     

Monte Carlo study of nanowire magnetic properties

In this work, we use Monte Carlo simulations to study the magnetic properties of a nanowire system based on a honeycomb lattice, in the absence as well as in the presence of both an external magnetic field and crystal field. The system is formed with NL layers having spins that can take the values σ = ±1/2 and S = ±1, 0. The blocking temperature is deduced, for each spin configuration, depending on the crystal field Δ. The effect of the exchange interaction coupling Jp between the spin configurations σ and S is studied for different values of temperature at fixed crystal field. The established ground-state phase diagram, in the plane (Jp ,Δ), shows that the only stable configurations are: (1/2, 0), (1/2, +1), and (1/2,-1). The thermal magnetization and susceptibility are investigated for the two spin configurations, in the absence as well as in the presence of a crystal field. Finally, we establish the hysteresis cycle for different temperature values, showing that there is almost no remaining magnetization in the absence of the external magnetic field, and that the studied system exhibits a super-paramagnetic behavior.     

Effect of exchange interaction in ferromagnetic superlattices:A Monte Carlo study

The Monte Carlo simulation is used to investigate the magnetic properties of ferromagnetic superlattices through the Ising model. The reduced critical temperatures of the ferromagnetic superlattices are studied each as a function of layer thickness for different values of exchange interaction. The exchange interaction in each layer within the interface and the crystal field in the unit cell are studied. The magnetic coercive fields and magnetization remnants are obtained for different values of exchange interaction, different values of temperature and crystal field with fixed values of physical parameters.     

Multi-site kinetic Monte Carlo simulations of thermal desorption spectroscopy data

Presented is a kinetic Monte Carlo simulation (KMCS) algorithm for simulating experimental thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS) data. The KMCS is based on the Master equation approach and applies a first-passage-time analysis, i.e., the time dependence of the kinetics is matched correctly. The KMCS–TDS scheme used here includes multiple kinetically distinct adsorption sites and the effect of lateral interactions as required for fitting experimental data. After the results of extensive tests of the algorithm by means of synthetic data are discussed, experimental TDS curves are reproduced by the KMCS. Two applications are demonstrated: iso-butane adsorption on ZnO(0 0 0 1)–Zn and n-pentane adsorption on carbon nanotubes.     

Monte Carlo Simulations of the Yukawa One-Component Plasma

The excess free energy f of the Yukawa one-component plasma is investigated by means of Monte Carlo simulations. These simulations are performed in the canonical ensemble within hyperspherical boundary conditions and f is computed for various values of the coupling parameter in the range 0.1100 and of the screening parameter * in the range 0.1*6.     

Stress modifications induced by dimer vacancies in the Si(0 0 1) surface: Monte Carlo simulations

By means of Monte Carlo simulations, we investigate the local stress modifications induced by dimer vacancies (DVs) in the Si(0 0 1) subsurface layers. In presence of n isolated compact DVs, the sites located below these defect rows are under clearly compressive stress in the third layer and under more and more tensile stress, as n increases, in the fourth layer. At higher DVs densities, analogous trends are observed, but the stress modifications are then slightly extended between the dimer rows. Applying our results to the Ge penetration in Si(0 0 1), we show how the knowledge of the local stress may allow predictions of a given impurity behaviour in the vicinity of the surface, provided that the impurity-defect and impurity-impurity interactions do not play a major role compared to the local stress modification induced by the presence of DVs.     

The Convergence of Markov Chain Monte Carlo Methods: From the Metropolis Method to Hamiltonian Monte Carlo

From its inception in the 1950s to the modern frontiers of applied statistics, Markov chain Monte Carlo has been one of the most ubiquitous and successful methods in statistical computing. The development of the method in that time has been fueled by not only increasingly difficult problems but also novel techniques adopted from physics. Here, the history of Markov chain Monte Carlo is reviewed from its inception with the Metropolis method to the contemporary state‐of‐the‐art in Hamiltonian Monte Carlo, focusing on the evolving interplay between the statistical and physical perspectives of the method.     

TLD measurements and Monte Carlo simulations for glandular dose and scatter fraction assessment in mammography: A comparative study

The main purpose of this study was to validate and compare Mean Glandular Dose (MGD) values obtained using Monte Carlo simulations with experimental values obtained from Entrance Surface Dose (ESD) and depth dose measurements performed in a Hospital mammography unit. ESD and depth dose were measured using ThermoLuminescent Dosimeters (TLDs), and a tissue equivalent mammography phantom recommended by the American College of Radiology (ACR). Measurements and Monte Carlo simulations were also compared with the MGD calculated using the Automatic Exposure Control (AEC) system of the mammographic unit. In the simulations the Doppler energy broadening effect was also taken into account. The simulated ESD are about 5%–10% higher than the measured ESD values. The deviation between the measured and simulated MGD values in the phantom is of about 15%. The MGD evaluated using the AEC system is smaller both with respect to the Monte Carlo simulation and experimental result by a factor of about 15% and 25% respectively. Moreover the BackScatter Factor (BSF) estimated by Monte Carlo simulations was used for the MGD calculation according to the Wu’s method. Finally the inclusion of the energy broadening effect on MGD calculation produces negligible variations on the simulated results.     

Structure of polymer solutions at interfaces: a Monte Carlo simulation study

The canonical ensemble Monte Carlo method is applied to study the structure of polymer solutions confined between surfaces. The polymer molecules are modeled as fused-sphere freely rotating chains with fixed bond length and bond angles and the solvent as hard spheres. The simulation results for the configurational and conformational properties of the chains are presented with varying interfacial distances, chain concentrations, and chain lengths. The chains are depleted at the wall at lower density, which, however, becomes less at higher density. With an increase in the interfacial distance, the enhancement/depletion of the chains at the wall becomes more marked. At all interfacial distances and chain lengths, increasing the concentration of the solvent makes the oscillation in the density profile of the chains more pronounced. Conformational properties provide important indications regarding the behaviour of chains as they approach surfaces.     

Monte Carlo study of the generalized reaction-diffusion lattice-gas model system

The reaction-diffusion lattice-gas model is an interacting particle system out of equilibrium whose microscopic dynamics is a combination of Glauber (reaction) and Kawasaki (diffusion) processes; the Glauber ratec(s; x) at sitex when the configuration iss satisfies detailed balance at temperatureT, while the Kawasaki ratec(s; x, y) between nearest-neighbor sitesx andy satisfies detailed balance at a different temperatureT. We report on the phase diagram of that system as obtained from a series of Monte Carlo simulations of steady states in two-dimensional lattices with arbitrary values forT,T, and; this generalizes previous analytical and numerical studies for and/orT. When the rates are implemented by the Metropolis algorithm, the system is observed to undergo various types of first- and second-order (nonequilibrium) phase transitions, e.g., one may identify Onsager (equilibrium) as well as Landau (mean-field) types of continuous phase transitions.Dedicated to Joel L. Lebowitz on the occasion of his 60th birthday.     

Transient yielding of CO2 over oxidized ruthenium surfaces: Monte Carlo simulations

We develop Monte Carlo simulations to study the catalytic oxidation of CO over a surface of ruthenium. The catalyst is exposed to a continuous flux of CO molecules and its surface is pre-covered with an amount of oxygen atoms. Recent experiments performed on this system [R. Blume, W. Christen, H. Niehus, J. Phys. Chem. B 110 (2006) 13912] have shown that three different reaction mechanisms can account for the experimental results. Two of them are based on the Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism, where CO molecules are adsorbed at oxygen-free defect sites before reactions take place. The third one proceeds via the Eley-Rideal mechanism, which is almost time independent, and reactions occur at non-defect sites. In our model, we consider a semi-infinite cubic lattice to mimic the surface of the catalyst and oxygen atoms are incorporated into the layers below the surface. A fraction of defects is created at the topmost layer and at the first subsurface layer. Oxygen atoms can diffuse over the surface as well as between adjacent layers of the system. We also assumed a temperature dependent reaction rate that is related to the residence time of CO at the surface. Comparisons are made between the CO₂ yielding at defect-rich and smooth surfaces as a function of temperature.     

Atomic diffusion inside a STM junction: simulations by kinetic Monte Carlo coupled to tunneling current calculations

The influence of a static scanning tunneling microscope (STM) tip on the diffusion of xenon atoms adsorbed on a Cu(1 1 0) stepped surface is studied. Semi-empirical potentials for the Xe-surface interaction and a N-body energy based method for the Xe-tip contribution are used to calculate the adsorption energy of adsorbates in the STM junction. First, we analyse the variation of this energy when the adatom is placed near a step edge and for different tip positions. When the tip is situated in the neighbourhood of the step edge, the Ehrlich-Schwoebel barrier experienced by the adatom is lowered. This opens a specific diffusion channel, allowing a possible crossing of the step edge. Second, through a kinetic Monte Carlo approach coupled to the elastic scattering quantum chemistry method, the noisy tunneling current created by the random motion of diffusing atoms in the vicinity of the tip can be analyzed. We show that, by counting the number of diffusion events, we can determine effective barriers related to the most dominant processes contributing to the diffusion at a particular temperature. We also demonstrate that the interaction mode of the tip (attractive or imaging) greatly modifies the diffusion processes.     

Monte Carlo study of a superlattice with alternate layers

A Monte Carlo (MC) simulation was used to observe the magnetic behavior of a superlattice Ising Model, in the presence of both an external and crystal magnetic fields. The system is made up to layers σ=±1/2$\sigma =\pm 1/2$ and S=±1,0$S=\pm 1,0$. The effect of the exchange interaction coupling _Jp$J_p$ between the spin configurations σ$\sigma$ and S$S$ is investigated for different values of temperature at fixed values of the crystal field. We found that this parameter increases the magnetization of the system at high temperature. Also, the critical temperature is calculated, for each spin configuration as function of temperature using the MC technique. The thermal behavior magnetizations and susceptibilities are studied. Finally, the response of the magnetization to the field shows a hysteresis behavior.     

A Monte Carlo simulation study of Nitrogen on LiF(0 0 1)

The adsorption of N₂ gas on the LiF(0 0 1) surface is studied by canonical Monte Carlo (CMC) computer simulation. These results show that N₂ forms an ordered structure where the molecules are arranged in a unit cell of symmetry at temperatures below 23 K with 50% coverage. The nitrogen molecules are tilted by 53° from the surface normal and have the same azimuthal orientation along diagonals, with diagonals alternating their orientation. Beyond 23 K, the molecules become azimuthally disordered but with residual short-range order. No change in the position of the peak of the polar (tilt) angle distribution was observed above the transition temperature. This transition is purely of the order-disorder type.     

Size effect on magnetic properties of a nano-graphene bilayer structure: A Monte Carlo study

In this paper we use the Monte Carlo simulations to investigate the magnetic properties of an Ising ferromagnetic–antiferromagnetic model. The system is based on a nano-graphene structure-like bilayer with two bloc sizes: N=24 and 42 spins. For each size N, the upper layer A is formed with spin −3/2, whereas the lower layer B is composed of spin −5/2. We only consider the first nearest-neighbor interactions between the sites i and j. The magnetic properties are studied, in the absence as well as in the presence of a crystal magnetic field, and an external magnetic field. The increasing temperature and crystal field as well as the inter-layer coupling constant, are also studied for this system sizes N=24 and 42 spins. The zero-field-cooled and the field cooled magnetization behaviors are investigated for different values of external magnetic field and a fixed value of exchange interaction between the two blocs. The magnetizations as well as the magnetic susceptibilities versus the temperature are used in order to obtain blocking temperature.