Investigation of the dissociative adsorption for cyclopropane on the copper surface by density functional theory and quantum chemical molecular dynamics method

The dissociative adsorption of cyclopropane on the copper surface was studied using quantum chemical molecular dynamics method with “Colors-Excite” code and density functional theory by Amsterdam Density Functional program (ADF2000). The excited state of cyclopropane was used as adsorbate to simulate the dissociated adsorption under an irradiation energy of ca. 10 eV. One of the C-C bonds in cyclopropane was broken and the two new bonds between cyclopropane and copper surface were formed. The electrons transferred from the copper atoms to cyclopropane with a value of about 0.2e. The shorter distances between the carbons and surface copper atoms showed the existence of strong interaction. Consistently, the results indicated metallacyclopentane was the most possible intermediate species in dissociative adsorption by ADF2000 and “Colors-Excite” method.     

Molecular dynamics simulation of the (0 0 0 1) α-Al2O3 and α-Cr2O3 surfaces

A simple, rigid pair-potential model is applied to investigate the dynamics of the (0 0 0 1) α-Al₂O₃ and α-Cr₂O₃ surfaces using the molecular dynamics technique. The simulations employ a two-stage equilibration process: in the first stage the simulation-cell size is determined via the constant-stress ensemble, and in the second stage the equilibration of the size-corrected simulation cell is continued in the canonical ensemble. The thermal expansion coefficients of bulk alumina and chromia are evaluated as a function of temperature. Furthermore, the surface relaxation and mean-square displacement of the atoms versus depth into the slab are calculated, and their behaviour in the surface region analysed in detail. The calculations show that even moderate temperatures (∼400 °C) give rise to displacements of the atoms at the surface which are similar to the lattice mismatch between α-alumina and chromia. This will help in the initial nucleation stage during thin film growth, and thus facilitate the deposition of α-Al₂O₃ on (0 0 0 1) α-Cr₂O₃ templates.     

Dissociative adsorption of N2 on W(1 1 0): Theoretical study of the dependence on the incidence angle

The dissociative adsorption of N₂ on W(1 1 0) is studied using classical dynamics on a six-dimensional potential energy surface obtained from density functional theory calculations. Two distinct channels are identified in the dissociation process: a direct one and an indirect one. It is shown that the direct channel is inhibited for low energy molecules (E_i < 400 meV) and low incidence angles. The indirect channel includes long-lasting dynamic trapping of the molecule at the surface before dissociation. The dependence of the sticking coefficient on the initial incidence angle is analyzed. The theoretical results compare well with values measured using molecular beam techniques.     

Structural and electronic properties of V, Nb and Ta nanoclusters by tight-binding molecular dynamics simulations

We present tight-binding molecular dynamics (TBMD) calculations on V, Nb and Ta nanoclusters with N = 15, 65, 175 and 369 atoms. We found that rhombic dodecahedra are energetically favoured over rhombic hexahedra and icosahedra, with V forming the most compact cluster with the gyration radius increasing with the cluster size. In addition, from the calculated electronic density of states we found that the cluster size plays an important role in the HOMO-LUMO gap and that an increase in cluster size results in enhancement of the electronic density around the Fermi level. Furthermore, we found that the small clusters (N = 15, 65) exhibit energy gap that persists even at 900 K. These findings originate from charge transfer occurring between the inner and outer cluster atoms; interestingly, we found that in the small N = 15, 65 clusters electronic charge accumulates at each surface site at the expense of the inner cluster atoms, while in the larger clusters, N = 175 and 369, charge is gathered on the central particles of the cluster, suggesting different sub-surface character of the clusters. These findings are in agreement with available experimental and theoretical data and promise to offer important information for creating nanostructured materials with improved properties suitable for multiple technological applications.     

Molecular dynamics simulation of CH3 interaction with Si(1 0 0) surface

Molecular dynamics simulations of the CH₃ interaction with Si(1 0 0) were performed using the Tersoff-Brenner potential. The H/C ratio obtained from the simulations is in agreement with available experimental data. The results show that H atoms preferentially react with Si. SiH is the dominant form of SiH_x generated. The amount of hydrogen that reacts with silicon is essentially energy-independent. H atoms do not react with adsorbed carbon atoms. The presence of C-H bonds on the surface is due to molecular adsorption.     

Scattering of a Light Particle by a System of Harmonic Oscillators

We discuss the asymptotic wave function of a quantum system in ?³ composed by heavy and light particles, in the case where the light particles are in scattering states and no interaction is assumed among particles of the same kind. We first review a recent result concerning the case of K heavy and N light particles, where the one-particle potential acting on each heavy particle decays at infinity. Then we consider the case of one light particle interacting with a system of harmonic oscillators and prove the same kind of result following, with some modification, the proof of the previous case. A possible application to the analysis of the scattering of a light particle from condensed matter is also outlined.     

Mechanisms of the pancake vortex and vortex line movement in the high Tc superconductors Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δand La1.93Sr0.07CuO4+δ

In the strict sense, it is not very clear why with magnetic field increasing, the normal-superconductive (NS) transition becomes broad for Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ(Bi2212) while the NS transitions are almost parallel for La1.93Sr0.07CuO4+δ(La214). In this paper, R-T relations are measured by the six-probe method. We propose a moving mechanism of the pancake vortex and vortex line for Bi2212. The theoretical curves fit the experiment data well.     

High-order kinetic flux vector splitting schemes in general coordinates for ideal quantum gas dynamics

A class of high-order kinetic flux vector splitting schemes are presented for solving ideal quantum gas dynamics based on quantum statistical mechanics. The collisionless quantum Boltzmann equation approach is adopted and both Bose–Einstein and Fermi–Dirac gases are considered. The formulas for the split flux vectors are derived based on the general three-dimensional distribution function in velocity space and formulas for lower dimensions can be directly deduced. General curvilinear coordinates are introduced to treat practical problems with general geometry. High-order accurate schemes using weighted essentially non-oscillatory methods are implemented. The resulting high resolution kinetic flux splitting schemes are tested for 1D shock tube flows and shock wave diffraction by a 2D wedge and by a circular cylinder in ideal quantum gases. Excellent results have been obtained for all examples computed.     

Analytical and numerical study of coupled atomistic-continuum methods for fluids

The stability and convergence rate of coupled atomistic-continuum methods are studied analytically and numerically. These methods couple a continuum model with molecular dynamics through the exchange of boundary conditions in the continuum-particle overlapping region. Different coupling schemes, including velocity–velocity, flux–velocity, velocity–flux and flux–flux, are studied. It is found that the velocity–velocity and flux–velocity schemes are stable. The flux–flux scheme is weakly unstable. The stability of the velocity–flux scheme depends on the parameter T_c which is the length of the time interval between successive exchange of boundary conditions. It is stable when T_c is small and unstable when T_c is large. For steady-state problems, the flux–velocity scheme converges faster than the other coupling schemes.     

Ag/Cu(111)与Au/Cu(111)体系异质外延岛演化过程中的应变释放及其对Moiré结构形成的影响

采用嵌入原子方法的原子间相互作用势，利用分子动力学模拟方法研究了Au/Cu(111)和Ag/Cu (111)体系的异质外延结构特征以及外延岛形貌和应变释放的演化过程. 通过对比Au/Cu(111)和Ag/Cu (111)体系的异质外延结构及外延岛演化行为，揭示了导致Ag/Cu (111)体系中异质外延层形成Moiré结构的微观物理机理及其与外延体系的宏观物理特性之间的关系. 研究结果显示，外延岛原子与基体表面原子之间的界面结合强度是形成Moiré结构的重要因素，异质外延体系的界面结合强度取决于二者的合金熔解热. 当异质外延体系的合金熔解热为正值时，界面结合强度较弱，有利于Moiré结构的形成. 同时，外延岛原子之间的相互作用决定着外延岛的面内弛豫行为，对Moiré结构的形成有一定的影响. 外延岛的面内弛豫行为与外延层和基体之间的相对刚度有关，弹性模量较大的外延层具有较强的延展能力，对Moiré结构的形成有利. 此外，Moiré结构的形成与外延岛的尺度有关，主要是外延岛边界原子的钉扎作用对外延岛内原子弛豫行为的约束作用的影响.