Ordinary molecular dynamics surface simulations are particle-conserving. We have found that, while this restriction may be adequate for a majority of situations, there exists for most surfaces a range of temperatures where that is not the case. The critical temperature range is between preroughening and roughening. There, the surface equilibrium state is disordered and flat (DOF), implying a state of roughly half-filling for the outermost surface layer. A particle-conserving simulation, based initially on a well-defined, usually integer, number of crystalline layers, must phase-separate into two half-layered domains. We discuss evidence, indicating that this kind of phase separation is actually taking place in existing simulations.
Titolo: | Preroughening, and disordered flat phase separation in surface molecular dynamics simulations |
Autori: | |
Data di pubblicazione: | 1997 |
Rivista: | |
Abstract: | Ordinary molecular dynamics surface simulations are particle-conserving. We have found that, while this restriction may be adequate for a majority of situations, there exists for most surfaces a range of temperatures where that is not the case. The critical temperature range is between preroughening and roughening. There, the surface equilibrium state is disordered and flat (DOF), implying a state of roughly half-filling for the outermost surface layer. A particle-conserving simulation, based initially on a well-defined, usually integer, number of crystalline layers, must phase-separate into two half-layered domains. We discuss evidence, indicating that this kind of phase separation is actually taking place in existing simulations. |
Handle: | http://hdl.handle.net/11570/9403 |
Appare nelle tipologie: | 14.a.1 Articolo su rivista |