0000000000007116
AUTHOR
Michael Hawlitzky
Simulations of Glassforming Network Fluids: Classical Molecular Dynamics versus Car-Parrinello Molecular Dynamics
Abstract Static and dynamic Properties of molten germanium dioxide are studied by two simulation methods, classical Molecular Dynamics (MD) using the Oeffner-Elliott (OE) potential, and “ab initio” Car-Parrinello Molecular Dynamics (CPMD). While CPMD provides a (presumably) more accurate description of the local structure and the forces, it severely suffers from finite size effects when the structure beyond the first neighbor shells is considered. For glassforming fluids, the demanding equilibrium needs are a further reason, why simply MD is still preferable, when a “good” effective potential is available.
Computer simulations of SiO2 and GeO2
Classical Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations are used to study structural and dynamic properties of amorphous germania (GeO2) in comparison to those of silica (SiO2). The total structure factor, as obtained from these simulations, is in very good agreement with that of neutron scattering experiments, both for germania and silica. The tetrahedral network structure in silica and germania leads to a prepeak in the structure factor that appears at slightly smaller wavenumbers in GeO2 than in SiO2. At high temperatures the diffusion constants are very similar in both systems whereas at low temperatures diffusion is significantly faster in germania than in silica. We also outline the strategy fo…
Comparative classical and ab initio Molecular Dynamics study of molten and glassy germanium dioxide
A Molecular Dynamics (MD) study of static and dynamic properties of molten and glassy germanium dioxide is presented. The interactions between the atoms are modelled by the classical pair potential proposed by Oeffner and Elliott (OE) [Oeffner R D and Elliott S R 1998, Phys. Rev. B, 58, 14791]. We compare our results to experiments and previous simulations. In addition, an ab initio method, the so-called Car-Parrinello Molecular Dynamics (CPMD), is applied to check the accuracy of the structural properties, as obtained by the classical MD simulations with the OE potential. As in a similar study for SiO2, the structure predicted by CPMD is only slightly softer than that resulting from the cl…