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Provides information on a study which analyzed the structure of amorphous silicon which have been generated by using a suitable implementation of the reverse Monte Carlo approach. Generation of amorphous structures; Computational details and thermodynamics results; Structural and dynamic properties; Electronic structure properties; Discussion and conclusion.

Indications of the Cu2Zr Laves phase are observed in MD simulations of amorphous Cu64Zr36 upon isothermal holding just above the glass transition temperature. The structural evolution towards Cu2Zr is accompanied by an increase in the fraction of Cu-centered icosahedra, which demonstrates that a large icosahedral fraction does not just indicate structural relaxation. The crystal-like regions generate an increase in strength and Young's modulus, and a stronger localized shear band. A universal relation between the fraction of full icosahedra and their interconnectivity is found, and both can be modified simultaneously via changes of temperature or strain [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of superclusters based on Cu-centered icosahedra was studied via classical molecular dynamics simulations in Cu64Zr36 metallic glass. Medium-range order was identified by determining the nearest-neighbor histogram and bond-angle distribution of superclusters. A heterogeneous distribution of icosahedra was observed while other common cluster types are distributed homogeneously. The degree of superclustering, as quantified by the number of cap-sharing bonds per icosahedron, was found to depend only on the icosahedron fraction, irrespective of thermal history. This is further supported by a long-time annealing in the supercooled liquid regime, where the number of icosahedra significantly increases and the formation of superclusters is consequently enhanced. While distorted icosahedra are not found in the vicinity of full icosahedra, the Zr-centered (0 0 12 4) clusters show a high spatial correlation to Cu-centered icosahedra. This is indicative of early stages of crystallization into a Cu2Zr Laves phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structure of glassy GeS2 is studied in the framework of density functional theory, by using a fully self-consistent first-principles molecular dynamics (FPMD) scheme. A comparative analysis is performed with previous molecular dynamics data obtained within the Harris functional (HFMD) total energy approach. The calculated total neutron structure factor exhibits an unprecedented agreement with the experimental counterpart. In particular, the height of the first sharp diffraction peak (FSDP) improves considerably upon the HFMD results. Both the Ge and the S subnetworks are affected by a consistent number of miscoordinations, coexisting with the main tetrahedral structural motif. Glassy GeS2 features a short-range order quite similar to the one found in glassy GeSe2, a notable exception being the larger number of edge-sharing connections. An electronic structure localization analysis, based on the Wannier functions formalism, provides evidence of a more enhanced ionic character in glassy GeS2 when compared to glassy GeSe2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A single wurtzite phase of cadmium sulfide cluster is investigated by ab-initio molecular dynamics simulations at different temperatures, ranging from 100 K to 600 K. In this study we propose a possible procedure to characterize the CdS quantum dots system by means of molecular dynamics calculations using a standard Car-Parrinello scheme. In order to ensure the accuracy of the numerical approach, preliminary calculations to test pseudopotentials, cutoff and box size on both single atoms systems and Cd–Cd, S–S, Cd–S dimers have been performed. Calculated binding energies and bond lengths are obtained in good agreement with experimental data. Subsequently, an uncapped CdS cluster with size below 2 nm, 48 atoms of cadmium and 48 atoms of sulfur, in a wurtzite geometry was structurally optimized to minimize internal stresses. The CdS cluster has been carefully characterized structurally at several temperatures up to T = 600 K. At the temperature of 340 K atomic diffusion on the surface allows the onset of a new stable atomic configuration. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this paper, we compare the total energy of equilibrated {105} pyramids, layer by layer films and flat prepyramids appearing in the epitaxial growth of Ge on Si(001). At variance to the common belief, we show the {105} pyramids not to be the most stable morphology when the elastic contribution of the Si substrate is taken into account. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Molecular dynamics simulations. • Deuterium. • Cryogenic pellets formation. • De-sublimation process. The injection of high-speed cryogenic pellets made of frozen hydrogen-isotopes, represents to date the most effective method to fuel magnetically confined thermonuclear fusion plasmas. Moreover, the injection of very large pellets composed of cryogenic solid of some suitable impurity (typically a noble-gas such as H 2 , Ne, or H 2 /Ne, D 2 /Ne mixtures), shattered in relatively small fragments just before entering the plasma, seems to be the most promising method to reduce the damage risks for the plasma-facing components in case of a plasma disruption. This technology, known as "Shattered Pellet Injection" (SPI), allows to spread out the plasma energy and mitigate possible damage to the in-vessel components, as well as to densify the plasma to suppress the formation of runaway electrons, and/or dissipate their energy. Several techniques to produce and launch cryogenic pellets have been investigated in the past decades. "Pipe gun" injectors are reliable and relatively simple devices are still commonly used today. They make use of single- or two-stage pneumatic light-gas guns to accelerate the pellet at high speeds. In these injectors, the cryogenic pellets are formed " in situ " (i.e., inside the launching barrel), by de-sublimating them directly from the gas phase, i.e., at temperatures and pressures below those of the triple point. The simplest case is pure deuterium pellets (T < 18.7 K, P < 171.3 hPa). The production of good quality solid deuterium, capable of withstanding the mechanical stress during the acceleration of the pellets, is a key issue. To this end the phase transition of deuterium from gas to solid (and vice versa) is modeled with extensive molecular-dynamics (MD) simulations. Moreover, the solid growth from the gas phase is simulated in an ample range of temperatures and pressures, to find the best compromise between growth velocity and mechanical properties of the resulting solid system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A set of oxide and chalcogenide tetrahedral glasses is investigated using molecular dynamics simulations. We show that the changes in the Ge composition affect mostly bending around germanium in binary Ge-Se systems, leaving Se-centered bending almost unchanged. In contrast, the corresponding Se twisting (quantified by the dihedral angle) depends on the Ge composition and is reduced when the system becomes rigid. It is also shown that angles involving the fourth neighbor around Ge is found to change when the system enters the stressed rigid phase. The same analysis reveals that unlike stoichiometric selenides such as GeSe2 and SiSe2, germania and silica display large standard deviations in the bond angle distributions. Within bond-bending constraints theory, this pattern can be interpreted as a manifestation of broken (i.e., ineffective) oxygen bond-bending constraints, whereas the silicon and germanium bending in oxides is found to be similar to the one found in flexible and intermediate Ge-Se systems. Our results establish the atomic-scale foundations of the phenomenological rigidity theory, thereby profoundly extending its significance and impact on the structural description of network glasses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser-driven proton acceleration, as produced during the interaction of a high-intensity (I > 1 × 1018 W/cm2), short pulse (<1 ps) laser with a solid target, is a prosperous field of endeavor for manifold applications in different domains, including astrophysics, biomedicine and materials science. These emerging applications benefit from the unique features of the laser-accelerated particles such as short duration, intense flux and energy versatility, which allow obtaining unprecedented temperature and pressure conditions. In this paper, we show that laser-driven protons are perfectly suited for producing, in a single sub-ns laser pulse, metallic nanocrystals with tunable diameter ranging from tens to hundreds of nm and very high precision. Our method relies on the intense and very quick proton energy deposition, which induces in a bulk material an explosive boiling and produces nanocrystals that aggregate in a plasma plume composed by atoms detached from the proton-irradiated surface. The properties of the obtained particles depend on the deposited proton energy and on the duration of the thermodynamical process. Suitably controlling the irradiated dose allows fabricating nanocrystals of a specific size with low polydispersity that can easily be isolated in order to obtain a monodisperse nanocrystal solution. Molecular Dynamics simulations confirm our experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presence and significance of fivefold configurations in liquid metals are investigated by combining x-ray absorption spectroscopy and computer simulations (molecular dynamics and reverse Monte Carlo) in liquid and undercooled liquid nickel. We show that icosahedral short-range ordering (ISRO), probed by common-neighbor (CNA) and spherical invariant (Ŵ6) analysis, involves a limited fraction (14-18% in undercooled nickel for different structural models) of local atomic configurations. The emerging picture for the liquid structure is that of a mixture of nearly icosahedral structures embedded in a disordered network mainly composed of fragments of highly distorted icosahedra (40-45% of the total), structures reminiscent of the crystalline phase, and other configurations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The current magnetic confinement nuclear fusion power reactor concepts going beyond ITER are based on assumptions about the availability of materials with extreme mechanical, heat, and neutron load capacity. In Europe, the development of such structural and armour materials together with the necessary production, machining, and fabrication technologies is pursued within the EFDA long-term fusion materials programme. This paper reviews the progress of work within the programme in the area of tungsten and tungsten alloys. Results, conclusions, and future projections are summarized for each of the programme’s main subtopics, which are: (1) fabrication, (2) structural W materials, (3) W armour materials, and (4) materials science and modelling. It gives a detailed overview of the latest results on materials research, fabrication processes, joining options, high heat flux testing, plasticity studies, modelling, and validation experiments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this letter, the strain field below uncapped Ge islands of a different shape on a Si(001) substrate is estimated by molecular dynamics simulations at a realistic scale. Comparison to the Fourier transform maps of transmission electron micrographs, recently reported in literature, shows a very good agreement. We point out that the complex deformation in silicon, just below the edges of the Ge islands, is far from being uniaxial. The stress distribution generated by such a strain determines the range of interdot repulsion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The long-term objective of the European Fusion Development Agreement (EFDA) fusion materials programme is to develop structural and armor materials in combination with the necessary production and fabrication technologies for reactor concepts beyond the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor. The programmatic roadmap is structured into four engineering research lines which comprise fabrication process development, structural material development, armor material optimization, and irradiation performance testing, which are complemented by a fundamental research programme on “Materials Science and Modeling.” This paper presents the current research status of the EFDA experimental and testing investigations, and gives a detailed overview of the latest results on materials research, fabrication, joining, high heat flux testing, plasticity studies, modeling, and validation experiments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]