Application of the Wolf damped Coulomb method to simulations of SiC

Dielectric continuum model examination of real-space electrostatic treatments

Electrostatic interaction is long ranged; thus, the accurate calculation is not an easy task in molecular dynamics or Monte Carlo simulations. Though the rigorous Ewald method based on the reciprocal space has been established, real-space treatments have recently become an attractive alternative because of the efficient calculation. However, the construction is not yet completed and is now a challenging subject. In an earlier theoretical study, Neumann and Steinhauser employed the Onsager dielectric continuum model to explain how simple real-space cutoff produces artificial dipolar orientation. In the present study, we employ this continuum model to explore the fundamental properties of the recently developed real-space treatments of three shifting schemes. The result of the distance-dependent Kirkwood function G_K(R) showed that the simple bare cutoff produces a well-known hole-shaped artifact, whereas the shift treatments do not. Two-dimensional mapping of electric field well explained how these shift treatments remove the hole-shaped artifact. Still, the shift treatments are not sufficient because they do not produce a flat G_K(R) profile unlike ideal no-cutoff treatment. To test the continuum model results, we also performed Monte Carlo simulations of dipolar particles. The results found that the continuum model could predict the qualitative tendency as to whether each electrostatic treatment produces the hole-shaped artifact of G_K(R) or not. We expect that the present study using the continuum model offers a stringent criterion to judge whether the primitive electrostatic behavior is correctly described or not, which will be useful for future construction of electrostatic treatments.

Dissociative Water Potential for Molecular Dynamics Simulations

A new interatomic potential for dissociative water was developed for use in molecular dynamics simulations. The simulations use a multibody potential, with both pair and three-body terms, and the Wolf summation method for the long-range Coulomb interactions. A major feature in the potential is the change in the short-range O-H repulsive interaction as a function of temperature and/or pressure in order to reproduce the density-temperature curve between 273 K and 373 at 1 atm, as well as high-pressure data at various temperatures. Using only the change in this one parameter, the simulations also reproduce room-temperature properties of water, such as the structure, cohesive energy, diffusion constant, and vibrational spectrum, as well as the liquid-vapor coexistence curve. Although the water molecules could dissociate, no dissociation is observed at room temperature. However, behavior of the hydronium ion was studied by introduction of an extra H+ into a cluster of water molecules. Both Eigen and Zundel configurations, as well as more complex configurations, are observed in the migration of the hydronium.