--- trunk/nanoglass/experimental.tex 2007/09/25 19:23:21 3230 +++ trunk/nanoglass/experimental.tex 2007/09/27 18:45:55 3233 @@ -7,10 +7,10 @@ $\mathrm{Ag}_6\mathrm{Cu}_4$. All three compositions Cu-core / Ag-shell and random alloy structures were constructed on an underlying FCC lattice (4.09 {\AA}) at the bulk eutectic composition -$\mathrm{Ag}_6\mathrm{Cu}_4$. All three compositions were considered +$\mathrm{Ag}_6\mathrm{Cu}_4$. Both initial geometries were considered although experimental results suggest that the random structure is the -most likely composition after -synthesis.\cite{Jiang:2005lr,gonzalo:5163} Three different sizes of +most likely structure to be found following +synthesis.\cite{Jiang:2005lr,gonzalo:5163} Three different sizes of nanoparticles corresponding to a 20 \AA radius (1961 atoms), 30 {\AA} radius (6603 atoms) and 40 {\AA} radius (15683 atoms) were constructed. These initial structures were relaxed to their @@ -34,25 +34,33 @@ the nanoparticle evolved under Langevin Dynamics with To approximate the effects of rapid heat transfer to the solvent following a heating at the plasmon resonance, we utilized a methodology in which atoms contained in the outer $4$ {\AA} radius of -the nanoparticle evolved under Langevin Dynamics with a solvent -friction approximating the contribution from the solvent and capping -agent. Atoms located in the interior of the nanoparticle evolved -under Newtonian dynamics. The set-up of our simulations is nearly -identical with the ``stochastic boundary molecular dynamics'' ({\sc -sbmd}) method that has seen wide use in the protein simulation +the nanoparticle evolved under Langevin Dynamics, +\begin{equation} +m \frac{\partial^2 \vec{x}}{\partial t^2} = F_\textrm{sys}(\vec{x}(t)) +- 6 \pi a \eta \vec{v}(t) + F_\textrm{ran} +\label{eq:langevin} +\end{equation} +with a solvent friction ($\eta$) approximating the contribution from +the solvent and capping agent. Atoms located in the interior of the +nanoparticle evolved under Newtonian dynamics. The set-up of our +simulations is nearly identical with the ``stochastic boundary +molecular dynamics'' ({\sc sbmd}) method that has seen wide use in the +protein simulation community.\cite{BROOKS:1985kx,BROOKS:1983uq,BRUNGER:1984fj} A sketch -of this setup can be found in Fig. \ref{fig:langevinSketch}. For a -spherical atom of radius $a$, the Langevin frictional forces can be -determined by Stokes' law -\begin{equation} -\mathbf{F}_{\mathrm{frictional}}=6\pi a \eta \mathbf{v} +of this setup can be found in Fig. \ref{fig:langevinSketch}. In +equation \ref{eq:langevin} the frictional forces of a spherical atom +of radius $a$ depend on the solvent viscosity. The random forces are +usually taken as gaussian random variables with zero mean and a +variance tied to the solvent viscosity and temperature, +\begin{equation} +\langle F_\textrm{ran}(t) \cdot F_\textrm{ran} (t') +\rangle = 2 k_B T (6 \pi \eta a) \delta(t - t') +\label{eq:stochastic} \end{equation} -where $\eta$ is the effective viscosity of the solvent in which the -particle is embedded. Due to the presence of the capping agent and -the lack of details about the atomic-scale interactions between the -metallic atoms and the solvent, the effective viscosity is a -essentially a free parameter that must be tuned to give experimentally -relevant simulations. +Due to the presence of the capping agent and the lack of details about +the atomic-scale interactions between the metallic atoms and the +solvent, the effective viscosity is a essentially a free parameter +that must be tuned to give experimentally relevant simulations. \begin{figure}[htbp] \centering \includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{images/stochbound.pdf} @@ -246,3 +254,12 @@ structural features associated with bulk glass formati \end{figure} +\begin{figure}[htbp] +\centering +\includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{images/cross_section_array.jpg} +\caption{Cutaway views of 30 \AA\ Ag-Cu nanoparticle structures for +random alloy (top) and Cu (core) / Ag (shell) initial conditions +(bottom). Shown from left to right are the crystalline, liquid +droplet, and final glassy bead configurations.} +\label{fig:q6} +\end{figure}