Publications

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LDRD 102610 final report new processes for innovative microsystems engineering with predictive simulation

Wills, Ann E.

This LDRD Final report describes work that Stephen W. Thomas performed in 2006. The initial problem was to develop a modeling, simulation, and optimization strategy for the design of a high speed microsystem switch. The challenge was to model the right phenomena at the right level of fidelity, and capture the right design parameters. This effort focused on the design context, in contrast to other Sandia efforts focus on high-fidelity assessment. This report contains the initial proposal and the annual progress report. This report also describes exploratory work on micromaching using femtosecond lasers. Steve's time developing a proposal and collaboration on this topic was partly funded by this LDRD.

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Surface effects in semiconductor interstitial formation energies

Sandia journal manuscript; Not yet accepted for publication

Wills, Ann E.; Wixom, Ryan R.

In this work, we examine the formation energies of interstitials in semiconductors obtained with four different pure functionals. Explicitely we investigate three silicon self-interstitials. All functionals give the same trend among those interstitials; the lowest energy being for formation of the <110>-split, somewhat higher energy for the formation of the hexagonal interstitial, while highest energy among the three is obtained for the meta-stable tetragonal configuration. However, the value for the formation energy for a specific interstitial differs substantially in calculations using different functionals. It is shown that the main contribution to these differences is stemming from the functionals different surface intrinsic errors. We also discuss the puzzle that the values obtained with the surface intrisic error free AM05 functional (Armiento and Mattsson, Phys. Rev. B 72, 085108 (2006)) gives values substantially lower than Quantum Monte Carlo results

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Beyond the local density approximation : improving density functional theory for high energy density physics applications

Modine, N.A.; Wright, Alan F.; Muller, Richard P.; Sears, Mark P.; Wills, Ann E.; Desjarlais, Michael P.

A finite temperature version of 'exact-exchange' density functional theory (EXX) has been implemented in Sandia's Socorro code. The method uses the optimized effective potential (OEP) formalism and an efficient gradient-based iterative minimization of the energy. The derivation of the gradient is based on the density matrix, simplifying the extension to finite temperatures. A stand-alone all-electron exact-exchange capability has been developed for testing exact exchange and compatible correlation functionals on small systems. Calculations of eigenvalues for the helium atom, beryllium atom, and the hydrogen molecule are reported, showing excellent agreement with highly converged quantumMonte Carlo calculations. Several approaches to the generation of pseudopotentials for use in EXX calculations have been examined and are discussed. The difficult problem of finding a correlation functional compatible with EXX has been studied and some initial findings are reported.

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Iterative optimized effective potential and exact exchange calculations at finite temperature

Modine, N.A.; Wright, Alan F.; Muller, Richard P.; Sears, Mark P.; Wills, Ann E.; Desjarlais, Michael P.

We report the implementation of an iterative scheme for calculating the Optimized Effective Potential (OEP). Given an energy functional that depends explicitly on the Kohn-Sham wave functions, and therefore, implicitly on the local effective potential appearing in the Kohn-Sham equations, a gradient-based minimization is used to find the potential that minimizes the energy. Previous work has shown how to find the gradient of such an energy with respect to the effective potential in the zero-temperature limit. We discuss a density-matrix-based derivation of the gradient that generalizes the previous results to the finite temperature regime, and we describe important optimizations used in our implementation. We have applied our OEP approach to the Hartree-Fock energy expression to perform Exact Exchange (EXX) calculations. We report our EXX results for common semiconductors and ordered phases of hydrogen at zero and finite electronic temperatures. We also discuss issues involved in the implementation of forces within the OEP/EXX approach.

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A functional designed to include surface effects into self-consistent density-functional theory calculations

Wills, Ann E.

We present an exchange-correlation functional that enables an accurate treatment of systems with electronic surfaces. The functional is developed within the subsystem functional paradigm [1], combining the local density approximation for interior regions with a new functional designed for surface regions. It is validated for a variety of materials by calculations of: (i) properties where surface effects exist, and (ii) established bulk properties. Good and coherent results are obtained, indicating that this functional may serve well as universal first choice for solid state systems. The good performance of this first subsystem functional also suggests that yet improved functionals can be constructed by this approach.

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Building improved functionals for self-consistent DFT by better treatment of electronic surface regions

Wills, Ann E.

We develop a specialized treatment of electronic surface regions which, via the subsystem functional approach [1], can be used in functionals for self-consistent density-functional theory (DFT). Approximations for both exchange and correlation energies are derived for an electronic surface. An interpolation index is used to combine this surface-specific functional with a functional for interior regions. When the local density approximation (LDA) is used for the interior region, the end result is a straightforward density-gradient dependent functional that shows promising results. Further improvement of the treatment of the interior region by the use of a local gradient expansion approximation is also discussed.

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A functional designed to include surface effects in self-consistent DFT

Proposed for publication in Physical Review Letters.

Wills, Ann E.

We design a density-functional-theory (DFT) exchange-correlation functional that enables an accurate treatment of systems with electronic surfaces. Surface-specific approximations for both exchange and correlation energies are developed. A subsystem functional approach is then used: an interpolation index combines the surface functional with a functional for interior regions. When the local density approximation is used in the interior, the result is a straightforward functional for use in self-consistent DFT. The functional is validated for two metals (Al, Pt) and one semiconductor (Si) by calculations of (i) established bulk properties (lattice constants and bulk moduli) and (ii) a property where surface effects exist (the vacancy formation energy). Good and coherent results indicate that this functional may serve well as a universal first choice for solid-state systems and that yet improved functionals can be constructed by this approach.

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Equation of state for a high-density glass

Wills, Ann E.; Wills, Ann E.

Properties of relevance for the equation of state for a high-density glass are discussed. We review the effects of failure waves, comminuted phase, and compaction on the validity of the Mie-Grueneisen EOS. The specific heat and the Grueneisen parameter at standard conditions for a {rho}{sub 0} = 5.085 g/cm{sup 3} glass ('Glass A') is then estimated to be 522 mJ/g/K and 0.1-0.3, respectively. The latter value is substantially smaller than the value of 2.1751 given in the SESAME tables for a high-density glass with {rho}{sub 0} = 5.46 g/cm{sup 3}. The present unusual value of the Grueneisen parameter is confirmed from the volume dependence determined from fitting the Mie-Grueneisen EOS to shock data in Ref. [2].

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Results 76–100 of 100
Results 76–100 of 100