Atomists

Since and depend only on die valence charge densities, they can be detennined once the valence pseudo- wavefiinctions are known. Because the pseudo-wavefiinctions are nodeless, the resulting pseudopotential is well defined despite the last temi in equation Al.3.78. Once the pseudopotential has been constructed from the atom, it can be transferred to the condensed matter system of interest. For example, the ionic pseudopotential defined by equation Al.3.78 from an atomistic calculation can be transferred to condensed matter phases without any significant loss of accuracy. 

Greet R D and Warren P B 1997 Dissipative particle dynamics bridging the gap between atomistic and mesoscopic simulation J. Chem. Phys. 107 4423-35... 

Coarse-grained models have a longstanding history in polymer science. Long-chain molecules share many common mesoscopic characteristics which are independent of the atomistic stmcture of the chemical repeat units [4, 5 and 6]. The self-similar stmcture [7, 8, 9 and 10] on large length scales is only characterized by a single length scale, the chain extension R. 

Off-lattice models enjoy a growing popularity. Again, a particle corresponds to a small number of atomistic repeat units... 

Atomistically detailed models account for all atoms. The force field contains additive contributions specified in tenns of bond lengtlis, bond angles, torsional angles and possible crosstenns. It also includes non-bonded contributions as tire sum of van der Waals interactions, often described by Lennard-Jones potentials, and Coulomb interactions. Atomistic simulations are successfully used to predict tire transport properties of small molecules in glassy polymers, to calculate elastic moduli and to study plastic defonnation and local motion in quasi-static simulations [fy7, ( ]. The atomistic models are also useful to interiDret scattering data [fyl] and NMR measurements [70] in tenns of local order. 

Conformational Transitions of Proteins from Atomistic Simulations... 

Molecular dynamics simulations ([McCammon and Harvey 1987]) propagate an atomistic system by iteratively solving Newton s equation of motion for each atomic particle. Due to computational constraints, simulations can only be extended to a typical time scale of 1 ns currently, and conformational transitions such as protein domains movements are unlikely to be observed. 

An interesting approach has recently been chosen in the MBO(N)D program ([Moldyn 1997]). Structural elements of different size varying from individual peptide planes up to protein domains can be defined to be rigid. During an atomistic molecular dynamics simulation, all fast motion orthogonal to the lowest normal modes is removed. This allows use of ca. 20 times longer time steps than in standard simulations. 

Related to the previous method, a simulation scheme was recently derived from the Onsager-Machlup action that combines atomistic simulations with a reaction path approach ([Oleander and Elber 1996]). Here, time steps up to 100 times larger than in standard molecular dynamics simulations were used to produce approximate trajectories by the following equations of motion ... 

Lolecular dynamics methods that we have discussed in this chapter, and the examples ave been used to illustrate them, fall into the category of atomistic simulations, in... 

II of the actual atoms (or at least the non-hydrogen atoms) in the core system are lented explicitly. Atomistic simulations can provide very detailed information about haviour of the system, but as we have discussed this typically limits a simulation to nosecond timescale. Many processes of interest occur over a longer timescale. In the if processes which occur on a macroscopic timescale (i.e. of the order of seconds) rather simple models may often be applicable. Between these two extremes are imena that occur on an intermediate scale (of the order of microseconds). This is the... 

Groot R D and P B Warren 1997. Dissipative Particle Dynamics Bridging the Gap Between Atomist and Mesoscopic Simulation. Journal of Chemical Physics 107 4423-4435. 

An overview of the atomistic and electronic phenomena utilized in electroceramic technology is given in Figure 3. More detailed discussions of compositional families and stmcture—property relationships can be found in other articles. (See for example, Ferroelectrics and Magnetic materials.)... 

Fig. 3. An overview of atomistic mechanisms involved in electroceramic components and the corresponding uses (a) ferroelectric domains capacitors and piezoelectrics, PTC thermistors (b) electronic conduction NTC thermistor (c) insulators and substrates (d) surface conduction humidity sensors (e) ferrimagnetic domains ferrite hard and soft magnets, magnetic tape (f) metal—semiconductor transition critical temperature NTC thermistor (g) ionic conduction gas sensors and batteries and (h) grain boundary phenomena varistors, boundary layer capacitors, PTC thermistors.

The microstmcture and imperfection content of coatings produced by atomistic deposition processes can be varied over a very wide range to produce stmctures and properties similar to or totally different from bulk processed materials. In the latter case, the deposited materials may have high intrinsic stress, high point-defect concentration, extremely fine grain size, oriented microstmcture, metastable phases, incorporated impurities, and macro-and microporosity. AH of these may affect the physical, chemical, and mechanical properties of the coating. 

Thin films formed by atomistic deposition techniques are unique materials that seldom have handbook properties. Properties of these thin films depend on several factors (4), including substrate surface condition, the deposition process used, details of the deposition process and system geometry, details of film growth on the substrate surface, and post-deposition processing and reactions. For some appHcations, such as wear resistance, the mechanical properties of the substrate is important to the functionaHty of the thin film. In order to have reproducible film properties, each of these factors must be controUed. 

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