Kinetic Monte Carlo simulation temperature dependence

In this section, we will present results of microldnetics simulations based on elementary reaction energy schemes deduced from quantum chemical studies. We use an adapted scheme to enable analysis of the results in terms of the values of elementary rate constants selected. For the same reason, we ignore surface concentration dependence of adsorption energies, whereas this can be readily implemented in the simulations. We are interested in general trends and especially the temperature dependence of overall reaction rates. The simulations will also provide us with information on surface concentrations. In the simulations to be presented here, we exclude product readsorption effects. Microldnetics simulations are attractive since they do not require an assumption of rate-controlling steps or equilibration. Solutions for overall rates are found by solving the complete set of PDFs with proper initial conditions. While in kinetic Monte Carlo simulations these expressions are solved using stochastic techniques, which enable formation... 

Beyond a critical temperature where a has still a high value, we observe rapid convergence of a with chain length. In simulations with a low cutoff of hydrocarbon chain length, the kinetics data relevant to FT can be simulated as long as low-temperature data are ignored. This chain length-cutoff-dependent behavior provides a new interpretation to previous kinetic Monte Carlo simulations [4]. 

The molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo simulation methods differ in a variety of ways. The most obvious difference is that molecular dynamics provides information about the time dependence of the properties of the system whereas there is no temporal relationship between successive Monte Carlo configurations. In a Monte Carlo simulation the outcome of each trial move depends only upon its immediate predecessor, whereas in molecular dynamics it is possible to predict the configuration of the system at any time in the future - or indeed at any time in the past. Molecular dynamics has a kinetic energy contribution to the total energy whereas in a Monte Carlo simulation the total energy is determined directly from the potential energy function. The two simulation methods also sample from different ensembles. Molecular dynamics is traditionally performed under conditions of constant number of particles (N), volume (V) and energy (E) (the microcanonical or constant NVE ensemble) whereas a traditional Monte Carlo simulation samples from the canonical ensemble (constant N, V and temperature, T). Both the molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo techniques can be modified to sample from other ensembles for example, molecular dynamics can be adapted to simulate from the canonical ensemble. Two other ensembles are common ... 

Pawlik G, Mitus AC, Miniewicz A, Kajzar F. 2004. Monte Carlo simulations of temperature dependence of the kinetics of diffraction gratings formation in a polymer matrix containing azobenzene chromophores. J Nonlinear Opt Phy Mater 13(3 4) 481 489. 

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