arXiv subjects

Dennis D. Klug

Publications and source records attributed to Dennis D. Klug.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2024

Ionic structure, Liquid-liquid phase transitions, X-Ray diffraction, and X-Ray Thomson scattering in shock compressed liquid Silicon in the 100-200 GPa regime

Recent cutting-edge experiments have provided {\it in situ} structure characterization and measurements of the pressure ($P$), density ($\barρ$) and temperature ($T$) of shock compressed silicon in the 100 GPa range of pressures and upto $\sim$10,000K. We present first-principles calculations in this $P,T,\barρ$ regime to reveal a plethora of novel liquid-liquid phase transitions (LPTs) identifiable via discontinuities in the pressure and the compressibility. Evidence for the presence of a highly-correlated liquid (CL) phase, as well as a normal-liquid (NL) phase at the LPTs is presented by a detailed study of one LPT. The LPTs make the interpretation of these experiments more challenging. The LPTs preserve the short-ranged ionic structure of the fluid by collective adjustments of many distant atoms when subject to compression and heating, with minimal change in the ion-ion pair-distribution functions, and in transport properties such as the electrical and thermal conductivities $σ$ and $κ$. We match the experimental X-Ray Thomson scattering and X-ray diffraction data theoretically, and provide pressure isotherms, ionization data and compressibilities that support the above picture of liquid silicon as a highly complex LPT-driven ``glassy'' metallic liquid. These novel results are relevant to materials research, studies of planetary interiors, high-energy-density physics, and in laser-fusion studies.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2022

Evidence for multiple Liquid-liquid phase transitions in carbon, and the Friedel-ordering of its liquid state

Carbon, the fourth most abundant element in the Universe forms a metallic fluid with transient covalent bonds on melting. Its liquid-liquid phase transitions, intensely sought using simulations had been elusive. Here we use density functional theory (DFT) simulations with up to 108 atoms using molecular dynamics, as well as one-atom DFT as implemented in the neutral pseudo-atom method where multi-atom effects are treated by ion-ion correlation functionals. Both methods use electron-electron exchange correlation functionals for electron many-body effects. Here we show using both methods, that liquid carbon displays multiple liquid-liquid transitions linked to changes in coordination number in the density range 3 g/cm$^3$, to $\sim$ 6 g/cm$^3$ when a coordination number of 12 is reached. The transitions disappear by 4 eV in temperature. The calculated pressures and transition densities are shown to be sensitive to the exchange-correlation functionals used. Significantly, we find that a simple metallic model yields the structure factors and thermodynamics with quantitative accuracy, without invoking any covalent-bonding features. The ion-ion structure factor for these densities and temperatures is found to have a subpeak tied to twice the Fermi wavevector, constraining the fluid in momentum space. The dominant Friedel oscillations forming the pair interactions correlate the ions and drive the multiple liquid-liquid phase transitions. Our results suggest that liquid carbon typifies a class of fluids whose structure is ordered by the long-range Friedel oscillations in the pair-potentials. These results are critical to terrestrial and astrophysical studies, inertial fusion using carbon drivers, refined shock experiments, and in seeking new carbon-based materials.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2020

Liquid-liquid Phase transitions in silicon

We use computationally simple neutral pseudo-atom (`average atom') one-center density functional theory (DFT) and standard N-center DFT-Molecular Dynamics simulations to elucidate liquid-liquid phase transitions (LPTs) in supercooled liquid silicon at 1200K ,and also in silicon under warm-dense matter conditions up to 11604k (1 eV). An ionization-driven transition and three LPTs including the known LPT near 2.5 g/cm$^3$ are found. They are robust even to 1 eV. The pair distributions functions, pair potentials, electrical conductivities, and compressibilites are reported. The LPTs are elucidated within a Fermi liquid picture of electron scattering at the Fermi energy that complements the usual transient covalent bonding picture.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2017

Equation of state, phonons, and lattice stability of ultra-fast warm dense matter

Using the two-temperature model for ultrafast matter (UFM), we compare the equation of state, pair-distribution functions $g(r)$, and phonons using the neutral pseudoatom (NPA) model with results from density-functional theory (DFT) codes and molecular-dynamics (MD) simulations for Al, Li and Na. The NPA approach uses state-dependent first-principles pseudopotentials from an `all-electron' DFT calculation with finite-$T$ XCF. It provides pair potentials, structure factors, the `bound' and `free' states, as well as a mean ionization $\bar{Z}$ unambiguously. These are not easily accessible {\it via} DFT+MD calculations which become prohibitive for $T/T_F$ exceeding $\sim 0.6$, where $T_F$ is the Fermi temperature. Hence, both DFT+MD and NPA methods can be compared up to $\sim 8$ eV, while higher $T$ can be addressed ${\it via}$ the NPA. The high-$T_e$ phonon calculations raise the question of UFM lattice stability and surface ablation in thin UFM samples. The ablation forces in a UFM slab are used to define an "ablation time" competing with phonon formation times in thin UFM samples. Excellent agreement for all properties is found between NPA and standard DFT codes, even for Li where a strongly non-local pseudopotential is used in DFT codes. The need to use pseudopotentials appropriate to the ionization state $\bar{Z}$ is emphasized. The effect of finite-$T$ exchange-correlation functional is illustrated via its effect on the pressure and the electron-density distribution at a nucleus.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2016

Ground state structure of polymeric carbon monoxide with high energy density

Crystal structure prediction methods and first-principles calculations have been used to explore low-energy structures of carbon monoxide (CO). Contrary to the standard wisdom, the most stable structure of CO at ambient pressure was found to be a polymeric structure of Pna21 symmetry rather than a molecular solid. This phase is formed from six-membered (4 Carbon + 2 Oxygen) rings connected by C=C double bonds with two double-bonded oxygen atoms attached to each ring. Interestingly, the polymeric Pna21 phase of CO has a much higher energy density than trinitrotoluene (TNT). On compression to about 7 GPa, Pna21 is found to transform into another chain-like phase of Cc symmetry which has similar ring units to Pna21. On compression to 100 GPa it is energetically favorable for CO to polymerize to form a single-bonded Cmcm phase from another structure of Cmca symmetry composed of units similar to those found in the single-bonded I212121 structure. Thermodynamic stability of these structures was verified using calculations with different density functionals, including hybrid and van der Waals corrected functionals.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2016

Generation of high harmonics from silicon

We generate high-order harmonics of a mid-infrared laser from a silicon single crystal and find their origin in the recollision of coherently accelerated electrons with their holes, analogously to the atomic and molecular case, and to ZnO [Vampa et al., Nature 522, 462-464 (2015)], a direct bandgap material. Therefore indirect bandgap materials are shown to sustain the recollision process as well as direct bandgap materials. Furthermore, we find that the generation is perturbed with electric fields as low as 30 V/$μ$m, equal to the DC damage threshold. Our results extend high-harmonic spectroscopy to the most technologically relevant material, and open the possibility to integrate high harmonics with conventional electronics.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2016

A critical assessment of models of pair-interactions and screening used in analyzing recent warm-dense matter (WDM) experiments

Ultra-fast laser experiments yield increasingly reliable data on warm-dense matter (WDM), but rely on entrenched simplistic theoretical models. We re-analyze two topical experiments, avoiding (i) {\it ad hoc} core-repulsion models, (ii) "Yukawa screening" models and (iii) electron-ion equilibrium assumptions. An accurate, rapid density-functional neutral-pseudoatom model coupled to a hyper-netted-chain (HNC) equation with a bridge term is used to compute structure factors, X-Ray scattering, compressibility, phonons and resistivity. Electronic-structure codes are used to confirm the calculations. The Yukawa and core-repulsion models are shown to be misleading.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2015

Two-temperature pair potentials and phonon spectra for simple metals in the warm dense matter regime

We develop ion-ion pair potentials for Al, Na and K for densities and temperatures relevant to the warm-dense-matter (WDM) regime. Furthermore, we emphasize non-equilibrium states where the ion temperature $T_i$ differs from the electron temperature $T_e$. This work focuses mainly on ultra-fast laser-metal interactions where the energy of the laser is almost exclusively transferred to the electron sub-system over femtosecond time scales. This results in a two-temperature system with $T_e>T_i$ and with the ions still at the initial room temperature $T_i=T_r$. First-principles calculations, such as density functional theory (DFT) or quantum Monte Carlo, are as yet not fully feasible for WDM conditions due to lack of finite-$T$ features, e.g. pseudopotentials, and extensive CPU time requirements. Simpler methods are needed to study these highly complex systems. We propose to use two-temperature pair potentials $U_{ii}(r, T_i,T_e)$ constructed from linear-response theory using the non-linear electron density $n(\mathbf{r})$ obtained from finite-$T$ DFT with a single ion immersed in the appropriate electron fluid. We compute equilibrium phonon spectra at $T_r$ which are found to be in very good agreement with experiments. This gives credibility to our non-equilibrium phonon dispersion relations which are important in determining thermophysical properties, stability, energy-relaxation mechanisms and transport coefficients.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2013

Stable all nitrogen metallic salt at terapascal pressures

The phase diagram and equation of state of dense nitrogen are of interest in understanding the fundamental physics and chemistry under extreme conditions, including planetary processes, and in discovering new materials. We predict several stable phases of nitrogen at multi-TPa pressures, including a P4/nbm structure consisting of partially charged N2 pairs and N5 tetrahedra, which is stable in the range 2.5-6.8 TPa. This is followed by a modulated layered structure between 6.8 and 12.6 TPa, which also exhibits a significant charge transfer. The P4/nbm metallic nitrogen salt and the modulated structure are stable at high pressures and temperatures, and they exhibit strongly ionic features and charge density distortions, which is unexpected in an element under such extreme conditions and could represent a new class of nitrogen materials. The P-T phase diagram of nitrogen at TPa pressures is investigated using quasiharmonic phonon calculations and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2011

Persistence and eventual demise of oxygen molecules at terapascal pressures

Computational searches for structures of solid oxygen under pressures in the multi TPa range have been carried out using density-functional-theory methods. We find that molecular oxygen persists to about 1.9 TPa at which it transforms into a semiconducting square spiral-like polymeric structure (I41/acd) with a band gap of about 3.0 eV. Solid oxygen forms a metallic zig-zag chain-like structure (Cmcm) at about 3.0 TPa, but the chains in each layer gradually merge as the pressure is increased and a structure of Fmmm symmetry forms at about 9.5 TPa in which each atom has four nearest neighbors. The superconducting properties of molecular oxygen do not vary much with compression, although the structure becomes more symmetric. The electronic properties of oxygen have a complex evolution with pressure, swapping between insulating, semiconducting and metallic.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗