Calculation update! New properties have been added to the website for dislocation monopole core structures, dynamic relaxes of both crystal and liquid phases, and melting temperatures! Currently, the results for these properties predominately focus on EAM-style potentials, but the results will be updated for other potentials as the associated calculations finish. Feel free to give us feedback on the new properties so we can improve their representations as needed.
Warning! Note that elemental potentials taken from alloy descriptions may not work well for the pure species. This is particularly true if the elements were fit for compounds instead of being optimized separately. As with all interatomic potentials, please check to make sure that the performance is adequate for your problem.
Citation: J. Tersoff (1986), "New empirical model for the structural properties of silicon", Physical Review Letters56(6), 632-635. DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.56.632.
Abstract: An empirical interatomic potential for covalent systems is proposed, incorporating bond order in an intuitive way. The potential has the form of a Morse pair potential, but with the bond-strength parameter depending upon local environment. A model for Si accurately describes bonding and geometry for may structures, including highly rebonded surfaces.
Notes: This is Tersoff's Si(A) potential, which used a slightly different functional form than the commonly known "Tersoff" potential form. It failed to predict diamond cubic as the ground state structure.
Date Created: October 5, 2010 | Last updated: September 18, 2025