A Study of the Statistical Mechanics of Sillium

Abstract

The Sillium Model provides a straightforward method for the simulation of the structure of amorphous silicon or germanium. The Keating potential is used to crudely model the forces associated with tetrahedral bonding and only fourfold coordination is allowed. This enables structures to be randomised and annealed using a simple bond-switching process only. Originally invented merely as an ad hoc procedure, this has proved very successful and now seems worthy of closer scrutiny: we present such an analysis in a preliminary form.

Key Words:

• Sillium Model
• silicon
• germanium
• Keating potential
• tetrahedral bonding