Computing inelastic neutron scattering spectra from molecular dynamics trajectories

Abstract Inelastic neutron scattering (INS) provides a weighted density of phonon modes. Currently, INS spectra can only be interpreted for perfectly crystalline materials because of high computational cost for electronic simulations. INS has the potential to provide detailed morphological informati...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Thomas F. Harrelson, Makena Dettmann, Christoph Scherer, Denis Andrienko, Adam J. Moulé, Roland Faller
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Publishing Group 2021-04-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-86771-5
Description
Summary:Abstract Inelastic neutron scattering (INS) provides a weighted density of phonon modes. Currently, INS spectra can only be interpreted for perfectly crystalline materials because of high computational cost for electronic simulations. INS has the potential to provide detailed morphological information if sufficiently large volumes and appropriate structural variety are simulated. Here, we propose a method that allows direct comparison between INS data with molecular dynamics simulations, a simulation method that is frequently used to simulate semicrystalline/amorphous materials. We illustrate the technique by analyzing spectra of a well-studied conjugated polymer, poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) and conclude that our technique provides improved volume and structural variety, but that the classical force field requires improvement before the morphology can be accurately interpreted.
ISSN:2045-2322