Ch121a Atomic Level Simulations of Materials
and Molecules
Room BI 115
Lecture: Monday, Wednesday Friday 2-3pm
Lecture 5b and 61, April 14 and 16, 2014
MD2: dynamics
William A. Goddard III, wag@wag.caltech.edu
Charles and Mary Ferkel Professor of Chemistry,
Materials Science, and Applied Physics,
California Institute of Technology
TA’s Jason Crowley and Jialiu Wang
Ch120a-Goddard-L06
© copyright 2013-William A. Goddard III, all rights reserved
1
Homework and Research Project
First 5 weeks: The homework each week uses generally available
computer software implementing the basic methods on
applications aimed at exposing the students to understanding how
to use atomistic simulations to solve problems.
Each calculation requires making decisions on the specific
approaches and parameters relevant and how to analyze the
results.
Midterm: each student submits proposal for a project using the
methods of Ch121a to solve a research problem that can be
completed in the final 5 weeks.
The homework for the last 5 weeks is to turn in a one page report
on progress with the project
The final is a research report describing the calculations and
conclusions
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2
Previously we develop the force fields and we
minimized the geometry now we do dynamics
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3
Classical mechanics – Newton’s equations
Newton’s equations are
Mk (d2Rk/dt2) = Fk = - RkE
where Rk, Fk, and  are 3D vectors
and where goes over every particle k
Here Fk = Sn≠k Fnk where Fnk is the force acting on k due to
particle n
From Newton’s 3rd law Fnk = - Fkn
Solving Newton’s equations as a function time gives a
trajectory with the positions and velocities of all atoms
Assuming the system is ergotic, we can calculate the
properties using the appropriate thermodynamic average over
the coordinates and momenta.
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Consider 1D – the Verlet algorithm
Newton’s Equation in 1D is M(d2x/dt2)t = Ft = - (dE/dx)t
We will solve this numerically for some time step d.
First we consider how velocity is related to distance
v(t+d/2) = [x(t+d) – x(t)]/d; that is the velocity at point t+d/2 is the
difference in position at t+d and at t divided by the time increment
d. Also v(t-d/2) = [x(t) – x(t-d)]/d
Next consider how acceleration is related to velocities
a(t) = [v(t+d/2) - v(t-d/2)]/d = that is the acceleration at point t is the
difference in velocity at t+d/2 and at t-d/2 divided by the time
increment d. Now combine to get
a(t)=F(t)/M= {[x(t+d) – x(t)]/d] - [x(t) – x(t-d)]/d)}/d =
{{[x(t+d) – 2x(t) + x(t-d)]}/d2
Thus x(t+d) = 2x(t) - x(t-d) + d2 F(t)/M
This is called the Verlet (pronounced verlay) algorithm, the error is
proportional to d4. At each time t we calculate F(t) and combine
with the previous x(t-d) to predict the next x(t+d)
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5
Initial condition for the Verlet algorithm
The Verlet algorithm, x(t+d) = 2x(t) - x(t-d) + d2 F(t)/M
starts with x(t) and x(t-d) and uses the forces at t to predict x(t+d)
and all subsequent positions.
But typically the initial conditions are x(0) and v(0) and then we
calculate F(0) so we need to do something special for the first
point.
Here we can write, v(d/2) = v(0) + ½ d a(0) and then
x(d) = x(0) + d v(d/2) = x(0) + v(0) + ½ d F(0)/M
As the special form for getting x(d)
Then we can use the Verlet algorithm for all subsequent points.
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6
Consider 1D – the Leap Frog Verlet algorithm
Since we need both velocities and coordinates to calculate the
various properties, I prefer an alternative formulation of the
numerical dynamics.
Here we write
v(t+d/2) = v(t-d/2) +d a(t) and
x(t+d) = x(t) + v(t+d/2)
This is called leapfrog because the velocities leap over positions
and the positions leap over the velocities
Here also there is a problem at the first point where we have v(0)
not v(d/2).
Here we write v(0) = {v(d/2) + v(-d/2)]/2 and
v(d/2) - v(-d/2) = d a(0)
So that 2v(d/2) = d a(0) + 2 v(0) or
v(d/2) = v(0) + ½ d F(0)/M
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7
Usually we start with a structure, maybe a minimized
geometry, but where do we get velocities?
For an ideal gas the distribution of velocities follows the
Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution,
For N particles at temperature T, this leads to an average kinetic
energy of KE= Sk=1,3N (Mk vk2/2)= (3N)(kBT/2) where kB is
Boltzmann’s constant.
In fact our systems will be far from ideal gases, but it is
convenient to start with this distribution.
Thus we pick a distribution of random numbers {a1,…,a3N} that
has a Gaussian distribution and write vi =ai sqrt[(2kT/M)
This will lead to KE ~ (3N/2)(kBT), but usually we want to start the
initial KE to be exactly the target bath TB.
Thus we scale all velocities by l such that KE = (3N/2)(kBTB)
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8
Equilibration
Although our simulation system may be far from an ideal gas,
most dense systems will equilibrate rapidly, say 50
picoseconds, so our choice of Maxwell-Boltzmann velocities
will not bias our result
Often we may start the MD with a minimized structure. If so
some programs allow you to start with double Tbath.
The reason is that for a harmonic system in equilibrium the
Virial theorem states that
<PE>=<KE>.
Thus if we start with <PE>=0 and the KE corresponding to
some Tinitial, the final temperature, after equilibration will be T
~½ Tinitial.
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9
The next 4 slides are background material
The Virial Theorem - 1
For a system of N particles, the Virial (a scalar) is defined as
G = Sk
(pk ∙ rk) where p and r are vectors and we
take the dot or inner product. Then
dG/dt = Sk (pk ∙ drk/dt) + Sk (dpk/dt ∙ rk)
= Sk Mk(drk/dt ∙ drk/dt) + Sk (Fk ∙ rk)
= 2 KE + Sk (Fk ∙ rk)
Where we used Newton’s equation: Fk = dpk/dt
Here Fk = Sn’ Fnk is the sum over all forces from
the other atoms acting on k, and the prime on the
sum indicates that n≠k
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10
The Virial Theorem - 2
Thus Sk (Fk ∙ rk) = Sk Sn’ (Fn,k ∙ rk)
= Sk Sn<k (Fn,k ∙ rk) + Sk Sn>k (Fn,k ∙ rk)
= Sk Sn<k (Fn,k ∙ rk) + Sk Sk>n (Fk,n ∙ rn)
= Sk Sn<k (Fn,k ∙ rk) + Sk Sk>n (-Fn,k ∙ rk)
= Sk Sn<k [Fn,k ∙ (rk – rn)]
Where line 3 relabeled k,n in 2nd term and line 4
used Newton’s 3rd law Fk,n = - Fn,k .
But Fn,k = - rk PE = - [d(PE)dr] [(rk – rn)/rnk]
Sk (Fk ∙ rk) = - Sk Sn<k [d(PE)dr] [(rk – rn)]2/rnk
= - Sk Sn<k [d(PE)dr] rnk
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11
The Virial Theorem - 3
Using Sk (Fk ∙ rk) = - Sk Sn<k [d(PE)dr] rnk we get
dG/dt = 2 KE - Sk Sn<k [d(PE)dr] rnk
Now consider a system in which the PE between
any 2 particles has the power law form,
PE(rnk) = a (rnk)p for example: p=2 for a harmonic
system and p=-1 for a Coulomb system.
Then dG/dt = 2KE – p PEtot which applies to
every time t.
Averaging over time we get
<dG/dt> = 2<KE> – p <PEtot>
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12
The Virial Theorem - 4
<dG/dt> = 2<KE> – p <PEtot>
Integrating over time ʃ0t (dG/dt) dt = G(t) - G(0)
For a stable bound system G(∞)=G(0)
Hence <dG/dt> = 0, leading to the Virial Theorem
2<KE> = p <PEtot>
Thus for a harmonic system
<KE> = <PEtot> = ½ Etotal
And for a Coulomb system
<KE> = -1/2 <PEtot>
So that Etotal = ½ <PEtot> = - <KE>
13
Ch120a-Goddard-L06
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microcanonical Dynamics (NVE)
Solving Newton’s equations for N particles in some fixed volume,
V, with no external forces, leads to conservation of energy, E.
This is referred to as microcanonical Dynamics (since the
energy is fixed) and denoted as (NVE).
Since no external forces are acting on this system, there is no
heat bath to define the temperature.
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14
canonical Dynamics (NVT) – isokinetic energy
We will generally be interested in systems in contact with a heat
bath at Temperature TB. In this case the states of the system
should have (q,p) such that P(p,q) = exp[-H(p,q)/kBTB]/Z is the
probability of the system having coordinates p,q. This is called a
canonical distributions of states.
However, though we started with
KE= Sk=1,3N (Mk vk2/2)= (3N/2)(kBTB) there is no guarantee that the
KE will correspond to this TB at a later time.
A simple fix to this is velocity scaling, where all velocities are
scaled by a factor, l, such that the KE remains fixed (isokinetic
energy dynamics). Thus on each iteration we calculate the
temperature corresponding to the new velocities,
Tnew = (2kB/3N) Sk=1,3N (Mk vk2/2), then we multiply each v by l, so
that (2kB/3N) Sk=1,3N (Mk (lvk)2/2) = TB where
l=sqrt(TB/Tnew)
Thus
if Tnew is too high,
we slow
down
the velocities.
Ch120a-Goddard-L06
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2013-William
A. Goddard
III, all rights reserved
15
Why scale the velocity rather than say, KE (ie v2)
We will take the center of mass of our system to be fixed, so
that the sum of the momenta must be zero
P = Sk mkvk = 0 where P and v (and 0) are vectors.
Thus scaling the velocities we have
P= Sk mk (lvk) = lP = 0
If instead we used some other transformation on the
velocities this would not be true.
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16
Advanced Classical Mechanics
Lagrangian Formulation
The Frenchman Lagrange (~1795) developed a formalism to
describe complex motions with noncartesian generalized
coordinates, q and velocities q=(dq/dt) (usually this is q with a
dot over it)
L (q, q) = KE(q) – PE (q)
The Lagrangian equation of motion become
∂L (q, q)/∂q = (d/dt) [∂L(q, q)/∂q]
Where the momentum is p = [∂L(q, q)/∂q]
and dp/dt = [∂L(q, q)/∂q]
Letting KE=1/2 Mq2 this leads to
p = Mq and
dp/dt = -PE = F or F = m a, Newton’s equation
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17
Advanced Classical Mechanics
Hamiltonia Formulation
The irishman Hamilton (~1825) developed an alternate
formalism to describe complex motions with noncartesian
generalized coordinates, q and momenta p. Here the
Hamiltonian H is defined in terms of the Lagrangian L as
H(p, q) = pq– L (q, q)
The Hamiltonian equation of motion become
∂H(p, q)/∂p = q
∂H(p, q)/∂q = - dp/dt
Letting KE=p2/2M this leads to
q = p/M
dp/dt = -PE = F or F = m a, Newton’s equation
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18
Statistical Ensembles - Review
There are 4 main classes of systems for which we may want to
calculate properties depending on whether there is a heat bath
or a pressure bath.
Canonical Ensemble (NVT)
Microcanonical Ensemble (NVE)
FNVE

( N ,V , E ) 
V
dr N  dp N d [1 (r N , p N ;V ) - E ]F (r N , p N ;V )
N ! ( N , V , E )

( N , V , E ) 
V
where
dr N  dp N d [1 (r N , p N ;V ) - E ]
N!
Solve Newton’s Equations
Isothermal-isobaric Ensemble (NPT)

FNPT ( N , P, T ) 
FNVT ( N ,V , T ) 
where

V
Q( N , V , T ) 

V
dr N  dp N exp[-
1 (r N , p N ;V )
]
kT
N!
Usual way to solve MD Equations
Isoenthalpic-isobaric Ensemble (NPH)

[ PV  1 (r N , p N ;V )]
N
N
N
N
N
N
]F ( r N , p N ; V )
0 dV V dr  dp d [1 (r , p ;V )  PV - H ]F (r , p ;V )
kT
FNPH ( N , P, H ) 
N !  ( N , P, T )
N ! ( N , P , H )
N
N
 dV  dr  dp exp[V
0

[ PV  1 (r N , p N ;V )]
dV
dr
dp
exp[
]
0 V 
kT
 ( N , P, T ) 
N!
N
where
1 (r N , p N ;V )
]F ( r N , p N ; V )
kT
N !Q( N ,V , T )
dr N  dp N exp[-
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
N
where
 ( N , P, H ) 
 dV 
V
0
dr N  dp N d [1 (r N , p N ;V )  PV - H ]
N!
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19
Calculation of thermodynamics properties
Depending on the nature of the heat and pressure baths we
may want to evaluate the ensemble of states accessible by a
system appropriate for NVE, NVT, NPH, or NPT ensembles
Here NVE corresponds to solving Newton’s equations and
NPT describes the normal conditions for experiments
We can do this two ways using our force fields
Monte Carlo sampling considers a sequence of geometries in
such a way that a Boltzmann ensemble, say for NVT is
generated. We will discuss this later.
Molecular dynamics sampling follows a trajectory with the
idea that a long enough trajectory will eventually sample close
enough to every relevant part of phase space (ergotic
hypothesis)
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Now we have a minimized structure, let’s do
Molecular Dynamics
This is just solving Newton’s Equation with time
Mk (∂2Rk)/∂t2) = Fk = - -(∂E/∂Rk) for k=1,..,3N
Here we start with 3N coordinates {Rk}t0 and 3N velocities
{Vk}t0 at time, t0, then we calculate the forces {Fk}t0 and we
use this to predict the 3N {Rk}t1 and velocities {Vk}t1 at some
later time step t1 = t0 + dt
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Ergodic Hypothesis
Time/Trajectory average
MD
Kinetics
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Ensemble average
MC
Thermodynamics
© copyright 2013-William A. Goddard III, all rights reserved
22
Canonical Dyanamics (NVT) - Langevin Dynamics
Consider a system coupling to a heat bath with fixed reference
temperature, TB.. The Langevin formalism writes
Mk dvk/dt = Fk – gk Mk vk + Rk(t)
The damping constants gk determine the strength of the
coupling to the heat bath and where Ri is a Gaussian stochastic
variable with zero mean and with intensity
 Ri (t ) R j (t  t )  2mig i kT0d (t )d ij
The Langevin equation corresponds physically to frequent
collisions with light particles that form an ideal gas at
temperature TB.
Through the Langevin equation the system couples both
globally to a heat bath and also subjected locally to random
noise.
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23
canonical Dynamics (NVT)-Berendsen Thermostat
The problem with isokinetic energy dynamics is that the KE is
constant, whereas a system of finite size N, in contact with a heat
bath at temperature TB, should exhibit fluctuations in temperature
about TB, with a distribution scaling as 1/sqrt(N)
A simple fix to this problem is the Berendsen Thermostat.
Here the velocities are scaled at each step so that the rate of
change of the T is proportional to the difference between the
instantaneous T and TB,
dT(t)/dt = [TB – T(t)]/t
where the damping constant t determines the relaxation time
This leads to a change in T between successive steps spaced by
d is T = (d/t)[TB-T(t)], which leads to l2=1+ (d/t)[TB/T(t-d/2) – 1],
since we use leap frog for the velocities.
(Note that t  d leads to isokinetic energy dynamics)
The Berendsen Equation of motion is
Mk Ch120a-Goddard-L06
dvk/dt = Fk – (Mk/t)(T
1)vk A. Goddard III, all rights reserved
24
B/T –2013-William
© copyright
Canonical dynamics (NVT): Andersen Method
Hans Christian Andersen (the one at Stanford, not the one that
wrote Fairy tales) suggested using Stochastic collisions with the
heat bath at the probability
- t
P(t )   e
where  is the collision frequency (default 10 fs-1 in CMDF).
It is reasonable to require the stochastic collision frequency to be
the actual collision frequency for a particle.
Andersen NVT does produce a Canonical distribution.
Indeed Andersen NVT generates a Markov chain in phase space,
so it is irreducible and aperiodoic.
Moreover, Andersen NVT does not generate continuous (real)
dynamics due to stochastic collision, unless the collision rate is
chosen so that the time scale for the energy fluctuation in the
simulation equal to correct values for the real system
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25
Size of Heat bath damping constant t
The damping of the instantaneous temperature of our system
due to interaction with the heat bath should depend on the
nature of the interactions (heat capacity,thermal conductivity,
..) but we need a general guideline.
One criteria is that the coupling with the heat bath be slow
compared to the fastest vibrations. For most systems of
interest this might be CH vibrations (3000 cm-1) or OH
vibrations (3500 cm-1). We will take (1/l)=3333 cm-1
Since l=c the speed of light, the Period of this vibration is
T = 1/ = (l/c) = 1/[c(1/l)] = 1/[(3*1010 cm/sec)(3333)] =
=1/[1014] = 10-14 sec = 10 fs (femtoseconds)
Thus we want t >> 10 fs = 0.01 ps. A good value in practice is
t = 100 fs = 0.1 ps. Better would be 1 ps, but this means we
must
wait ~ 20 t = 20
ps to2013-William
get equilibrated
properties.
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A. Goddard III, all
rights reserved
26
Canonical Dynamics (NVT) – Nose-Hoover
The methods described above do not lead properly to a canonical
ensemble of states, which for a Hamiltonian H(p,q) has a
Boltzmann distribution of states. That is the probability for p,q
scales like exp[- H(p,q)/kBTB]. Thus these methods do not
guarantee that the system will evolve over time to describe a
canonical distribution of states, which might invalidate the
calculation of thermodynamic and other properties.
S. Nose formulated a more rigorous MD in which the trajectory
does lead to a Boltzmann distribution of states. S. Nosé, J. Chem.
Phys. 81, 511 (1984); S. Nosé, Mol. Phys. 52, 255 (1984)
Nosé introduced a fictitious bath coordinate s, with a KE scaling
like Q(ds/dt)2 where Q is a mass and PE energy scaling like
[gkBTB ln s] where g=Ndof + 1.
Nose showed that microcanonical dynamics over g dof leads to a
27
probability
of exp[- H(p,q)/k
the
normal
3Nreserved
dof.
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© copyright
2013-William
Goddard
III, all rights
BT
B] over A.
Canonical Dynamics (NVT) – Nose-Hoover
Bill Hoover W. G. Hoover, Phys. Rev. A 31, 1695 (1985)) modified the
Nose formalism to simplify applications, leading to
d2Rk/dt2 = Fk/Mk – g (dRk/dt)
(dg/dt) = (kB Ndof/Q)T(t){(g/Ndof) [1 - TB/T(t))]}
where g derives from the bath coordinate.
The 1st term shows that g serves as a friction term, slowing down
the particles when g>0 and accelerating them when g<0.
The 2nd term shows that TB/T(t) < 1 (too hot) leads to (dg/dt) > 0 so
that g starts changing toward positive friction that will eventually
start to cool the system. However the instantaneous g might be
negative so that the system still heats up (but at a slower rate) for
a while.
Similarly TB/T(t) > 1 (too cold) leads to (dg/dt) > 0 so that g starts
changing toward negative friction.
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Canonical Dynamics (NVT) – discussion
This evolution of states from Nose-Hoover has a damping variable
g that follows a trajectory in which it may be positive for a while
even though the system is too cold or negative for a while even
though the system is to hot. This is what allows the ensemble of
states over the trajectory to describe a canonical distribution.
But this necessarily takes must longer to converge than
Berendsen which always has positive friction, moving T toward TB
at every step
I discovered the Nose and Hoover papers in 1987 and
immediately programmed it into Biograf/Polygraf which evolved
into the Cerius and Discover packages from Accelrys because I
considered it a correct and elegant way to do dynamics.
However my view now is that for most of the time we just want to
get rapidly a distribution of states appropriate for a given T, and
that the distribution from Berendsen is accurate enough.
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29
The next 3 slides are background material
details about Nose-Hoover - I
S. Nose introduced (1984) an additional degree of freedom s to a

N particle system:
v  sr
i
i
The Lagrangian of the extended system of particles and s is
postulated to be:
mi 2 2
Q 2
L   s ri -  (r )  s - ( f  1)kTeq ln s
i
2
2
Equation of motion: d L
(
dt  A.
For particles:
)


d

2
(mi s ri )  dt
ri
2
For s variable: Qs   mi s r i i
Ch120a-Goddard-L06
L
A
or
1  2 s 
ri  - ri
2
mi s ri s
( f  1)kTeq
s
© copyright 2013-William A. Goddard III, all rights reserved
30
details about Nose-Hoover - II
The averaged kinetic energy coincides with the external TB:

2 2
i
i
m s
r
i
s
Momenta of particle:
Momenta of s:
pi 
L

 ri
ps 
 ( f  1)kTeq
1
s

 mi s ri
2
L


Qs
s
The Hamiltonian of the extended system (conserved quantity,
useful for error checking):
2
2
pi
ps
H1  
  (r ) 
 ( f  1)kTeq ln s
2
2Q
i 2mi s
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31
details about Nose-Hoover - III
An interpretation of the variable s: a scaling factor for the time
t
'
step t
t 
s
The real time step t’ is now unequal because s is a variable.
Q has the unit of “mass”, which indicates the strength of
coupling. Large Q means strong coupling.
Nose NVT yields rigorous Canonical distribution both in
coordinate and momentum space.
Hoover found Nose equations can be further
simplified by introducing a thermodynamics friction
'
'
coefficient x:
x  s ps / Q
Nose-Hoover formulation is most rigorous and widely used
thermostat.
S. Nose, Molecular Physics, 100, 191 (2002) reprint; Original
paper
was published in
1983.2013-William A. Goddard III, all rights reserved
Ch120a-Goddard-L06
© copyright
32
All 3 thermostats
yield an average
temperature
NVT
(T=300
216 waters
at K) 216 Water matching the
Nose-Hoover
Andersen
300KAndersen
target TB. All 3
Berendsen
allow similar
Berendsen
(T=300 K)
216 Water
Nose-Hoover
instantaneous
fluctuations in T
Andersen
around target TB
(300 K). Nose
Berendsen
Nose-Hoover
should be most
Andersen
accurate
Instantaneous
140
NVT (T=300 K) 216 Water
0140
Temperature
Fluctuations
Nose-Hoover
120
0120100
NVT
Count
80
0100
60
0 80
40
Berendsen
20
0 60
0
250
260
Ch120a-Goddard-L06
270
280
290
300
Temperature (K)
310
320
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330
33
Stopped April 14, 2014
Ch120a-Goddard-L06
© copyright 2013-William A. Goddard III, all rights reserved
34
What about volume and pressure?
For MD on a finite molecule, we consider that the molecule is
in some box, but if the CM of the molecule is zero the CM
stays fixed so that we can ignore the box.
To describe the bulk states of a gas, liquid, or solid, we usually
want to consider an infinite volume with no surfaces, but we
want the number of independent molecules to be limited, (say
1000 independent molecules)
In this case we imagine a box (the unit cell), which for a gas or
liquid could be cubic, repeated in the x, y, and z directions
through all space.
If the cell has fixed sizes then there will be a pressure (or
stress) on the cell that fluctuates with time (NVE, NVT)
We can also adjust the cell sizes from step to step to keep the
pressure constant (NPH or NPT)
Ch120a-Goddard-L06
© copyright 2013-William A. Goddard III, all rights reserved
35
Periodic Boundary Conditions for solids
Consider a periodic system with unit cell vectors, {a, b, c} not
necessarily orthogonal but noncoplanar
We define the atom positions within a unit cell in terms of scaled
coordinates, where the position along the a, b, c axes is (0,1).
We define the transformation tensor h={a,b,c} that converts from
scaled coordinates S to cartesian coordinate r, r=hS,
In the MD, we expect that the atomic coordinates will adjust
rapidly compared to the cell coordinates.
Thus for each time step the forces on the atoms lead to changes
in the particle velocities and positions, which are expressed in
terms of scaled coordinates, then the stresses on the cell
parameters are used to predict new values for the cell
parameters {a, b, c} and their time derivatives.
Here the magnitude of rk is ri2= (si|G|si) where G=hTh is the
metric tensor for the nonorthogonal coordinate system and T
indicates a transpose so that G is a 3 by 3 metric tensor
36
Ch120a-Goddard-L06
© copyright 2013-William A. Goddard III, all rights reserved
NPH Dynamics: Berendsen Method
Berendsen NPT is similar to Berendsen NVT, but the scaling
factor scales atom coordinates and cell length by a factor l
each time step
l  [1 -
t
tP
( P0 - P)]
1/ 3
The cell length and atom coordinates will gradually adjust so that
the average pressure is P0. The time scale for reaching
equilibrium is controlled by tP, the coupling strength.
tP is related to the sound speed and heat capacity.
larger tP  weaker coupling  slower relaxation
I recommend tP = 20 tT = 400 d (time step)
Thus d = 1 fs (common default)  tT = 0.02 ps  tP = 0.4 ps.
Note that Berendsen NPH does NOT allow the change of cell
shape. This is appropriate for a liquid, where the unit cell is
usually a cube.
Ch120a-Goddard-L06
© copyright 2013-William A. Goddard III, all rights reserved
37
The next 3 slides are background material
NPH: Andersen Method I
Use scaled coordinates for the particles.
1/3


r
/
V
, i  1, 2,..., N .
1/3
i
i
For a cubic cell V = L the cell length,
i =(0,1)
Andersen defined (1980) a Lagrangian by introducing a new
variable Q, related to the cell volume

N
N



1
 N N
 1
L   ,  , Q, Q   mQ 2 / 3  i  i -  u  Q1/ 3 ij )  M Q 2 - a Q
2
 2
i -1
i  j 1

atom KE u ~ atom Cell KE aQ ~ PV
Particle momentum:
PE 
L2
 i    mQ 2/3 i Replaces p = mv
 i
Volume momentum:
Ch120a-Goddard-L06

L2

Q

MQ
Similar to atom
momentum but
for the cell
© copyright 2013-William A. Goddard III, all rights reserved
38
NPH: Andersen Method II
Hamiltonian of the extended system:

N


N

H 2 (  ,  , Q,  )    i  i  Q  - L (  ,  , Q, Q )
N
N
N
i 1
 (2mQ
2 / 3 -1
)
N

i 1
i
i 
N
 u (Q
1/ 3
i  j 1
ij )  (2 M ) -1  2  a Q
Equations of motion: atom KE atom PE Cell KE
d i H 2
i


Replaces v = p/m
2/3
dt
 i mQ
d i
H 2
 -Q1/3
dt
i
dQ H 2 


dt
 M
N
ij u(Q1/3 ij )
j (  i ) 1
ij

High M  slow
Cell changes
aQ ~ PV
Replaces dp/dt = F = -E
Internal stress scalar
External stress scalar
N

H 2
d
-1 
2/3 -1
1/3
1/3
 -(3Q)  -2(2mQ )   i  i  Q  ij u(Q ij )  3a Q 
dt
Q
i 1
i j


Ch120a-Goddard-L06
© copyright 2013-William A. Goddard III, all rights reserved
39
NPH: Andersen Method III
Hans C. Andersen, J. Chem. Phys. 72, 2384 (1980)
 The variable M can be interpreted as the “mass” of a piston
whose motion expands or compresses the studied system.
 M controlls the time scale of volume fluctuations. We expect M
~ L/c where c is the speed of sound in the sample and L the cell
length
 Andersen NPH dynamics yields isoenthalpic-isobaric ensemble.
In 1980 Andersen suggested “It might be possible to do this
(constant temperature MD) by inventing one or more additional
degree of freedom, as we did in the constant pressure case. We
have not been able to do this in a practical way.”
~ 3 years later, Nose figured out how to implement Andersen’s
idea!
Ch120a-Goddard-L06
© copyright 2013-William A. Goddard III, all rights reserved
40
NPH: Parrinello-Rahman Method I
Parrinello and Rahman (1980) defined a Lagrangian by involving
the time dependence of the cell matrix h:
Pext




1
1

could
L
mi si G si  (rij )  W Tr ( h h ) - pext 
2
2
i j i
be
PV
Sext
Cell
KE
atom PE
atom KE
φ = (PE)


Leading to the equations of motion:
si  mi
-1
  (r )(s
j 1
ij
i
- s j ) -G
-1


Proportional to v,
thus is friction
G si , i,j =1,2,....,N
Replaces v = p/m
h  W -1 ( - pext )
Ch120a-Goddard-L06
Rate of change in cell is proportional to
difference in external stress and the
internal
stress
© copyright
2013-William
A. Goddard III, all rights reserved
41
NPH: Parrinello-Rahman Method II
RP Equations of motion:
Newton’s Eqn
si  mi
-1
Friction from cell changes
  (r )(s - s ) -G
j 1
ij
i
j
-1
 
G si , i,j =1,2,....,N
h  W -1 ( - pext ) Dynamics of cell changes
  -d / rdr
where
  d / d hij
   mi vi vi    (rij )(ri - rj )(ri - rj )
i
Cell KE
Ch120a-Goddard-L06
i
j i
the internal stress tensor.
© copyright 2013-William A. Goddard III, all rights reserved
42
More general:
pstress and
Vh
dependent
term
NPH: Parrinello-Rahman Method III
Hamiltonian of the extended system:
dhT/dt
.
.
H  1/ 2mi vi2   (rij )  1/ 2WTr h' h p
i j i
PV
atom KE atom PE φ = (PE) Cell KE
An appropriate choice for the value of W (Andersen) is such that
the relaxation time is of the same order of magnitude as the time
L/c, where L is the MD cell size and c is sound velocity. Actually
this is much longer than defaults (tP = 0.4 to 2 ps)
Static averages are insensitive to the choice of W as in classical
statistical mechanics (the equilibrium properties of a system are
independent of the masses of its constituent parts).
The Parrinello-Rahman method allows the variation of both
size and shape of the periodic cell because it uses the full cell
matrix (extension of Andersen method).
i
Ch120a-Goddard-L06
© copyright 2013-William A. Goddard III, all rights reserved
43
NPT: combine thermostat and barostat
Barostat-Thermostat choices
Berendsen-Berendsen
Andersen-Andersen
Andersen-(Nose-Hoover)
(Parinello-Rahman)-(Nose-Hoover)
Other hybrid methods
Thermostats and barostats in CMDF are fully
decoupled functionality modules and user can
choose different thermostats and barostats to
create a customized hybrid NPT method.
Ch120a-Goddard-L06
© copyright 2013-William A. Goddard III, all rights reserved
44
Martyna-Tuckerman-Klein Methods

The original Nose-Hoover method generates a correct
Canonical distribution for molecular systems using a single
coupling degree of freedom. This is appropriate if there is
only one conserved quantity or if there are no external
forces and the center of mass remains fixed. (This is
normal case.)
• Martyna, Tuckerman and Klein [G. J. Martyna, M. E.
Tuckerman, D. J. Tobias and M. L. Klein "Explicit reversible
integrators for extended systems dynamics", Molecular
Physics 87 pp. 1117-1157 (1996) extended the NoseHoover thermostat to use Nose-Hoover chains, where
multiple thermostats couple each other linearly.
 They also developed a reversible multiple time step
integrator which can solve NPH dynamics explicitly without
iteration (1996).
Ch120a-Goddard-L06
© copyright 2013-William A. Goddard III, all rights reserved
45
NPT dynamics at different temperatures
(P= 0 GPa, T= 25K to 300K)
300K
25K
Ch120a-Goddard-L06
© copyright 2013-William A. Goddard III, all rights reserved
46
NPT dynamics under different pressures
(300K, 0 to 12 GPa) for PETN
<V> (A3)
588.7938
525.7325
489.6471
469.1264
452.1472
439.3684
432.4970
Compression becomes harder when pressure increases, as
Ch120a-Goddard-L06
© copyright
2013-William
A. Goddard III, all rights reserved
indicated
by the smaller
volume
reduction.
47
How well can we predict volume as a function of
pressure?
Exp. (300 K)
ReaxFF+Disp
New ReaxFF can predict compressed structures well even without
further
fitting (same© parameter
as A.that
in 100
K, 0
GPa fitting). 48
Ch120a-Goddard-L06
copyright 2013-William
Goddard
III, all rights
reserved
Conclusion
 Most rigorous thermostat: Nose-Hoover
(chain), but in practice often use Berendsen
 Most rigorous barostat: Parrinello-Rahman, but
in practice often use Berendsen
Stress calculations usually need higher accuracy than for
normal fixed volume MD. Therefore, we often use choose
NVT instead of NPT, but we use various sized boxes and
calculate the free energy for various boxes to determine
the optimum box size for a given external pressure and
temperature (even though this may require more
calculations).
Ch120a-Goddard-L06
© copyright 2013-William A. Goddard III, all rights reserved
49