A comparative numerical analysis of liquid silica and germania

A two-body interatomic potential is used to describe the structural properties of liquid germania and silica by Molecular Dynamics simulation. The results show that the short-range order is identical in the liquid and the glass phase, made of a tetrahedrally connected network while longer range order displays differences with temperature. The most striking difference in thermodynamical behaviour appears to be driven by pressure as illustrated from the simulation of the pressurized amorphous systems.