Structures and energetics of Pd21–Pd55 clusters

Using molecular dynamics and thermal quenching simulations the stable geometrical structures and energies of Pdn (n=21–55) clusters are identified. The interaction between the cluster atoms is modeled by an embedded-atom (EA) potential energy surface, Voter and Chen’s version. The stable geometrical structures and their minimum energies are obtained from 500 phase space coordinates generated along high-energy trajectories. The internal energies (about T=2500 K) are above the melting temperature of the Pdn clusters. The thermal quenching technique is employed to remove slowly the internal kinetic energy of the clusters. Because of this slow minimization process the locally stable isomers are separated from those meta-stable ones. Stability of the clusters is examined by the first and the second energy differences. The average bond lengths are obtained and analyzed as a function of the size of the clusters.