Reconciling simulated melting and ground-state properties of metals with a modified embedded-atom method potential.

We propose a modification of the embedded-atom method-type potential aiming at reconciling simulated melting and ground-state properties of metals by means of classical molecular dynamics. Considering titanium, magnesium, gold, and platinum as case studies, we demonstrate that simulations performed with the modified force field yield quantitatively correctly both the melting temperature of the metals and their ground-state properties. It is shown that the accounting for the long-range interatomic interactions noticeably affects the melting point assessment. The introduced modification weakens the interaction at interatomic distances exceeding the equilibrium one by a characteristic vibration amplitude defined by the Lindemann criterion, thus allowing for the correct simulation of melting, while keeping its behavior in the vicinity of the ground state minimum. The modification of the many-body potential has a general nature and can be applicable to metals with different characteristics of the electron structure as well as for many different molecular and solid state systems experiencing phase transitions.