Optimal interatomic potentials using modified method of least squares: Optimal form of interatomic potentials

Abstract The problem of optimization of interatomic potentials is formulated and solved by means of generalization of the Morse, Kaxiras–Pandey, and Rydberg potentials. The interatomic potentials are treated as solutions of some second-order ordinary differential equations which will be classified and analyzed. The most appropriate analytic form of the understudied potentials will be proposed based on a one-dimensional search for the parameter, γ \gamma , which is the power of the interatomic distance, r r . The optimal analytic form will also be proposed for metals such as gold, copper, aluminium, titanium, and the silver–copper alloy. The method of least squares will be used to estimate the potential parameters. Phenomenological potentials such as the classical Rydberg, classical Morse, generalized Morse, Kaxiras–Pandey, and classical Lennard–Jones will be studied, and new potentials based on the combination of some of the aforementioned potentials will also be proposed. Metrics such as the goal function values, will be used to identify which optimal value of the parameter, γ \gamma , is most appropriate to introduce into the preferred interatomic potential for interaction between atoms.