Lattice Dynamics of Silver

Abstract

A phenomenological model for the lattice dynamics of silver metal is developed. The total interaction inside the metal is composed of mainly the interactions between the ions and the interaction between the ions and electrons. A many parameter potential corresponding to two-body and three-body interactions is introduced to describe the forces between ions. The contribution to the potential energy from ion-electron interaction is considered by a screened Coulomb potential. The theoretical model developed is employed to obtain the phonon dispersion curves of silver. Computed phonon frequencies are used to explain the Debye characteristic temperatures at different temperatures. The computed results for phonon dispersion curves and Debye characteristic temperatures compare satisfactorily with the experimental results.