Modeling changes in the second harmonic generation of ultrasonic waves having wavelengths beyond the length scale of conventional molecular dynamics

Abstract

The nonlinear ultrasonic (NLU) technique is a nondestructive method for detecting nanostructure in crystalline materials. In this study, a method was developed to quantify the changes in NLU signals associated with nanostructure using molecular dynamics (MD). A nonreflective boundary, which reduces the computational cost to the first power of the wavelength, was used to achieve this. This method is distinct from previous studies using a conventional MD, for which the computational cost is proportional to the square of the wavelength. The nonreflective boundary eliminates the influence of reflected waves at the detection position by setting a buffer region at the end of the simulation cell opposite from the wave source, and periodically resetting the displacements and velocities of all atoms in this region. This method allows the introduction of elastic waves with wavelengths longer than the cell size, and only an extension of time is required, according to the extension of the wavelength, without increasing the cell size. Hence, it is possible to extend the NLU wavelength by approximately four orders of magnitude, which approaches the wavelengths used for inspections and, thus, to use MD to simulate the changes in the NLU signals induced by nanostructure. The NLU signal values obtained by the two methods were in good agreement for a perfect Fe crystal and a Fe crystal containing 1% monovacancies. No significant frequency dependence of the acoustic nonlinearity parameter was found at 0 K. This method will contribute to the development of an inspection technique based on scientific principles.