Thermodynamic properties of liquid Si and Ge

Abstract

Thermodynamic properties of liquid Si and Ge are calculated using standard variational techniques, with the hard-sphere system as a reference system. Third-order electron-ion pseudopotential contributions are included nonvariationally and are shown to have little effect on the free energy, although a larger one on the derivatives of the free energy. Two different model pseudopotentials are used and give similar results, in good agreement with experiment.