# AmorphousLayer¶

class AmorphousLayer(material_specifications, length, melt_temperature=None, melt_time=None, quench_temperature=None, quench_rate=None, time_step=None)

Class to represent an amorphous layer material in MultilayerBuilder.

The amorphous layer is generated using a melt-quench MD procedure. First the system is melted and equilibrated at a high temperature. Then it is quenched from the melt_temperature to the quench_temperature at a rate of quench_rate. Then the system is quenched to zero Kelvin using a geometry optimization.

Parameters: material_specifications (MaterialSpecifications.) – A descriptor of a bulk material, plus the information needed to perform the calculations. length (PhysicalQuantity of type length) – The target length (thickness) of the layer. A length of zero will generate the smallest possible layer. melt_temperature (PhysicalQuantity of type temperature) – The temperature used during the melt. Default: 5000*Kelvin melt_time (PhysicalQuantity of type time) – The length of the melt MD simulation. Default: 40*picosecond quench_temperature (PhysicalQuantity of type temperature) – The target temperature during the quenching MD simulation. Default: 600*Kelvin quench_rate (PhysicalQuantity of type temperature per time) – The rate of temperature change during the quenching. This rate will be used to calculate the length of the quenching MD simulation. Default: 80*Kelvin/picosecond time_step (PhysicalQuantity of type time) – The MD time step.
length()
Returns: The target length (thickness) of the layer. PhysicalQuantity of type length
materialSpecifications()
Returns: The descriptor of a bulk material, plus the information needed to perform the calculations. MaterialSpecifications
meltTemperature()
Returns: The temperature used during melting. PhysicalQuantity of type temperature
meltTime()
Returns: The length of the melting MD simulation. PhysicalQuantity of type time
quenchRate()
Returns: The rate of temperature change during the quenching. PhysicalQuantity of type temperature per time
quenchTemperature()
Returns: The target temperature during the quenching MD simulation. PhysicalQuantity of type temperature
timeStep()
Returns: The MD time step. PhysicalQuantity of type time