Ab initio current-induced molecular dynamics

Abstract

We extend the ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) method based on density functional theory to the nonequilibrium situation where an electronic current is present in the electronic system. The dynamics is treated using the semi-classical generalized Langevin equation. We demonstrate how the full anharmonic description of the inter-atomic forces is important in order to understand the current-induced heating and the energy distribution both in frequency and in real space.