Exploring structural mechanisms in disordered materials using the activation-relaxation technique

Abstract

Structural mechanisms in disordered materials like amorphous semi-conductors and glasses can be explored with the activation-relaxation technique (ART). The application of a sequence of such mechanisms allows for the generation of well-relaxed structures. The method and its application in the study of the microscopic changes in amorphous silicon and silica glass are reviewed, and two recent improvements are presented.