Structural properties in liquid Si during rapid cooling processes

The solidification processes of liquid Si are studied by molecular dynamics simulation using the Stillinger–Weber potential. The structural properties of liquid and amorphous silicon are analyzed by means of several structural analysis methods. Amorphous silicon network is formed during the solidification processes of liquid Si. The simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental ones. The structural changes of Si during solidification are described in detail by the radial distribution function, coordination number and the visualization technology. It reveals that the cavities are the important structural characters of liquid silicon. And the tetrahedron as the key structural unit are distributed in amorphous silicon randomly, and connected with other atoms together to form network ring structures finally.