Very fast averaging of thermal properties of crystals by molecular simulation

Knowledge of approximate harmonic behavior of crystals is introduced into a new "mapped averaging" framework to yield alternative expressions for the thermodynamic properties of crystalline systems. The expressions separate the known harmonic behavior from residual averages, which thus encapsulate anharmonic contributions to the properties. With harmonic contributions removed, direct measurement of these anharmonic contributions by molecular simulation can be accomplished without contamination by noise produced by the already-known harmonic behavior. We show with application to the Lennard-Jones model that first-derivative properties (pressure, energy) can be obtained to a given precision via this harmonically mapped averaging at least 10 times faster than by using conventional averaging, and second-derivative properties (e.g., heat capacity) are obtained at least 100 times faster; in more favorable cases, the speedup exceeds a millionfold. Free-energy calculations are accelerated by 50 to 1000 times. Data obtained using these formulations are rigorous and not subject to any added approximation, and in fact are less sensitive to inaccuracies relating to finite-size effects, potential truncation, equilibration, and similar considerations. Moreover, the approach does not require any alteration in how sampling is performed during the simulation, so it may be used with standard Monte Carlo or molecular dynamics methods. However, the mapped averages do require evaluation of first and second derivatives of the intermolecular potential, for evaluation of first and second thermodynamic-derivative properties, respectively. Apart from its usefulness to simulation, the formalism developed here may constitute a basis for new theoretical treatments of crystals.