Comment on ``Strontium clusters: Many-body potential, energetics, and structural transitions'' [J. Chem. Phys. 115, 3640 (2001)]

TL;DR

This paper challenges previous predictions by showing through simulations that Sr_34 and Sr_61 clusters do not undergo solid-solid transitions, impacting the understanding of their structural stability and magic number phenomena.

Contribution

It provides new simulation evidence contradicting prior claims of solid-solid transitions in specific strontium clusters.

Findings

No solid-solid transitions in Sr_34 and Sr_61 clusters

Symmetrical polytetrahedral structures are not the most stable

Implications for interpreting experimental magic numbers

Abstract

Parallel tempering simulations for Sr_34 and Sr_61 indicate that, contrary to Wang et al.'s predictions [J. Chem. Phys. 115, 3640 (2001)], there are no solid-solid transitions for these clusters, in which symmetrical polytetrahedral structures become most stable. These results have implications for the structural interpretation of the magic numbers observed experimentally for strontium clusters.