Quantum statistical vibrational entropy and enthalpy of formation of helium-vacancy complex in BCC W

Abstract High-temperature advance-reactor design and operation require knowledge of in-reactor materials properties far from the thermal ground state. Temperature-dependence due to the effects of lattice vibrations is important to the understanding and formulation of atomic processes involved in irradiation-damage accumulation. In this paper, we concentrate on the formation of He-V complex. The free-energy change in this regard is derived via thermodynamic integration from the phase-space trajectories generated from MD simulations based on the quantum fluctuation-dissipation relation. The change of frequency distribution of vibration modes during the complex formation is properly accounted for, and the corresponding entropy change avoids the classical ln(T) divergence that violates the third law. The vibrational enthalpy and entropy of formation calculated this way have significant effects on the He kinetics during irradiation.