Melting and lattice dynamics of sodium at high pressures. Ab initio quantum molecular-dynamics analysis

The melting and lattice dynamics of sodium are studied by quantum molecular dynamics simulation, i.e., with allowance for anharmonicity, at pressures up to 1 Mbar and temperatures up to 1000 K. The simulation results agree well with the experimental data and our earlier calculation performed ab initio in the quasi-harmonic approximation. The simulation results demonstrate that anharmonic interactions weakly affect the melting curve and the phonon frequencies of Na up to near-melting temperatures.