Molecular dynamics simulations of laser induced surface melting in orthorhombic Al13Co4

Laser induced surface melting of the aluminum-cobalt alloy Al13Co4 is investigated. For the simulations of the lattice ions we use molecular dynamics, while for the time evolution of the electron temperature a generalized heat-conduction equation is solved. Energy transfer between the sub-systems is allowed by an electron-phonon coupling term. This combined treatment of the electronic and atomic systems is an extension of the well-known two-temperature model [Anisimov et al. in JETP Lett. 39(2), 1974]. The alloy shows large structural affinity to decagonal quasicrystals, which have an in-plane five-fold symmetry,while in perpendicular direction the planes are stacked periodically. As a consequence we observe slight anisotropic melting behavior.