Stacking fault energy in FCC plutonium with multiple reference states in the modified embedded atom method

Basic concepts from the multi-reference state formalism for determining the functions for the modified embedded atom method (MEAM) are adopted to modeling elemental plutonium (Pu). In the case of elemental Pu, the focus is on the background electron density. Here we utilize a portion of the formalism that determines the structure of the background density necessary to capture correct phase ordering between fcc and ideal hcp crystal structures. The critical information comes from cold curves, that is the energy/volume relationships, for these phases. Practically speaking, the energy difference between these two phases determines the stacking fault energy of the material. At the same time, the simple monoclinic phase of elemental Pu also becomes higher in energy at the equilibrium volume of the fcc phase. The new model is based on first-principles electronic structure calculations and captures the basic phase ordering of those calculations.