Large-scale molecular dynamics modeling of shock wave propagation in silicon

We performed molecular dynamics simulations of shock wave propagation in silicon. The different regimes of materials response were studied as a function of shock wave intensity and crystalline orientation of shock wave propagation. The shock Hugoniots are predicted in a wide range of piston velocities (0-12 km/s), and for several crystallographic orientations $<$100$>$, $<$110$>$, and $<$111$>$. Shock Hugoniots were used for a detailed analysis of a material's response to complex, split shock-wave structures. The special regime of an anomalous response of the material which is characterized by absence of plastic deformation in the intermediate interval of shock wave intensities was investigated.