Phonon Spectrum Changes in Small Particles and Their Implications for Superconductivity

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Abstract
We have used molecular-dynamic techniques on bulk crystals and particles several atom-layers thick to study phonon behavior. It is found that the surface modes in the small particles produce changes in the phonon spectrum quantitatively large enough to explain the observation by Strongin and co-workers of large increases in the superconducting transition temperature of extremely thin films.