A model metal potential exhibiting polytetrahedral clusters

Putative global minima have been located for clusters interacting with an aluminum glue potential for N⩽190. Virtually all the clusters have polytetrahedral structures, which for larger sizes involve an ordered array of disclinations that are similar to those in the Z, H, and σ Frank–Kasper phases. Comparisons of sequences of larger clusters suggest that the majority of the global minima will adopt the bulk face-centered-cubic structure beyond N≈500.