Explicit, Machine-Learned Two-Body Potentials for Molecular Simulations

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Chaton, Kham Lek, Boittier, Eric D., Devereux, Mike, Meuwly, Markus
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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author Chaton, Kham Lek
Boittier, Eric D.
Devereux, Mike
Meuwly, Markus
author_facet Chaton, Kham Lek
Boittier, Eric D.
Devereux, Mike
Meuwly, Markus
contents A new pairwise hybrid machine-learning/molecular mechanics (ML/MM) potential is introduced that is conceived for application to large, heterogeneous condensed-phase systems. The PhysNet ML method describes monomers and short-range dimer interactions, while a classical MM force field describes pairwise interactions beyond a defined switching distance. Models are fitted to MP2 dimer and pairwise cluster energies, and the quality of each model is assessed at different switching distances and using MM approaches with and without detailed distributed charge electrostatics. The applicability of the approach to molecular dynamics simulations is demonstrated for a basic implementation applied to a small model system. Dichloromethane and acetone are used as test systems to demonstrate the accuracy of the approach in describing pairwise reference data, and also to highlight the limitations of the pairwise approach for systems that exhibit significant many-body effects in condensed phase, paving the way for the addition of a general many-body correction in future work.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2603_14466
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Explicit, Machine-Learned Two-Body Potentials for Molecular Simulations
Chaton, Kham Lek
Boittier, Eric D.
Devereux, Mike
Meuwly, Markus
Chemical Physics
A new pairwise hybrid machine-learning/molecular mechanics (ML/MM) potential is introduced that is conceived for application to large, heterogeneous condensed-phase systems. The PhysNet ML method describes monomers and short-range dimer interactions, while a classical MM force field describes pairwise interactions beyond a defined switching distance. Models are fitted to MP2 dimer and pairwise cluster energies, and the quality of each model is assessed at different switching distances and using MM approaches with and without detailed distributed charge electrostatics. The applicability of the approach to molecular dynamics simulations is demonstrated for a basic implementation applied to a small model system. Dichloromethane and acetone are used as test systems to demonstrate the accuracy of the approach in describing pairwise reference data, and also to highlight the limitations of the pairwise approach for systems that exhibit significant many-body effects in condensed phase, paving the way for the addition of a general many-body correction in future work.
title Explicit, Machine-Learned Two-Body Potentials for Molecular Simulations
topic Chemical Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.14466