Melting Transition of Small Aluminium Clusters Al_11-20

Heat capacities of small aluminium clusters Al_11-20 are investigated using MD simulation with empirical many-body Gupta potential. The heat capacities of some clusters Al₁₁, Al₁₂, Al₁₃ and Al₁₉ show well-defined peaks while the
heat capacities of Al_15-18 indicate a gradual melting transition. The spectra of isomers obtained by quenches along the MD trajectory give good interpretation for those results.