Author Topic: distance optimization/ optimized struct.  (Read 3613 times)

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Offline Dipankar Saha

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distance optimization/ optimized struct.
« on: May 26, 2015, 11:07 »
How can I keep the distance b/w  the two layers unchanged....while stress optimizing the composite struct. ? / Even if  I check the "constrain cell" for "z" only...I find the inter layer distance is still varying (as well as the 'c')..!!!! 

Offline Jess Wellendorff

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Re: distance optimization/ optimized struct.
« Reply #1 on: May 26, 2015, 16:38 »
Dear Dipankar,

could you provide a python script with an example of what you are trying to achieve? I do not know what "the two layers" are...

Offline Dipankar Saha

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Re: distance optimization/ optimized struct.
« Reply #2 on: May 27, 2015, 19:30 »
Dear Jess,

I've sent you an email.....  :)

Offline Jess Wellendorff

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Re: distance optimization/ optimized struct.
« Reply #3 on: May 28, 2015, 11:03 »
Thank you for the script.

To answer your questions:
- 1) There are no options for fixing the graphene interlayer-distance through the Script Generator. However, I think there is no reason to expect that the in-plane lattice constant of graphene will change when constructing the graphene dimer. Therefore, it should suffice to:
a) geometry optimize a single graphene layer (i.e. determine the equilibrium lattice constant of graphene).
b) fix that lattice constant while varying the graphene-graphene distance and determine the minimum-energy distance.
- 2) I have verified that fixing the unit cell Z-component during stress minimization does not work when using the DFT-D2 method. This is a bug and will be taken care of real soon. However, if using the method outlined above, this should really not worry you.

Two further comments:
- You really only need two carbon atoms in a hexagonal unit cell to represent graphene (Builder -> Add --> From database --> Graphene [try also Graphite]). This will reduce the number of carbon atoms from 36 to 4 for your dimer, and significantly speed up your calculations!
- For your information, ATK 2015 will implement the DFT-D3 method, the latest (and probably final) version of the Grimme dispersion corrections. Might be worth a try :)
« Last Edit: May 28, 2015, 16:42 by Jess Wellendorff »

Offline Dipankar Saha

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Re: distance optimization/ optimized struct.
« Reply #4 on: May 28, 2015, 15:54 »

Thanks a lot Jess...for this detailed answer...!!!  :)

Regards_
Dipankar