We present an overview of the ONETEP program for linear-scaling density functional theory (DFT) calculations with large basis set (planewave) accuracy on parallel computers. The DFT energy is computed from the density matrix, which is constructed from spatially localized orbitals we call Non-orthogonal Generalized Wannier Functions (NGWFs), expressed in terms of periodic sinc (psinc) functions. During the calculation, both the density matrix and the NGWFs are optimized with localization constraints. By taking advantage of localization, ONETEP is able to perform calculations including thousands of atoms with computational effort, which scales linearly with the number or atoms. The code has a large and diverse range of capabilities, explored in this paper, including different boundary conditions, various exchangecorrelation functionals (with and without exact exchange), finite electronic temperature methods for metallic systems, methods for strongly correlated systems, molecular dynamics, vibrational calculations, time-dependent DFT, electronic transport, core loss spectroscopy, implicit solvation, quantum mechanical (QM)/molecular mechanical and QM-in-QM embedding, density of states calculations, distributed multipole analysis, and methods for partitioning charges and interactions between fragments. Calculations with ONETEP provide unique insights into large and complex systems that require an accurate atomic-level description, ranging from biomolecular to chemical, to materials, and to physical problems, as we show with a small selection of illustrative examples. ONETEP has always aimed to be at the cutting edge of method and software developments, and it serves as a platform for developing new methods of electronic structure simulation. We therefore conclude by describing some of the challenges and directions for its future developments and applications.
Koopmans spectral functionals aim to describe simultaneously
ground-state
properties and charged excitations of atoms, molecules, nanostructures,
and periodic crystals. This is achieved by augmenting standard density
functionals with simple but physically motivated orbital-density-dependent
corrections. These corrections act on a set of localized orbitals
that, in periodic systems, resemble maximally localized Wannier functions.
At variance with the original, direct supercell implementation (Phys. Rev. X
2018, 8, 021051),
we discuss here (i) the complex but efficient formalism required for
a periodic boundary code using explicit Brillouin zone sampling and
(ii) the calculation of the screened Koopmans corrections with density
functional perturbation theory. In addition to delivering improved
scaling with system size, the present development makes the calculation
of band structures with Koopmans functionals straightforward. The
implementation in the open-source Quantum ESPRESSO distribution and
the application to prototypical insulating and semiconducting systems
are presented and discussed.
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted chemistry teaching practices globally as many courses were forced online necessitating adaptation to the digital platform. The biggest impact was to the practical component of the chemistry curriculum -the so-called wet lab. Naively, it would be thought that computer-based teaching labs would have little problem in making the move. However, this is not the case as there are many unrecognised differences between delivering computer-based teaching in-person and virtually: software issues, technology and classroom management. Consequently, relatively few "hands-on" computational chemistry teaching laboratories are delivered online. In this paper we describe these issues in more detail and how they can be addressed, drawing on our experience in delivering a third-year computational chemistry course as well as remote hands-on workshops for the Virtual Winter School on Computational Chemistry and the European BIG-MAP project.
We consider the metastable dynamics of a flattened dipolar condensate. We develop an analytic model that quantifies the energy barrier to the system undergoing local collapse to form a density spike. We also develop a stochastic Gross-Pitaevskii equation (SGPE) theory for a flatted dipolar condensate, which we use to perform finite temperature simulations verifying the local collapse scenario. We predict that local collapses play a significant role in the regime where rotons are predicted to exist, and will be an important consideration for experiments looking to detect these excitations.
The apex region of a capped (5,5) carbon nanotube (CNT) has been modelled with the DFT package ONETEP, using boundary conditions provided by a classical calculation with a conducting surface in place of the CNT. Results from the DFT solution include the Fermi level and the physical distribution and energies of individual Kohn-Sham orbitals for the CNT tip. Application of an external electric field changes the orbital number of the highest occupied molecular orbital (the HOMO) and consequently changes the distribution of the HOMO on the CNT.
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted chemistry teaching practices globally as many courses were forced online necessitating adaptation to the digital platform. The biggest impact was to the practical component of the chemistry curriculum -the so-called wet lab. Naively, it would be thought that computer-based teaching labs would have little problem in making the move. However, this is not the case as there are many unrecognised differences between delivering computer-based teaching in-person and virtually: software issues, technology and classroom management. Consequently, relatively few "hands-on" computational chemistry teaching laboratories are delivered online. In this paper we describe these issues in more detail and how they can be addressed, drawing on our experience in delivering a third-year computational chemistry course as well as remote hands-on workshops for the Virtual Winter School on Computational Chemistry and the European BIG-MAP project.
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