Frequently asked Questions
What is the PAW Method?
The Projector Augmented Wave method is
a simulation algorithm to obtain the total energy, electron distribution
and atomic structure and dynamics. The term PAW is often also used as short
hand for the CP-PAW code developed originally by Peter Blöchl.
Find here
further informtion
Where can I find a description of the PAW method?
The original reference is
Peter E. Blöchl, Phys. Rev. B 50, 17953 (1994). Some of the
ideas have been shaped during earlier pseudopotential work described
in
Peter
E. Blöchl, Phys. Rev. B 41, 5414 (1989). There is also
a publication focusing on people new to PAW:
"The Projector
augmented wave method: ab-initio molecular dynamics with full wave
functions" Peter E. Blöchl,
Clemens J. Först and Johannes Schimpl, submitted to
Bull. Mater. Sci. (Dec. 31, 2001)
Here is a
introductory presentation on ab-initio methods and here a
presentation specificly on the PAW Method given by P. Bloechl at the CAMD Summer School 2010.
Are there other implementations of PAW besides the CP-PAW code?
I am aware of a view other implementations
of the PAW method
-
N.
A. W. Holzwarth, G. E. Matthews, R. B. Dunning, A. R. Tackett, and
Y. Zen g, Phys. Rev. B 55, 2005 (1997).
The resulting
PWPAW
code is freely available: Computer Physics Communications
135 329-347, 348-376 (2001)
-
The ABINIT code
-
There is a PAW code in the group of M. Valiev and J.H. Weare at the
University of California, San Diego.
-
The PAW method has also been implemented by W. Kromen into the ESTCoMPP
code of Blügel and Schröder.
-
PAW has been implemented as option in the VASP code
G.
Kresse and D. Joubert, Phys. Rev. B. 59, 1758 (1999)
-
ABINIT
-
Another branch of methods uses the reconstruction of the PAW method,
without taking into account the full wave functions in the
self-consistency. Following chemist notation this approach could be
termed "post-pseudopotential PAW". This development began with the
evaluation for hyperfine parameters from a pseudopotential calculation
using the PAW reconstruction operator (Van de Walle, C.G. and
Blöchl, P.E., 1993, Phys. Rev. B 47, 4244) and is now used
in the pseudopotenital approach to calculate properties that require
the correct wave functions.
What is the relation between PAW and the pseudopotential approach?
The PAW method is an all-electron method, that is the full wave
functions including their nodal structure are properly defined,
whereas the pseudopotential method deals with nodeless wave
functions. The PAW method is more rigorous, and can be made exact
by converging series expansions. (The current implementation in
CP-PAW still uses the frozen core approximation.) The
pseudopotential approach can be derived from the PAW method by a
well-defined approximation. This approximation discriminates the
pseudopotential approach from all-electron methods. They can cause
transferability problems of the pseudopotentials if the density
deviates strongly from that of the reference atom. In practice the
errors are larger for high-spin configurations.
By providing the full wave functions and
densities, the PAW method provides quantities such as electric field
gradients
or hyperfine parameters directly. In contrast the full density needs to
be reconstructed in the pseudopotential approach.
The PAW method uses extensively the numerical
methodology developed for the pseudopotential approach and for the LMTO
method. This results in fast algorithms, and a close similarity between
those methods.
How do I obtain access to the CP-PAW code?
Please note that the CP-PAW code is not easy to use, and requires some
experience. Therefore, it is advisable if you have been trained in
ab-initio molecular dynamics or if you have a colleague who is willing
to help you during your first steps. It is certainly not the kind of
code you want to use "on a side".
You require a license from Clausthal University of Technology to be
able to access the code. There is a small fee for non-profit research
organizations and an appropriate fee for commercial entities.
To request a license, please go to the
PAW download page, where you will be asked to fill an electronic form
with your contact details and you will find further details on the process.
If you encounter problems, please contact
Prof. Dr. Peter E. Blöchl
Address:
Dept. of Applied Theoretical Physics
Institute of Theoretical Physics
Clausthal University of Technology
Leibnizstr. 10
D-38678 Clausthal-Zellerfeld
Germany
phone: +49(5323)722555
fax: +49(5323)723116
E-Mail: Peter.Bloechl@tu-clausthal.de