Ab-initio simulations of materials using VASP: Density-functional theory and beyond

作者：Hafner Juergen^*

来源：Journal of Computational Chemistry, 2008, 29(13): 2044-2078.

DOI：10.1002/jcc.21057

• density-functional theory
• plane-wave basis
• pseudopotentials
• projector-augmented-waves
• hybrid functionals
• many-body perturbation theory
• solid state physics
• solid state chemistry
• materials science
• surface science
• catalysis

During the past decade, computer simulations based on a quantum-mechanical description of the interactions between electrons and between electrons and atomic nuclei have developed an increasingly important impact on solid-state physics and chemistry and on materials science-promoting not only a deeper understanding, but also the possibility to contribute significantly to materials design for future technologies. This development is based on two important columns: (i) The improved description of electronic many-body effects within density-functional theory (DFT) and the upcoming post-DFT methods. (ii) The implementation of the new functionals and many-body techniques withing highly efficient,stable, and versatile computer codes, which allow to exploit the potential of modern computer architectures. In this review, I discuss the implementation of various DFT functionals [local-density approximation (LDA), generalized gradient approximation (GGA), meta-GGA, hybrid functional mixing DFT, and exact (Hartree-Fock) exchange] and post-DFT approaches [DFT + U for strong electronic correlations in narrow bands, many-body perturbation theory (GW) for quasiparticle spectra, dynamical correlation effects via the adiabatic-connection fluctuation-dissipation theorem (AC-FDT)] in the Vienna ab initio simulation package VASP. VASP is a plane-wave all-electron code using the projector-augmented wave method to describe the electron-core interaction. The code uses fast iterative techniques for the diagonalization of the DFT Hamiltonian and allows to perform total-energy calculations and structural optimizations for systems with thousands of atoms and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations for ensembles with a few hundred atoms extending over several tens of ps. Applications in many different areas {structure and phase stability, mechanical and dynamical properties, liquids, glasses and quasicrystals, magnetism and magnetic nanostructures, semiconductors and insulators, surfaces, interfaces and thin films, chemical reactions, and catalysis) are reviewed.

• 出版日期2008-10