Difference between revisions of "Solution LAB2 guanine"

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* Back to the previous page: [[Electronic properties of isolated molecules#Exercise1]]
+
* Back to the previous page: [[Electronic properties of isolated molecules#Exercise 1]]
  
*Once you have Avogadro installed, open it and let's use the molecular builder to visualise a Guanine molecule:
+
==Step 1: geometry building==
 +
* Once you have Avogadro installed, open it and let's use the molecular builder to visualise a Guanine molecule:
  
Build --> Insert-->Fragment-->nucleobases-->guanine
+
  Build --> Insert-->Fragment-->nucleobases-->guanine
  
 
Click on the selection settings "arrow" and right click to visualise the molecule.  
 
Click on the selection settings "arrow" and right click to visualise the molecule.  
  
 
Clicking on manipulate settings "hand" you can then rotate the molecule.
 
Clicking on manipulate settings "hand" you can then rotate the molecule.
 +
 +
* Now we perform a classical relaxation using an Avogadro built-in Force Filed
 +
 +
  Extension-->Molecular Mechanics and we choose a FF
 +
  Extension-->Optimize geometry
 +
 +
In few steps we have our relaxed geometry that we can save in .xyz format using:
 +
 +
  File-->Save as-->select .xyz format and save in your disk as guanine_FF.xyz
 +
 +
The result of your FF optimisation should look like the following
 +
 +
[[File:Snapshot avogadro.png|none|400px|top|]]
 +
 +
==Step 2==
 +
Now we are ready to perform a DFT simulations. As a first step, update your pseudo potentials directory by using git commands:
 +
 +
git pull
 +
 +
new pseudo potentials (Nitrogen and Oxygen) will be downloaded in your pseudo potential directory.
 +
 +
Create a scf input file (guanine_scf.in) paying attention to:
 +
 +
ibrav=8 #orthorombic cell with vacuum
 +
celldm(1) = 25.00
 +
celldm(2) =  1.0
 +
celldm(3) =  0.8
 +
 +
Set the correct number and types of atoms.
 +
Set all the atomic species using the psuedo you have downloaded:
 +
 +
H  1.0  H.pz-vbc.UPF
 +
C  1.0  C.pz-vbc.UPF
 +
N  1.0  N.pz-vbc.UPF
 +
O  1.0  O.pz-mt.UPF
 +
 +
insert the atomic positions in Angstrom:
 +
 +
ATOMIC_POSITIONS (angstrom)
 +
 +
'''Important''':
 +
* How many '''k'''-points you need?
 +
* the amount of vacuum needs to be converged
 +
* same for the kinetic energy cutoff (note that here we can use the value of the total force as a convergence parameter)
 +
 +
  # ecutwfc Ry
 +
  40    Total force =    0.316709    Total SCF correction =    0.000067
 +
  50    Total force =    0.315474    Total SCF correction =    0.000089
 +
  60    Total force =    0.319550    Total SCF correction =    0.000100
 +
  80    Total force =    0.322261    Total SCF correction =    0.000098
 +
100    Total force =    0.323131    Total SCF correction =    0.000119
 +
120    Total force =    0.323153    Total SCF correction =    0.000140
 +
 +
Despite 60-80 Ry seem to be appropriate, here we decide to use <code>ecutwfc=50</code> in order to keep the calculation time under control.
 +
 +
 +
==Step 3==
 +
We can now run a QM relaxation using DFT.
 +
Edit the input file according to:
 +
  &CONTROL
 +
  [...]
 +
  calculation="relax"
 +
  etot_conv_thr=1.0D-4
 +
  forc_conv_thr=1.0D-3
 +
  # we set a medium-tight threshold in order not to have a too long calculation
 +
  /
 +
and add the <code>&IONS</code> namelist.
 +
 +
Run the relaxation, it will take a while to rearrange the atoms in the relaxed positions according to the threshold parameter.
 +
 +
  $> pw.x < guanine_relax.in > guanine_relax.out &
 +
 +
One the job has converged you can compare the initial position (Force Field relaxed) with the final ones (QM relaxed). You can use xcrysden to visualise the optimisation steps.
 +
 +
  xcrysden --pwo guanine_relax.out
 +
 +
you can reduce the dimensionality to 0D and choose the option: Display All Coordinates as Animation
 +
In this way you will have a movie of the molecule relaxation

Latest revision as of 11:28, 26 March 2021

Step 1: geometry building

  • Once you have Avogadro installed, open it and let's use the molecular builder to visualise a Guanine molecule:
 Build --> Insert-->Fragment-->nucleobases-->guanine

Click on the selection settings "arrow" and right click to visualise the molecule.

Clicking on manipulate settings "hand" you can then rotate the molecule.

  • Now we perform a classical relaxation using an Avogadro built-in Force Filed
 Extension-->Molecular Mechanics and we choose a FF
 Extension-->Optimize geometry

In few steps we have our relaxed geometry that we can save in .xyz format using:

 File-->Save as-->select .xyz format and save in your disk as guanine_FF.xyz

The result of your FF optimisation should look like the following

Snapshot avogadro.png

Step 2

Now we are ready to perform a DFT simulations. As a first step, update your pseudo potentials directory by using git commands:

git pull

new pseudo potentials (Nitrogen and Oxygen) will be downloaded in your pseudo potential directory.

Create a scf input file (guanine_scf.in) paying attention to:

ibrav=8 #orthorombic cell with vacuum
celldm(1) = 25.00
celldm(2) =  1.0
celldm(3) =  0.8

Set the correct number and types of atoms. Set all the atomic species using the psuedo you have downloaded:

H   1.0  H.pz-vbc.UPF
C   1.0  C.pz-vbc.UPF
N   1.0  N.pz-vbc.UPF
O   1.0  O.pz-mt.UPF

insert the atomic positions in Angstrom:

ATOMIC_POSITIONS (angstrom)

Important:

  • How many k-points you need?
  • the amount of vacuum needs to be converged
  • same for the kinetic energy cutoff (note that here we can use the value of the total force as a convergence parameter)
 # ecutwfc Ry
 40    Total force =     0.316709     Total SCF correction =     0.000067
 50    Total force =     0.315474     Total SCF correction =     0.000089
 60    Total force =     0.319550     Total SCF correction =     0.000100
 80    Total force =     0.322261     Total SCF correction =     0.000098
100    Total force =     0.323131     Total SCF correction =     0.000119
120    Total force =     0.323153     Total SCF correction =     0.000140

Despite 60-80 Ry seem to be appropriate, here we decide to use ecutwfc=50 in order to keep the calculation time under control.


Step 3

We can now run a QM relaxation using DFT. Edit the input file according to:

 &CONTROL
 [...]
 calculation="relax"
 etot_conv_thr=1.0D-4
 forc_conv_thr=1.0D-3
 # we set a medium-tight threshold in order not to have a too long calculation
 /

and add the &IONS namelist.

Run the relaxation, it will take a while to rearrange the atoms in the relaxed positions according to the threshold parameter.

 $> pw.x < guanine_relax.in > guanine_relax.out & 

One the job has converged you can compare the initial position (Force Field relaxed) with the final ones (QM relaxed). You can use xcrysden to visualise the optimisation steps.

 xcrysden --pwo guanine_relax.out

you can reduce the dimensionality to 0D and choose the option: Display All Coordinates as Animation In this way you will have a movie of the molecule relaxation