Geometry optimization

Fixed cell

We use DFTK and the GeometryOptimization package to find the minimal-energy bond length of the $H_2$ molecule. First we set up an appropriate DFTKCalculator (see AtomsCalculators integration), for which we use the LDA model just like in the Tutorial for silicon in combination with a pseudodojo pseudopotential (see Pseudopotentials).

using DFTK
using PseudoPotentialData

pseudopotentials = PseudoFamily("dojo.nc.sr.pbe.v0_4_1.standard.upf")
calc = DFTKCalculator(;
    model_kwargs = (; functionals=LDA(), pseudopotentials),  # model_DFT keyword arguments
    basis_kwargs = (; kgrid=[1, 1, 1], Ecut=10)  # PlaneWaveBasis keyword arguments
)
DFTKCalculator(functionals=Xc(lda_x, lda_c_pw), pseudopotentials=PseudoFamily("dojo.nc.sr.pbe.v0_4_1.standard.upf"), Ecut=10, kgrid=[1, 1, 1])

Next we set up an initial hydrogen molecule within a box of vacuum. We use the parameters of the equivalent tutorial from ABINIT and DFTK's AtomsBase integration to setup the hydrogen molecule. We employ a simulation box of 10 bohr times 10 bohr times 10 bohr and a pseudodojo pseudopotential.

using LinearAlgebra
using Unitful
using UnitfulAtomic

r0 = 1.4   # Initial bond length in Bohr
a  = 10.0  # Box size in Bohr

cell_vectors = [[a, 0, 0]u"bohr", [0, a, 0]u"bohr", [0, 0, a]u"bohr"]
h2_crude = periodic_system([:H => [0, 0, 0.]u"bohr",
                            :H => [r0, 0, 0]u"bohr"],
                           cell_vectors)
FlexibleSystem(H₂, periodicity = TTT):
    cell_vectors      : [      10        0        0;
                                0       10        0;
                                0        0       10]u"a₀"

    Atom(H,  [       0,        0,        0]u"a₀")
    Atom(H,  [     1.4,        0,        0]u"a₀")

Finally we call minimize_energy! to start the geometry optimisation. We use verbosity=2 to get some insight into the minimisation. With verbosity=1 only a summarising table would be printed and with verbosity=0 (default) the minimisation would be quiet.

using GeometryOptimization
results = minimize_energy!(h2_crude, calc; tol_forces=2e-6, verbosity=2)
nothing  # hide
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -1.110713985514                   -0.82   0.80    7.0    4.96s
  2   -1.117205800062       -2.19       -1.88   0.80    1.0    2.24s
  3   -1.117250573291       -4.35       -2.73   0.80    1.0   21.1ms
  4   -1.117251171500       -6.22       -3.56   0.80    1.0   20.8ms
  5   -1.117251188375       -7.77       -4.02   0.80    1.0   21.2ms
  6   -1.117251190063       -8.77       -4.92   0.80    1.0   20.4ms
  7   -1.117251190140      -10.11       -5.61   0.80    1.0   44.0ms
  8   -1.117251190143      -11.54       -6.31   0.80    2.0   24.4ms
  9   -1.117251190143      -13.70       -6.81   0.80    1.0   21.9ms
 10   -1.117251190143      -14.18       -7.47   0.80    1.0   21.7ms
 11   -1.117251190143   +  -15.18       -8.33   0.80    1.0   32.4ms
 12   -1.117251190143      -14.75       -8.78   0.80    1.0   22.5ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -1.117251190143                   -9.48   0.80    1.0    3.28s
  2   -1.117251190143      -14.95      -10.56   0.80    1.0   20.4ms

    Geometry optimisation convergence (in atomic units)
┌─────┬─────────────────┬───────────┬─────────────┬────────┐
│   n │          Energy │ log10(ΔE) │  max(Force) │  Δtime │
├─────┼─────────────────┼───────────┼─────────────┼────────┤
│   0 │ -1.117251190143 │           │   0.0269318 │  20.3s │
└─────┴─────────────────┴───────────┴─────────────┴────────┘

n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -1.117517998050                   -2.46   0.80    1.0   14.7ms
  2   -1.117520586051       -5.59       -3.49   0.80    1.0   20.3ms
  3   -1.117520612985       -7.57       -4.23   0.80    1.0   20.3ms
  4   -1.117520613448       -9.33       -5.14   0.80    1.0   20.6ms
  5   -1.117520613464      -10.81       -5.92   0.80    1.0   50.2ms
  6   -1.117520613465      -12.13       -6.42   0.80    1.0   21.5ms
  7   -1.117520613465      -13.35       -7.39   0.80    1.0   21.4ms
  8   -1.117520613465      -14.48       -8.17   0.80    1.0   21.4ms
  9   -1.117520613465   +  -15.35       -8.97   0.80    1.0    125ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -1.118247264592                   -1.69   0.80    1.0   14.6ms
  2   -1.118339043935       -4.04       -2.70   0.80    1.0   20.1ms
  3   -1.118340011114       -6.01       -3.44   0.80    1.0   19.9ms
  4   -1.118340028555       -7.76       -4.36   0.80    1.0    628ms
  5   -1.118340029139       -9.23       -5.12   0.80    1.0   21.0ms
  6   -1.118340029166      -10.57       -5.62   0.80    1.0   21.2ms
  7   -1.118340029168      -11.73       -6.68   0.80    1.0   21.8ms
  8   -1.118340029168      -13.55       -7.58   0.80    1.0   21.9ms
  9   -1.118340029168   +  -14.70       -8.12   0.80    1.0   21.4ms
 10   -1.118340029168      -14.65       -8.55   0.80    1.0   21.8ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -1.118340029168                   -9.05   0.80    1.0   14.2ms
  2   -1.118340029168      -14.95      -10.36   0.80    1.0   19.7ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -1.118340029168                  -11.04   0.80    1.0   14.6ms
  2   -1.118340029168      -14.65      -11.41   0.80    1.0   20.1ms

┌─────┬─────────────────┬───────────┬─────────────┬────────┐
│   n │          Energy │ log10(ΔE) │  max(Force) │  Δtime │
├─────┼─────────────────┼───────────┼─────────────┼────────┤
│   1 │ -1.118340029168 │           │  0.00297055 │  3.61s │
└─────┴─────────────────┴───────────┴─────────────┴────────┘

n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -1.118346721508                   -3.09   0.80    1.0   14.8ms
  2   -1.118346864759       -6.84       -4.11   0.80    1.0   20.4ms
  3   -1.118346866237       -8.83       -4.86   0.80    1.0   20.6ms
  4   -1.118346866262      -10.59       -5.78   0.80    1.0   20.1ms
  5   -1.118346866263      -12.09       -6.55   0.80    1.0   20.9ms
  6   -1.118346866263      -13.42       -7.04   0.80    1.0   21.3ms
  7   -1.118346866263      -14.48       -8.13   0.80    1.0   21.5ms
  8   -1.118346866263   +  -15.35       -8.95   0.80    1.0   32.1ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -1.118354724004                   -2.61   0.80    1.0   14.5ms
  2   -1.118356087056       -5.87       -3.62   0.80    1.0   20.4ms
  3   -1.118356101131       -7.85       -4.37   0.80    1.0   20.2ms
  4   -1.118356101377       -9.61       -5.29   0.80    1.0   20.5ms
  5   -1.118356101385      -11.10       -6.06   0.80    1.0   20.8ms
  6   -1.118356101386      -12.45       -6.55   0.80    1.0   29.1ms
  7   -1.118356101386      -13.61       -7.65   0.80    1.0   21.6ms
  8   -1.118356101386   +  -14.88       -8.45   0.80    1.0   21.5ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -1.118356101386                   -9.24   0.80    1.0   14.6ms
  2   -1.118356101386      -14.75       -9.82   0.80    1.0   24.6ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -1.118356101386                  -10.62   0.80    1.0   14.4ms
  2   -1.118356101386   +  -14.26      -11.46   0.80    1.0   20.4ms

┌─────┬─────────────────┬───────────┬─────────────┬────────┐
│   n │          Energy │ log10(ΔE) │  max(Force) │  Δtime │
├─────┼─────────────────┼───────────┼─────────────┼────────┤
│   2 │ -1.118356101386 │     -4.79 │  4.47268e-5 │  555ms │
└─────┴─────────────────┴───────────┴─────────────┴────────┘

n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -1.118356102848                   -4.94   0.80    1.0   14.5ms
  2   -1.118356102877      -10.54       -5.96   0.80    1.0   19.8ms
  3   -1.118356102877      -12.53       -6.70   0.80    1.0   28.8ms
  4   -1.118356102877      -13.97       -7.62   0.80    1.0   21.3ms
  5   -1.118356102877   +  -15.05       -8.39   0.80    1.0   21.0ms
  6   -1.118356102877      -15.35       -8.89   0.80    1.0   21.3ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -1.118356104771                   -4.40   0.80    1.0   14.8ms
  2   -1.118356105116       -9.46       -5.42   0.80    1.0   20.0ms
  3   -1.118356105120      -11.45       -6.17   0.80    1.0   24.2ms
  4   -1.118356105120      -13.24       -7.09   0.80    1.0   22.0ms
  5   -1.118356105120      -14.06       -7.86   0.80    1.0   24.5ms
  6   -1.118356105120   +  -14.27       -8.35   0.80    1.0   21.2ms
  7   -1.118356105120      -14.37       -9.45   0.80    1.0   24.4ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -1.118356105120                  -10.08   0.80    1.0   14.3ms
  2   -1.118356105120      -14.27      -11.02   0.80    1.0   24.2ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -1.118356105120                  -11.67   0.80    1.0   18.1ms
  2   -1.118356105120      -15.18      -12.44   0.80    1.0   20.4ms

┌─────┬─────────────────┬───────────┬─────────────┬────────┐
│   n │          Energy │ log10(ΔE) │  max(Force) │  Δtime │
├─────┼─────────────────┼───────────┼─────────────┼────────┤
│   3 │ -1.118356105120 │     -8.43 │  9.31809e-9 │  507ms │
└─────┴─────────────────┴───────────┴─────────────┴────────┘

Structure after optimisation (note that the atom has wrapped around)

results.system
FlexibleSystem(H₂, periodicity = TTT):
    cell_vectors      : [      10        0        0;
                                0       10        0;
                                0        0       10]u"a₀"

    Atom(H,  [-0.0431829, -2.21776e-17, 1.02282e-17]u"a₀")
    Atom(H,  [ 1.44318, -3.60991e-18, -6.20722e-18]u"a₀")

Compute final bond length:

rmin = norm(position(results.system[1]) - position(results.system[2]))
println("Optimal bond length: ", rmin)
Optimal bond length: 1.4863658711094292 a₀

Our result (1.486 Bohr) agrees with the equivalent tutorial from ABINIT.

Variable cell

Recent versions of GeometryOptimization support cell optimization as well by passing variablecell=true to minimize_energy!.

For a plane-wave code like DFTK, variable cells pose an additional challenge: changes to the cell's size affect the used plane waves, leading to discontinuities in the energy and stresses. This can cause the geometry optimization to struggle and/or fail to converge.

A practical strategy to overcome this problem is Energy cutoff smearing. As a demonstration let us find the optimal lattice constant of silicon.

Like before we define a calculator, this time with a kinetic_blowup set to use energy cutoff smearing:

calc = DFTKCalculator(;
    model_kwargs = (; functionals=LDA(), pseudopotentials,
                      kinetic_blowup=BlowupCHV()),
    basis_kwargs = (; kgrid=[2, 2, 2], Ecut=10)
)
DFTKCalculator(functionals=Xc(lda_x, lda_c_pw), pseudopotentials=PseudoFamily("dojo.nc.sr.pbe.v0_4_1.standard.upf"), Ecut=10, kgrid=[2, 2, 2])

And here is our starting silicon structure:

a = 10.0u"bohr"   # Approximate Silicon lattice constant
cell_vectors = a/2 * [[0, 1, 1], [1, 0, 1], [1, 1, 0]]
initial_silicon = periodic_system([:Si =>  ones(3)/8,
                                   :Si => -ones(3)/8],
                                  cell_vectors;
                                  fractional=true)
FlexibleSystem(Si₂, periodicity = TTT):
    cell_vectors      : [       0        5        5;
                                5        0        5;
                                5        5        0]u"a₀"

    Atom(Si, [    1.25,     1.25,     1.25]u"a₀")
    Atom(Si, [   -1.25,    -1.25,    -1.25]u"a₀")

We now minimize, passing variablecell=true:

using GeometryOptimization
results = minimize_energy!(initial_silicon, calc; variablecell=true,
                           tol_virial=2e-6, verbosity=2)
nothing  # hide
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -8.335135051145                   -0.80   0.80    7.7    450ms
  2   -8.340933076118       -2.24       -1.69   0.80    1.3    311ms
  3   -8.341205674568       -3.56       -2.77   0.80    2.3   38.5ms
  4   -8.341214217751       -5.07       -3.26   0.80    3.3   45.1ms
  5   -8.341214266368       -7.31       -3.93   0.80    2.0   34.2ms
  6   -8.341214272310       -8.23       -4.98   0.80    2.3   62.2ms
  7   -8.341214272503       -9.71       -5.18   0.80    3.7   47.7ms
  8   -8.341214272517      -10.84       -6.46   0.80    1.3   30.8ms
  9   -8.341214272518      -12.24       -6.93   0.80    3.3   45.9ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -8.341214272518                   -8.09   0.80    1.0    301ms
  2   -8.341214272518      -14.75       -9.14   0.80    1.0   28.1ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -8.341214272518                   -9.71   0.80    1.0   24.9ms
  2   -8.341214272518      -14.45      -10.07   0.80    1.0   29.3ms

              Geometry optimisation convergence (in atomic units)
┌─────┬─────────────────┬───────────┬─────────────┬─────────────┬──────────┬────
│   n │          Energy │ log10(ΔE) │  max(Force) │ max(Virial) │ Pressure │   ⋯
├─────┼─────────────────┼───────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼──────────┼────
│   0 │ -8.341214272518 │           │ 3.50846e-15 │    0.163458 │    -0.16 │   ⋯
└─────┴─────────────────┴───────────┴─────────────┴─────────────┴──────────┴────
                                                                1 column omitted

n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -8.350382173156                   -1.20   0.80    9.3   79.6ms
  2   -8.351862982460       -2.83       -1.88   0.80    1.3   32.0ms
  3   -8.351927736407       -4.19       -2.79   0.80    3.3   97.2ms
  4   -8.351928498069       -6.12       -3.73   0.80    3.7   44.4ms
  5   -8.351928514487       -7.78       -4.86   0.80    3.3   45.6ms
  6   -8.351928514646       -9.80       -5.44   0.80    4.0   48.3ms
  7   -8.351928514653      -11.20       -6.49   0.80    3.3   44.3ms
  8   -8.351928514653      -12.91       -7.32   0.80    3.3   45.5ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -8.353362835142                   -1.52   0.80    7.7   69.4ms
  2   -8.353719112182       -3.45       -2.21   0.80    1.0   52.7ms
  3   -8.353757350179       -4.42       -2.98   0.80    4.0   48.0ms
  4   -8.353757521997       -6.76       -4.20   0.80    2.3   37.2ms
  5   -8.353757531663       -8.01       -4.93   0.80    3.7   47.8ms
  6   -8.353757531718      -10.26       -5.64   0.80    2.3   38.7ms
  7   -8.353757531721      -11.51       -6.97   0.80    3.0   43.1ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -8.353757531721                   -7.61   0.80    1.0   32.6ms
  2   -8.353757531721      -14.45       -8.20   0.80    1.0   29.3ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -8.353757531721                   -8.73   0.80    1.0   25.6ms
  2   -8.353757531721   +    -Inf       -8.96   0.80    1.0   29.4ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -8.353757531721                   -9.39   0.80    1.0   25.3ms
  2   -8.353757531721      -14.45       -9.52   0.80    1.0   35.9ms

┌─────┬─────────────────┬───────────┬─────────────┬─────────────┬──────────┬────
│   n │          Energy │ log10(ΔE) │  max(Force) │ max(Virial) │ Pressure │   ⋯
├─────┼─────────────────┼───────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼──────────┼────
│   1 │ -8.353757531721 │           │ 1.00313e-14 │   0.0156413 │   -0.016 │   ⋯
└─────┴─────────────────┴───────────┴─────────────┴─────────────┴──────────┴────
                                                                1 column omitted

n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -8.353696155843                   -3.23   0.80    9.0   83.7ms
  2   -8.353754455477       -4.23       -3.94   0.80    1.0   29.0ms
  3   -8.353770535505       -4.79       -4.19   0.80    6.3   65.1ms
  4   -8.353770537310       -8.74       -4.91   0.80    1.3   30.7ms
  5   -8.353770537395      -10.07       -5.62   0.80    3.3   46.6ms
  6   -8.353770537398      -11.50       -6.05   0.80    3.0   41.4ms
  7   -8.353770537399      -12.25       -7.18   0.80    2.7   38.1ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -8.353785651484                   -2.00   0.80    9.7   80.1ms
  2   -8.353881592639       -4.02       -2.72   0.80    1.0   28.8ms
  3   -8.353895073861       -4.87       -3.32   0.80    4.7   57.1ms
  4   -8.353895106042       -7.49       -4.12   0.80    2.3   37.7ms
  5   -8.353895110705       -8.33       -4.97   0.80    3.0   41.8ms
  6   -8.353895110760      -10.26       -5.94   0.80    2.7   43.8ms
  7   -8.353895110762      -11.65       -6.86   0.80    3.7   48.6ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -8.353895110762                   -7.30   0.80    1.0   25.5ms
  2   -8.353895110762      -14.75       -8.48   0.80    1.0   35.6ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -8.353895110762                   -9.01   0.80    1.0   25.2ms
  2   -8.353895110762      -14.75       -9.41   0.80    1.0   28.5ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -8.353895110762                   -9.71   0.80    1.0   24.5ms
  2   -8.353895110762   +    -Inf      -10.04   0.80    1.0   29.1ms

┌─────┬─────────────────┬───────────┬─────────────┬─────────────┬──────────┬────
│   n │          Energy │ log10(ΔE) │  max(Force) │ max(Virial) │ Pressure │   ⋯
├─────┼─────────────────┼───────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼──────────┼────
│   2 │ -8.353895110762 │     -3.86 │ 7.73997e-15 │ 0.000646191 │ -0.00065 │   ⋯
└─────┴─────────────────┴───────────┴─────────────┴─────────────┴──────────┴────
                                                                1 column omitted

n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -8.353835836886                   -3.60   0.80    9.3   86.2ms
  2   -8.353887577304       -4.29       -3.79   0.80    1.0   28.9ms
  3   -8.353895212340       -5.12       -3.98   0.80    6.7   70.7ms
  4   -8.353895212439      -10.00       -4.19   0.80    1.0   29.3ms
  5   -8.353895212487      -10.33       -4.63   0.80    1.3   35.2ms
  6   -8.353895212503      -10.78       -4.88   0.80    1.3   30.8ms
  7   -8.353895212511      -11.09       -6.46   0.80    1.3   32.3ms
  8   -8.353895212512      -12.18       -6.43   0.80    4.0   49.4ms
  9   -8.353895212512   +    -Inf       -6.58   0.80    1.0   33.2ms
 10   -8.353895212512      -14.45       -6.83   0.80    1.0   29.9ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -8.353810067640                   -3.32   0.80    9.3   86.4ms
  2   -8.353883216464       -4.14       -3.80   0.80    1.0   28.2ms
  3   -8.353895358234       -4.92       -3.86   0.80    6.3   67.5ms
  4   -8.353895362233       -8.40       -4.24   0.80    1.3   37.2ms
  5   -8.353895362453       -9.66       -4.57   0.80    2.7   40.5ms
  6   -8.353895362652       -9.70       -5.05   0.80    1.7   33.9ms
  7   -8.353895362679      -10.57       -5.34   0.80    2.7   40.1ms
  8   -8.353895362686      -11.21       -6.75   0.80    2.3   42.9ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -8.353895362686                   -7.12   0.80    1.0   25.8ms
  2   -8.353895362686      -13.80       -7.84   0.80    1.0   28.3ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -8.353895362686                   -8.34   0.80    1.0   25.6ms
  2   -8.353895362686   +    -Inf       -8.66   0.80    1.0   29.0ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -8.353895362686                   -9.02   0.80    1.0   25.8ms
  2   -8.353895362686      -14.75       -9.28   0.80    1.0   29.0ms

┌─────┬─────────────────┬───────────┬─────────────┬─────────────┬──────────┬────
│   n │          Energy │ log10(ΔE) │  max(Force) │ max(Virial) │ Pressure │   ⋯
├─────┼─────────────────┼───────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼──────────┼────
│   3 │ -8.353895362686 │     -6.60 │ 5.15165e-15 │  1.71469e-6 │  -1.7e-6 │   ⋯
└─────┴─────────────────┴───────────┴─────────────┴─────────────┴──────────┴────
                                                                1 column omitted

Structure after optimization

results.system
FlexibleSystem(Si₂, periodicity = TTT):
    cell_vectors      : [-1.1726e-19  5.27783  5.27783;
                          5.27783 -1.16887e-19  5.27783;
                          5.27783  5.27783 -9.79142e-18]u"a₀"

    Atom(Si, [ 1.31946,  1.31946,  1.31946]u"a₀")
    Atom(Si, [-1.31946, -1.31946, -1.31946]u"a₀")

Since here the cell was rescaled but its shape did not change, we directly extract the optimal lattice constant from one of the cell vectors:

using AtomsBase
amin = AtomsBase.cell_vectors(results.system)[1][2]*2
println("Optimal lattice constant: ", amin)
Optimal lattice constant: 10.555662925174708 a₀

Note that while for silicon the positions of the atoms are fixed by symmetry, in general a variable cell optimization will try to optimize both the cell and the positions of the individual atoms.