potentials 0.2.8

API database tools for accessing the NIST Interatomic Potentials Repository: explore and download interatomic potentials and computed properties.

Introduction

The potentials package provides a Python-based interface to the content hosted on the NIST Interatomic Potentials Repository. The package directly interacts with the underlying database hosted at https://potentials.nist.gov/ allowing for the metadata for all hosted interatomic potentials to be searched and explored.

Jupyter Notebooks

Setup

• 0. Initial Setup.ipynb instructs new users on how default settings for the local copy of the database can be set and changed.

Search Tools

• Search Potential Entries.ipynb provides a user-friendly interface for searching and exploring the known interatomic potentials.
• Search LAMMPS Potentials.ipynb provides a user-friendly interface for searching and exploring the known LAMMPS interatomic potentials. Parameter files can be downloaded, and the associated LAMMPS command lines shown.
• Database Class.ipynb provides details for how to interact with Database objects to perform more complicated searches directly in Python.

Adding Content

• Add LAMMPS Potentials.ipynb shows how users can integrate their own LAMMPS potential implementations with the Python code.
• Content Manager.ipynb provides a working document for those with access to add and modify repository content.

Package Features

Implemented

• Anyone can use the Database class to explore hosted records.
• Publication citations are handled with the Citation class that can read/write citation data as bibtex, JSON, or XML. New citations can be constructed, existing ones updated, and can be rendered as HTML.
• Metadata descriptions of interatomic potentials (citation info, notes, and a list of known implementations) are handled with the Potential class. New potentials can be constructed, existing ones updated, saved/loaded from XML or JSON, and can be rendered as HTML.
• The PotentialLAMMPS class can be used to generate proper LAMMPS input commands for the hosted LAMMPS-compatible interatomic potentials. Any LAMMPS parameter files can also be downloaded.
• Any record can be copied, and all records can be downloaded to a local directory. If the path to the local directory is given, the Database class can interact with the local copy in a manner comparable to the remote database.
• Tools supporting the construction of the records used by PotentialLAMMPS for different LAMMPS pair styles so that users can integrate their personal LAMMPS potentials with the code and database records.
• Classes for interacting with FAQ, Requests, and Action records used by the Interatomic Potentials Repository.

To do

• Entries for OpenKIM potentials need to be removed from the data directory and merged with the remote database entries.