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ISPIN: Difference between revisions

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Adding more details for spin polarization calculations
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Description: {{TAG|ISPIN}} specifies whether a calculation is performed with or without spin polarization.
Description: {{TAG|ISPIN}} specifies whether a calculation is performed with or without spin polarization.
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In spin-polarized calculations, VASP treats spin-up and spin-down electrons separately, allowing each spin channel to develop a different charge density and occupation. This is essential for magnetic systems; for nonmagnetic systems it is generally unnecessary and increases computational cost.


In spin-polarized calculations, VASP treats spin-up and spin-down electrons separately. This is important for magnetic systems, where the two spin channels can have different occupations and energies. For nonmagnetic systems, spin polarization is often unnecessary and a non-spin-polarized calculation is sufficient.
*{{TAG|ISPIN}}=1: VASP performs a non-spin-polarized calculation. Spin-up and spin-down electrons share a single charge density.


*{{TAG|ISPIN}}=1: non-spin-polarized calculations are performed. The spin-up and spin-down electrons are treated as identical.
*{{TAG|ISPIN}}=2: VASP performs a spin-polarized collinear calculation. Spin-up and spin-down electrons are treated separately.
 
*{{TAG|ISPIN}}=2: spin-polarized collinear calculations are performed. The spin-up and spin-down electrons are treated separately.


Spin-polarized calculations are commonly used for magnetic materials such as Fe, Co, Ni, and magnetic oxides. To initialize magnetic moments on atoms, combine {{TAG|ISPIN}}=2 with {{TAG|MAGMOM}}.
Spin-polarized calculations are commonly used for magnetic materials such as Fe, Co, Ni, and magnetic oxides. To initialize magnetic moments on atoms, combine {{TAG|ISPIN}}=2 with {{TAG|MAGMOM}}.


<syntaxhighlight lang="text">
ISPIN = 2
ISPIN = 2
MAGMOM = 2*5.0 2*-5.0
MAGMOM = 2*5.0 2*-5.0
</syntaxhighlight>


This example initializes two atoms with positive magnetic moments and two atoms with negative magnetic moments, which may be useful for antiferromagnetic calculations.
This example initializes two atoms with positive magnetic moments and two atoms with negative magnetic moments, which may be useful for antiferromagnetic calculations.


{{NB|important|For noncollinear calculations {{TAG|ISPIN}} is ignored. In VASP 6.5.0, the calculation exits with an error message if {{TAG|ISPIN}}{{=}}2 and {{TAG|MAGMOM}} are used together with {{TAG|LNONCOLLINEAR}}{{=}}.TRUE.|}}
{{NB|mind|For noncollinear calculations, {{TAG|ISPIN}} is ignored; use {{TAG|LNONCOLLINEAR}}{{=}}.TRUE. instead.|:}}
 
{{NB|mind|Since VASP 6.5.0, the calculation exits with an error if {{TAG|ISPIN}}{{=}}2 and {{TAG|MAGMOM}} are used together with {{TAG|LNONCOLLINEAR}}{{=}}.TRUE.|:}}


== Related tags and articles ==
== Related tags and articles ==
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{{TAG|LNONCOLLINEAR}}
{{TAG|LNONCOLLINEAR}}


{{sc|ISPIN|Examples|Examples that use this tag}}
{{sc|ISPIN|Howto|Examples that use this tag}}


[[Category:INCAR tag]][[Category:Magnetism]]
[[Category:INCAR tag]][[Category:Magnetism]]

Latest revision as of 14:20, 1 June 2026

ISPIN = 1 | 2
Default: ISPIN = 1 

Description: ISPIN specifies whether a calculation is performed with or without spin polarization.


In spin-polarized calculations, VASP treats spin-up and spin-down electrons separately, allowing each spin channel to develop a different charge density and occupation. This is essential for magnetic systems; for nonmagnetic systems it is generally unnecessary and increases computational cost.

  • ISPIN=1: VASP performs a non-spin-polarized calculation. Spin-up and spin-down electrons share a single charge density.
  • ISPIN=2: VASP performs a spin-polarized collinear calculation. Spin-up and spin-down electrons are treated separately.

Spin-polarized calculations are commonly used for magnetic materials such as Fe, Co, Ni, and magnetic oxides. To initialize magnetic moments on atoms, combine ISPIN=2 with MAGMOM.

ISPIN = 2
MAGMOM = 2*5.0 2*-5.0

This example initializes two atoms with positive magnetic moments and two atoms with negative magnetic moments, which may be useful for antiferromagnetic calculations.



Related tags and articles

MAGMOM LNONCOLLINEAR

Examples that use this tag