How to build the file PARAM.

To build PARAM go into the Utility directory

cd Utility

Now you need to compile a program ( setpar ) that will help you in determining the parameters to be included in PARAM . This can be done by simply tapying:

make

Now edit the file setpar.in in order to specify the physical dimension of your system (size of the simulation cell, number of atoms, number of electrons, etc.)

How to prepare the setpar.in file

setpar.in is a text unformatted file of four lines, containing the following information:
    IBRAV CELLDM(1) .... CELLDM(6)
    ECUT
    NSX NAX1 NAX2
    NX

Description of the variable in file setpar.in :

IBRAV index of the bravais lattice of the simulation cell.
-----

     IBRAV        STRUCTURE
       1          cubic P (sc)
       2          cubic F (fcc)
       3          cubic I (bcc)
       4          Hexagonal and Trigonal P
       5          Trigonal R
       6          Tetragonal P (st)
       7          Tetragonal I (bct)
       8          Orthorhombic P
      12          Monoclinic P
      14          Triclinic P

CELLDM(1 - 6) dimensions of the simulation cell
------
  In particular CELLDM(1) is the first cell edge ( usually referred as "a"),
  other CELLDMs depend on the point group of the lattice, see table below :

  point group bravais lattice    ibrav  celldm(2)-celldm(6)
  ...................................................................
     432,<4>3m,m3m     sc          1     not used
  .....................................................................
     23,m3             sc          1         "
  .....................................................................
     432,<4>3m,m3m    fcc          2         "
  .....................................................................
     23,m3            fcc          2         "
  .....................................................................
     432,<4>3m,m3m    bcc          3         "
  .....................................................................
     23,m3            bcc          3         "
  .....................................................................
     622,6mm,                            
     <6>m2,6/mmm      hex(p)       4      celldm(3)=c/a
  .....................................................................
     6,<6>,6/m,       hex(p)
     32,3m,<3>m      trig(p)       4         "
  .....................................................................
     3,<3>           trig(p)       4         "
  .....................................................................
     32,3m,<3>m      trig(r)       5     celldm(4)=cos(aalpha)
  .....................................................................
     3,<3>           trig(r)       5         "
  .....................................................................
     422,4mm, 
     <4>2m,4/mmm     tetr(p)       6      celldm(3)=c/a
  .....................................................................
     4,<4>,4/m       tetr(p)       6         "
  .....................................................................
     422,4mm,
     <4>2m,4/mmm     tetr(i)       7         "
  .....................................................................
     4,<4>,4/m       tetr(i)       7         "
  .....................................................................
     222,mm2,mmm     orth(p)       8     above + celldm(2)=b/a
  .....................................................................
     2,m,2/m         mcln(p)      12     above + celldm(4)=cos(ab)
  .....................................................................
     1,<1>           tcln(p)      14     celldm(2)= b/a
                                         celldm(3)= c/a
                                         celldm(4)= cos(bc)
                                         celldm(5)= cos(ac)
                                         celldm(6)= cos(ab)

ECUT  Energy cut-off ( ! in Rydberg ), for the reciprocal space representation.
----

NSX    maximum number of atomic species in the simulation, in this version
---    it could be only 1 or 2.

NAX1   maximum number of atoms for species 1 (at least 1)
----

NAX2   maximum number of atoms for species 2  (it could be 0)
----

NX     Maximum number of electronic energy levels  
-- 

After you have edited and modified setpar.in according to your needs, run the command :

setpar < setpar.in

setpar, on the basis of your physical dimensions, will determine the array dimensions for the simulation program. Now, you are left to copy the values of parameters that you read on the standard output into the PARAM file, where specified as a comment in the file itself.

N.B. : Notice that the file PARAM contians additional information that need NOT be changed.