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[optimize]

The [optimize] section selects the optimization backend, target states, and convergence thresholds for geometry and reaction-path workflows.

In Python scripts, use job.workflow.optimize(...) for the optimization runtype, common optimization options, and backend options. For example, job.workflow.optimize(lib="oqp", coordsys="tric") routes coordsys to the native optimizer backend while keeping state and convergence options in [optimize]. The lower-level job.optimize(...) section helper remains available for existing scripts.

Keywords

lib

Field Value
Type string
Default oqp
Values oqp, geometric, scipy
Used by optimizer backend selection

Selects the optimizer backend. The native oqp backend supports optimize, ts, meci, mecp, tci, neb, irc, and mep. geomeTRIC supports optimize, meci, mecp, ts, irc, and neb. SciPy is a legacy backend for optimize, meci, mecp, and mep.

DL-FIND is not a current user-facing optimizer backend.

optimizer

Field Value
Type string
Default bfgs
Values bfgs, cg, l-bfgs-b, newton-cg
Used by SciPy backend

Selects the SciPy optimizer when lib=scipy.

maxit

Field Value
Type integer
Default 30
Used by optimization iterations

Maximum number of geometry steps.

istate, jstate, kstate

Field Value
Type integer
Defaults 1, 2, 3
Used by state-specific and crossing searches

Target state indices. HF/DFT ground-state optimization uses istate=0. TDHF/MRSF state-specific workflows use positive state indices. MECI uses istate and jstate; TCI uses all three and requires istate < jstate < kstate.

imult, jmult

Field Value
Type integer
Defaults 1, 3
Used by MECP multiplicities

Multiplicity labels for MECP-style crossing searches. MECP requires different values.

energy_shift

Field Value
Type float
Default 1.0e-6
Used by optimization convergence

Energy-change convergence threshold.

energy_gap

Field Value
Type float
Default 1.0e-5
Used by crossing-point convergence

Target energy-gap threshold for crossing searches.

Field Value
Type string
Default penalty
Values penalty, ubp, hybrid
Used by MECI search algorithm

Selects the MECI search strategy.

pen_sigma, pen_alpha, pen_incre

Field Value
Type float
Defaults 1.0, 0.0, 1.0
Used by penalty-function crossing searches

Penalty-function parameters for MECI and related crossing workflows.

gap_weight

Field Value
Type float
Default 1.0
Used by crossing-search objective

Weight applied to the energy-gap term.

rmsd_grad, max_grad

Field Value
Type float
Defaults 1.0e-4, 3.0e-4
Used by gradient convergence

RMS and maximum gradient convergence thresholds.

rmsd_step, max_step

Field Value
Type float
Defaults 1.0e-3, 2.0e-3
Used by step convergence

RMS and maximum geometry-step convergence thresholds.

step_size, step_tol

Field Value
Type float
Defaults 0.1, 1.0e-2
Used by SciPy/lightweight optimization paths

Step-size controls used by legacy optimization paths.

mep_maxit

Field Value
Type integer
Default 10
Used by MEP workflow

Maximum number of MEP iterations.

init_scf

Field Value
Type boolean
Default False
Used by geometry-step SCF handling

Requests initial SCF cycles during geometry steps.