# PyProcar: A Python library for electronic structure pre/post-processing

## TL;DR

PyProcar is a versatile Python library that enables detailed visualization and analysis of electronic structures, including band structures, Fermi surfaces, and atomic effects, compatible with multiple electronic structure codes.

## Contribution

It introduces a flexible, command-line compatible tool for pre/post-processing electronic structure data, supporting multiple formats and advanced features like band unfolding and property projection.

## Key findings

- Supports band structure and Fermi surface visualization with property coloring.
- Compatible with VASP, ABINIT, and adaptable to other formats.
- Enables analysis of atomic effects, spin textures, and band unfolding.

## Abstract

The PyProcar Python package plots the band structure and the Fermi surface as a function of site and/or s,p,d,f - projected wavefunctions obtained for each $k$-point in the Brillouin zone and band in an electronic structure calculation. This can be performed on top of any electronic structure code, as long as the band and projection information is written in the PROCAR format, as done by the VASP and ABINIT codes. PyProcar can be easily modified to read other formats as well. This package is particularly suitable for understanding atomic effects into the band structure, Fermi surface, spin texture, etc. PyProcar can be conveniently used in a command line mode, where each one of the parameters define a plot property. In the case of Fermi-surfaces, the package is able to plot the surface with colors depending on other properties such as the electron velocity or spin projection. The mesh used to calculate the property does not need to be the same as the one used to obtain the Fermi surface. A file with a specific property evaluated for each $k$-point in a $k-$mesh and for each band can be used to project other properties such as electron-phonon mean path, Fermi velocity, electron effective mass, etc. Another existing feature refers to the band unfolding of supercell calculations into predefined unit cells.