Neural Structure Fields for Crystal Structure Reconstruction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods struggle to accurately and efficiently decode crystal structures using neural networks due to the challenge of representing atomic positions and species as a continuous field, leading to limitations in spatial resolution and computational complexity.

Innovation Solution

The proposed Neural Structure Fields (NeSF) approach represents crystal structures as continuous vector fields, using position and species fields to implicitly represent atomic positions and species, overcoming the tradeoff between spatial resolution and computational complexity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If grid-based methods are used to represent crystal structures, then spatial resolution can be maintained, but computational complexity increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespatial resolutionVSAvoidcomputational complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical grid-based representation system with a neural network-based implicit field system. Instead of using explicit grid voxels to represent crystal structures, the invention uses neural networks to implicitly represent atomic positions and species through continuous fields, substituting the computational mesh with a learned representation that achieves both high resolution and efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the representation parameters from discrete grid indices to continuous spatial coordinates queried through neural networks. By transforming the problem from a discrete grid-based approach to a continuous field approach parameterized by neural network outputs, the system achieves superior spatial resolution without the computational burden of fine-grained grids

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If neural networks are used to decode crystal structures, then computational efficiency improves, but accuracy in representing atomic positions and species deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomputational efficiencyVSAvoidaccuracy in representing atomic positions and species
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces field data as an intermediary representation between the neural network and the crystal structure. The neural network outputs field data (position fields and species fields) that serve as mediators to implicitly represent atomic positions and species, allowing the system to maintain both efficiency through neural networks and precision through the detailed field representations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a copy of the crystal structure information in the form of learned field representations. Instead of directly encoding atomic positions and species into the neural network, the system learns to copy this information into continuous fields that can be queried anywhere in space, preserving accuracy while enabling efficient computation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Measurement precision

If atomic positions and species are represented as continuous fields, then spatial resolution improves, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespatial resolutionVSAvoiddifficulty of detecting atomic positions and species
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback through the training process where the neural network learns to predict field data that accurately represents atomic positions and species. The training objective provides feedback that adjusts the network parameters to ensure the continuous fields correctly capture structural information, making the detection and measurement of atomic properties straightforward despite the continuous representation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4625255A1Information processing device, trained model generation device, information processing method, trained model generation method, information processing program, and trained model generation program
Publication Date: 2025.10.01 OMRON CORP
  • EP4625255A1 patent drawingFigure 1(a)~1(b)
  • EP4625255A1 patent drawingFigure 2(a)~2(i)
  • EP4625255A1 patent drawingFigure 3a~3c

AI summary

A field that represents the structure of a substance formed with an atomic point cloud is expressed using a neural network model.