For some years I have been working on better optimizers and mixers, mainly for Wien2k. I have a new algorithm (actually one proposed by Bendt and Zunger in 1983) which is mature enough in Wien2k that it is now the recommended optimizer -- it simultaneously "mixes" the density and atomic positions. It is too large to attach, you can find a reprint at http://www.numis.northwestern.edu/Resea ... MSR1a.pdf; it is a bit complicated although the fortran code is not as grim as one might think. Alas JCTC mangled horribly the nomenclature section at the end.
I am interested in exploring how this algorithm would work in other codes. Unfortunately I do not have the time (or money) to invest in
learning all the internal details of other codes. Perhaps someone would be interested in collaborating to try and implement it in abinit?