refactor: rename Particle interface for creating particles to `part…

…icle`, and add functionality to process special particles

src/ChargedParticles.jl

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ using Match
 using Unitful: me, mp
 
 include("./types.jl")
+include("./particle.jl")
 include("./properties.jl")
 include("./aliases.jl")
 include("./utils.jl")

src/aliases.jl

@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@ Each entry maps a string alias to a tuple of (symbol, charge, mass_number)
 PARTICLE_ALIASES = Dict(
     "e+" => ("e", 1, 0),
     "positron" => ("e", 1, 0),
-    "neutron" => ("n", 0, 1),
-    "n" => ("n", 0, 1),
+    "neutron" => :Neutron,
+    "n" => :Neutron,
     "alpha" => ("He", 2, 4),
     "deuteron" => ("H", 1, 2),
     "D+" => ("H", 1, 2),
@@ -27,6 +27,6 @@ PARTICLE_ALIASES = Dict(
     "mu+" => ("μ", 1, 0),
 )
 
-ELECTRON_ALIASES_DICT = Dict(str => ("e", -1, 0) for str in ELECTRON_ALIASES)
+ELECTRON_ALIASES_DICT = Dict(str => :Electron for str in ELECTRON_ALIASES)
 PROTON_ALIASES_DICT = Dict(str => ("H", 1, 1) for str in PROTON_ALIASES)
 PARTICLE_ALIASES = merge(PARTICLE_ALIASES, ELECTRON_ALIASES_DICT, PROTON_ALIASES_DICT)

src/particle.jl

@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+"""
+    particle(str::AbstractString; mass_numb=nothing, z=nothing)
+
+Create a particle from a string representation.
+
+# Arguments
+- `str::AbstractString`: String representation of the particle
+
+# String Format Support
+- Element symbols: `"Fe"`, `"He"`
+- Isotopes: `"Fe-56"`, `"D"`
+- Ions: `"Fe2+"`, `"H-"`
+- Common aliases: `"electron"`, `"proton"`, `"alpha"`, `"mu-"`
+
+# Examples
+```jldoctest; output = false
+# Elementary particles
+electron = particle("e-")
+muon = particle("mu-")
+positron = particle("e+")
+
+# Ions and isotopes
+proton = particle("H+")
+alpha = particle("He2+")
+deuteron = particle("D+")
+iron56 = particle("Fe-56")
+# output
+Fe
+```
+"""
+function particle(str::AbstractString; mass_numb=nothing, z=nothing)
+    # Check aliases first
+    if haskey(PARTICLE_ALIASES, str)
+        result = PARTICLE_ALIASES[str]
+        if result isa Tuple
+            symbol, charge, mass_number = result
+            return Particle(Symbol(symbol), charge, mass_number)
+        else
+            return eval(result)()
+        end
+    end
+
+    # Try to parse as element with optional mass number and charge
+    result = parse_particle_string(str)
+    if !isnothing(result)
+        (symbol, parsed_charge, parsed_mass_numb) = result
+        element = elements[symbol]
+        charge = determine(parsed_charge, z; default=0)
+        mass_number = determine(parsed_mass_numb, mass_numb; default=element.mass_number)
+        return Particle(symbol, charge, mass_number)
+    end
+    throw(ArgumentError("Invalid particle string format: $str"))
+end
+
+"""
+    particle(sym::Symbol)
+
+Create a particle from its symbol representation.
+
+# Examples
+```jldoctest; output = false
+# Elementary particles
+electron = particle(:e)
+muon = particle(:muon)
+proton = particle(:p)
+# output
+H⁺
+```
+"""
+particle(sym::Symbol; kwargs...) = particle(string(sym); kwargs...)
+
+Particle(str::AbstractString; mass_numb=nothing, z=nothing) = particle(str; mass_numb, z)
+Particle(sym::Symbol; kwargs...) = particle(string(sym); kwargs...)

src/types.jl

@@ -71,72 +71,6 @@ struct Particle <: AbstractChargeParticle
     end
 end
 
-"""
-    Particle(str::AbstractString; mass_numb=nothing, z=nothing)
-
-Create a particle from a string representation.
-
-# Arguments
-- `str::AbstractString`: String representation of the particle
-
-# String Format Support
-- Element symbols: `"Fe"`, `"He"`
-- Isotopes: `"Fe-56"`, `"D"`
-- Ions: `"Fe2+"`, `"H-"`
-- Common aliases: `"electron"`, `"proton"`, `"alpha"`, `"mu-"`
-
-# Examples
-```jldoctest; output = false
-# Elementary particles
-electron = Particle("e-")
-muon = Particle("mu-")
-positron = Particle("e+")
-
-# Ions and isotopes
-proton = Particle("H+")
-alpha = Particle("He2+")
-deuteron = Particle("D+")
-iron56 = Particle("Fe-56")
-# output
-Fe
-```
-"""
-function Particle(str::AbstractString; mass_numb=nothing, z=nothing)
-    # Check aliases first
-    if haskey(PARTICLE_ALIASES, str)
-        symbol, charge, mass_number = PARTICLE_ALIASES[str]
-        return Particle(Symbol(symbol), charge, mass_number)
-    end
-
-    # Try to parse as element with optional mass number and charge
-    result = parse_particle_string(str)
-    if !isnothing(result)
-        (symbol, parsed_charge, parsed_mass_numb) = result
-        element = elements[symbol]
-        charge = determine(parsed_charge, z; default=0)
-        mass_number = determine(parsed_mass_numb, mass_numb; default=element.mass_number)
-        return Particle(symbol, charge, mass_number)
-    end
-    throw(ArgumentError("Invalid particle string format: $str"))
-end
-
-"""
-    Particle(sym::Symbol)
-
-Create a particle from its symbol representation.
-
-# Examples
-```jldoctest; output = false
-# Elementary particles
-electron = Particle(:e)
-muon = Particle(:muon)
-proton = Particle(:p)
-# output
-H⁺
-```
-"""
-Particle(sym::Symbol; kwargs...) = Particle(string(sym); kwargs...)
-
 """
     Particle(p::AbstractParticle)