arXiv subjects

Hieu Q. Dinh

Publications and source records attributed to Hieu Q. Dinh.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Chemical Origins of Non-Bonded Interactions Within and Between Solids

Non-bonded interactions govern structure, stability, and function across a wide range of solid-state materials, yet their chemical origins are often difficult to resolve from total energies alone. Here we generalize absolutely localized molecular orbital energy decomposition analysis to quantify and interpret non-bonded interactions within and between solids at the density functional theory level. Across molecular crystals, moiré heterobilayers, and layered perovskite heterostructures, this framework separates lattice-formation energies, interlayer binding energies, and band-structure changes into chemically intuitive contributions from frozen interactions, polarization, and charge transfer. The analysis reveals how dispersion controls polymorph stability in pharmaceutical crystals, how local stacking modulates interlayer coupling in MoS2/WSe2, and how alkali-cation substitution switches the quantum-well character of layered perovskite heterostructures. By connecting emergent solid-state properties to microscopic interaction mechanisms, this framework provides a chemically transparent basis for understanding and designing complex materials.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2026

Ab Initio Auxiliary-Field Quantum Monte Carlo in the Thermodynamic Limit

Ab initio auxiliary-field quantum Monte Carlo (AFQMC) is a systematically improvable many-body method, but its application to extended solids has been severely limited by unfavorable computational scaling and memory requirements that obstruct direct access to the thermodynamic and complete-basis-set limits. By combining tensor hypercontraction with $\mathbf{k}$-point symmetry, we reduce the computational and memory scaling of ab initio AFQMC for solids to $\mathcal O(N^3)$ and $\mathcal O(N^2)$, respectively, with an arbitrary basis, comparable to diffusion Monte Carlo. This enables direct and simultaneous thermodynamic-limit and complete-basis-set AFQMC calculations across insulating, metallic, and strongly correlated solids, without embedding, local approximations, empirical finite-size corrections, or composite schemes. Our results establish AFQMC as a general-purpose, systematically improvable alternative to diffusion Monte Carlo and coupled-cluster methods for predictive ab initio simulations of solids, enabling accurate energies and magnetic observables within a unified framework.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2025

Efficient All-Electron Periodic Fourier-Transformed Coulomb Method

We present an efficient algorithm for the all-electron periodic Coulomb matrix based on the Ewald summation combined with the Fourier-transformed Coulomb method. The short-range contributions involving compact densities are evaluated in real space using the standard Gaussian density fitting method. For the long-range contributions, we introduce an integral-direct planewave density fitting, applicable to both compact and diffuse densities. The resulting method achieves orders-of-magnitude speedups for prototypical solid-state systems compared to a closely related approach, the range-separated density fitting method. Using dispersion-corrected PBE functional and all-electron Dunning and Karlsruhe basis sets, we apply our method to compute the cohesive energy of the benzene crystal and the adsorption energy of CO on the MgO(001) surface. These results are in good agreement with existing literature. Our approach enables efficient Gaussian-based semi-local density functional calculations using dense $\mathbf {k}$-point meshes and traditional molecular Gaussian basis sets.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2025

Regularized Perturbation Theory for Ab initio Solids

Second-order Moller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2) for ab initio simulations of solids is often limited by divergence or over-correlation issues, particularly in metallic, narrow-gap, and dispersion-stabilized systems. We develop and assess three regularized second-order perturbation theories: $κ$-MP2, $σ$-MP2, and the size-consistent Brillouin-Wigner approach (BW-s2), across metals, semiconductors, molecular crystals, and rare gas solids. BW-s2 achieves high accuracy for cohesive energies, lattice constants, and bulk moduli in metals, semiconductors, and molecular crystals, rivaling or surpassing coupled-cluster with singles and doubles at lower cost. In rare gas solids, where MP2 already underbinds, $κ$-MP2 does not make the results much worse while BW-s2 struggles. These results illustrate both the potential and the limitations of regularized perturbation theory for efficient and accurate solid-state simulations. While broader testing is warranted, BW-s2($α$ = 2) appears particularly promising, with possible advantages over modern random-phase approximations and coupled-cluster theory.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2025

Walking through Hilbert Space with Quantum Computers

Computations of chemical systems' equilibrium properties and non-equilibrium dynamics have been suspected of being a "killer app" for quantum computers. This review highlights the recent advancements of quantum algorithms tackling complex sampling tasks in the key areas of computational chemistry: ground state, thermal state properties, and quantum dynamics calculations. We review a broad range of quantum algorithms, from hybrid quantum-classical to fully quantum, focusing on the traditional Monte Carlo family, including Markov chain Monte Carlo, variational Monte Carlo, projector Monte Carlo, path integral Monte Carlo, etc. We also cover other relevant techniques involving complex sampling tasks, such as quantum-selected configuration interaction, minimally entangled typical thermal states, entanglement forging, and Monte Carlo-flavored Lindbladian dynamics. We provide a comprehensive overview of these algorithms' classical and quantum counterparts, detailing their theoretical frameworks and discussing the potentials and challenges in achieving quantum computational advantages.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Condensed-Phase Quantum Chemistry

Molecular quantum chemistry has seen enormous progress in the last few decades thanks to the more advanced and sophisticated numerical techniques and computing power. Following the recent interest in extending these capabilities to condensed-phase problems, we summarize basic knowledge of condensed-phase quantum chemistry for ones with experience in molecular quantum chemistry. We highlight recent efforts in this direction, including solving the electron repulsion integrals bottleneck and implementing hybrid density functional theory and wavefunction methods, and lattice dynamics for periodic systems within atom-centered basis sets. Many computational techniques presented here are inspired by the extensive method developments rooted in quantum chemistry. In this Focus Article, we selectively focus on the computational techniques rooted in molecular quantum chemistry, emphasize some challenges, and point out open questions. We hope our perspectives will encourage researchers to pursue this exciting and promising research avenue.

physics.chem-ph↗