arXiv subjects

Laura Grazioli

Publications and source records attributed to Laura Grazioli.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Critical point search and linear response theory for computing electronic excitation energies of molecular systems. Part II. CASSCF

The computation of excited states within the Complete Active Space Self-Consistent Field (CASSCF) framework remains a significant challenge in quantum chemistry, both theoretically and algorithmically. In this work, we extend the K\"ahler manifold formalism introduced in Part I of this series to the CASSCF theory, and draw a geometrical connection from the time-dependent CASSCF equations to state-specific and linear response methodologies for excited states. This is achieved by first investigating the underlying CASSCF manifold and identifying its K\"ahler structure, which is complicated by the nontrivial coupling of CI and orbital degrees of freedom. Building on these theoretical findings, we derive the CASSCF linear response equations in a straightforward manner, and develop a robust state-specific method that relies solely on first-order derivatives of the CASSCF energy functional. Numerical results on representative molecular systems-water, formaldehyde, and ethylene-demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed state-specific method, while revealing the difficulty of reliable identification of excited states due to nonlinearity induced by the CASSCF theory.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2026

Constrained dynamics for searching saddle points on embedded Riemannian submanifolds of Euclidean space

Finding constrained saddle points on embedded Riemannian submanifolds of Euclidean space is significant for analyzing energy landscapes arising in physics and chemistry. Existing works exploit explicit global/local regular level-set representations of manifolds, which may be unavailable or computationally inconvenient for manifolds represented through, e.g., projectors, factorizations, or rank constraints. In this paper, we develop a constrained saddle dynamic based on embedded-submanifold geometric primitives, completely avoiding the use of explicit representations. In particular, our dynamic is formulated compactly on the Grassmann bundle of the tangent bundle. By analyzing the Grassmann bundle geometry, we rigorously establish the local linear stability of the dynamic and the local linear convergence of the resulting algorithms. Remarkably, our analysis provides the first iterate convergence result for discretized algorithms to saddle points of prescribed indices in embedded-submanifold settings. Moreover, by virtue of the Grassmann bundle formulation, we remove unnecessary nondegeneracy assumptions on the eigenvalues of the Riemannian Hessian that are present in existing works. We also point out that locating saddle points can be more ill-conditioned than finding local minimizers, and requires using nonredundant parametrizations. Finally, numerical experiments on linear eigenvalue problems and electronic excited-state calculations showcase the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms and corroborate the established local theory.

math.NA↗

arXiv2025

Unitary Coupled-Cluster theory for the treatment of molecules in strong magnetic fields

In Coupled-Cluster (CC) theory, unphysical complex energies may arise in the presence of strong magnetic fields, near conical intersections, or in systems exhibiting complex Abelian point group symmetries. This issue originates from the non-Hermitian nature of the CC energy expression. A promising solution is provided by unitary Coupled-Cluster (UCC) theory, which retains the advantages of an exponential parameterization while ensuring real-valued energy eigenvalues. In this work, we present an implementation of finite-field second-order (ff-UCC2) and third-order (ff-UCC3) UCC theory. We assess the performance of these truncation levels in comparison to conventional finite-field CC methods, using the methylidyne ion, water, and boric acid.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2025

Critical point search and linear response theory for computing electronic excitation energies of molecular systems. Part I: General framework, application to Hartree-Fock and DFT

Computing excited states of many-body quantum Hamiltonians is a fundamental challenge in computational physics and chemistry, with state-of-the-art methods broadly classified into variational (critical point search) and linear response approaches. The K\"ahler manifold formalism provides a uniform framework which naturally accommodates both strategies for a wide range of variational models, including Hartree-Fock, CASSCF, Full CI, and adiabatic TDDFT. In particular, this formalism leads to a systematic and straightforward way to obtain the final equations of linear response theory for nonlinear models, which provides, in the case of mean-field models (Hartree-Fock and DFT), a simple alternative to Casida's derivation. We detail the mathematical structure of Hamiltonian dynamics on K\"ahler manifolds, establish connections to standard quantum chemistry equations, and provide theoretical and numerical comparisons of excitation energy computation schemes at the Hartree-Fock level.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2023

The approximate Coupled-Cluster methods CC2 and CC3 in a finite magnetic field

In this paper, we report on the implementation of CC2 and CC3 in the context of molecules in finite magnetic fields. The methods are applied to the investigation of atoms and molecules through spectroscopic predictions and geometry optimizations for the study of the atmospheres of highly-magnetized White Dwarfs (WDs). We show that ground-state finite-field (ff) CC2 is a reasonable alternative to CCSD for energies and, in particular for geometrical properties. For excited states ff-CC2 is shown to perform well for states with predominant single-excitation character. Yet, for cases in which the excited-state wavefunction has double-excitation character with respect to the reference, ff-CC2 can easily Ff-CC3, however, is shown to reproduce the CCSDT behaviour very well and enables the treatment of larger systems at a high accuracy.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2023

Strong coupling in chiral cavities: nonperturbative framework for enantiomer discrimination

The development of efficient techniques to distinguish mirror images of chiral molecules (enantiomers) is very important in both chemistry and physics. Enantiomers share most molecular properties except, for instance, the absorption of circularly polarized light. Enantiomer purification is therefore a challenging task that requires specialized equipment. Strong coupling between quantized fields and matter (e.g. in optical cavities) is a promising technique to modify molecular processes in a non-invasive way. The modulation of molecular properties is achieved by changing the field characteristics. In this work, we investigate whether strong coupling to circularly polarized electromagnetic fields is a viable way to discriminate chiral molecules. To this end, we develop a nonperturbative framework to calculate the behavior of molecules in chiral cavities. We show that in this setting the enantiomers have different energies -- that is, one is more stable than the other. The field-induced energy differences are also shown to give rise to enantiospecific signatures in rotational spectra.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2019

On the Calculation of IR Spectra with a Fully Polarizable QM/MM Approach Based on Fluctuating Charges and Fluctuating Dipoles

The fully polarizable QM/MM approach based on fluctuating charges and fluctuating dipoles, named QM/FQFμ (J. Chem. Theory Comput. 2019, 15, 2233-2245), is extended to the evaluation of nuclear gradients and the calculation of IR spectra of molecular systems in condensed phase. To this end, analytical equations defining first and second energy derivatives with respect to nuclear coordinates are derived and discussed. The potentialities of the approach are shown by applying the model to the calculation of IR spectra of Methlyoxirane, Glycidol and Gallic Acid in aqueous solution. The results are compared with the continuum QM/PCM and the polarizable QM/FQ, which is based on Fluctuating Charges only.

physics.chem-ph↗