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Mario Piris

Publications and source records attributed to Mario Piris.

31 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Natural orbital functional for multiplets

A natural orbital functional for electronic systems with any value of the spin is proposed. This energy functional is based on a new reconstruction for the two-particle reduced density matrix (2RDM) of the multiplet, that is, of the mixed quantum state that allows all possible spin projections. The mixed states of maximum spin multiplicity are considered. This approach differs from the methods routinely used in electronic structure calculations that focus on the high-spin component or break the spin symmetry. In the ensemble, there are no interactions between electrons with opposite spins in singly occupied orbitals, as well as new inter-pair alpha-beta-contributions are proposed in the 2RDM. The proposed 2RDM fulfills (2,2)-positivity necessary N-representability conditions and guarantees the conservation of the total spin. The NOF for multiplets is able to recover the non-dynamic and the intrapair dynamic electron correlation. The missing dynamic correlation is recovered by the NOF-MP2 method. Calculation of ionization potentials of the first-row transition-metal atoms is presented as test case. The values obtained agree with those reported at the coupled cluster singles and doubles level of theory with perturbative triples and experimental data.

physics.chem-ph

Performance of the NOF-MP2 method in hydrogen abstraction reactions

The recently proposed natural orbital functional second-order Møller-Plesset (NOF-MP2) method is capableof achieving both dynamic and static correlation even for those systems with significant multiconfigurational character. We test its reliability to describe the electron correlation in radical formation reactions, namely, in the homolytic X-H bond cleavage of LiH, BH, CH4, NH3, H2O and HF molecules. Our results are compared with CASSCF and CASPT2 wavefunction calculations and the experimental data. For a dataset of 20 organic molecules, the thermodynamics of C-H homolytic bond cleavage, in which the C-H bond is broken in the presence of different chemical environments, is presented. The radical stabilization energies obtained for such general dataset are compared with the experimental data. It is observed that NOF-MP2 is able to give a quantitative agreement for dissociation energies, with a performance comparable to that of the accurate CASPT2 method.

physics.chem-ph

Natural orbital functional for spin-polarized periodic systems

Natural orbital functional theory is considered for systems with one or more unpaired electrons. An extension of the Piris natural orbital functional (PNOF) based on electron pairing approach is presented, specifically, we extend the independent pair model, PNOF5, and the interactive pair model PNOF7 to describe spin-uncompensated systems. An explicit form for the two-electron cumulant of high-spin cases is only taken into account, so that singly occupied orbitals with the same spin are solely considered. The rest of electron pairs with opposite spins remain paired. The reconstructed two-particle reduced density matrix fulfills certain N-representability necessary conditions, as well as guarantees the conservation of the total spin. The theory is applied to model systems with strong non-dynamic (static) electron correlation, namely, the one-dimensional Hubbard model with periodic boundary conditions and hydrogen rings. For the latter, PNOF7 compares well with exact diagonalization results so the model presented here is able to provide a correct description of the strong-correlation effects.

physics.chem-ph

The dynamic electron-correlation energy in the NOF-MP2 method from the orbital-invariant perturbation theory

The original formulation (Phys. Rev. Lett. 119, 063002, 2017) of the natural orbital functional - second-order Møller-Plesset (NOF-MP2) method is based on the MP2 that uses the canonical Hartree-Fock molecular orbitals. The current work presents a reformulation of the dynamic energy correction based on the orbital-invariant MP2, which allows to attain both dynamic and static correlations even for those systems with strong orbital localizability and significant multiconfigurational character. To improve the reference Slater determinant formed with natural orbitals, the natural orbital functional that generates them is also modified to take into account only the inter-pair static correction. This more general NOF-MP2 is able to dissociate properly noble gas dimers, which remain as non-bound species within the canonical formulation. Test calculations in a selected set of 30 polyatomic molecules demonstrate a substantial improvement not only of the relative energies but also of the total energies calculated with the NOF-MP2 method.

physics.chem-ph

Phase Dilemma in Natural Orbital Functional Theory from the N-representability Perspective

Any rigorous approach to first-order reduced density (1RDM) matrix functional theory faces the phase dilemma, that is, having to deal with a large number of possible combinations of signs in terms of the electron-electron interaction energy. This problem was discovered by reducing a ground-state energy generated from an approximate N-particle wavefunction into a functional of the 1RDM, known as the top-down method. Here, we show that the phase dilemma also appears in the bottom-up method, in which the functional E[1RDM] is generated by progressive inclusion of N-representability conditions on the reconstructed two-particle reduced density matrix. It is shown that an adequate choice of signs is essential to accurately describe model systems with strong non-dynamic (static) electron correlation, specifically, the one-dimensional Hubbard model with periodic boundary conditions and hydrogen rings. For the latter, the Piris natural orbital functional 7 (PNOF7), with phases equal to -1 for the inter-pair energy terms containing the exchange-time-inversion integrals, agrees with exact diagonalization results.

physics.chem-ph

Analytic second-order energy derivatives in natural orbital functional theory

The analytic energy gradients in the atomic orbital representation have recently been published (J. Chem. Phys. 146, 014102, 2017) within the framework of the natural orbital functional theory (NOFT). We provide here an alternative expression for them in terms of natural orbitals, and use it to derive the analytic second-order energy derivatives with respect to nuclear displacements in the NOFT. The computational burden is shifted to the calculation of perturbed natural orbitals and occupancies, since a set of linear coupled-perturbed equations obtained from the variational Euler equations must be solved to attain the analytic Hessian at the perturbed geometry. The linear response of both natural orbitals and occupation numbers to nuclear geometry displacements need only specify the reconstruction of the second-order reduced density matrix in terms of occupation numbers.

physics.chem-ph

Comment on "Generalization of the Kohn-Sham system that can represent arbitrary one-electron density matrices"

Hubertus J. J. van Dam [Phys. Rev. A 93, 052512, 2016] claims that the one-particle reduced density matrix (1RDM) of an interacting system can be represented by means of a single-determinant wavefunction of fictitious non-interacting particles. van Dam introduced orbitals within a mean-field framework that produce energy levels similar to Hartree-Fock (HF) orbital energies, therefore he also claims that conventional analyses based on Koopmans theorem are possible in 1RDM functional theory (1RDMFT). In this comment, we demonstrate that both claims are unfounded.

physics.chem-ph

Global Method for Electron Correlation

The current work presents a new single-reference method for capturing at the same time the static and dynamic electron correlation. The starting-point is a determinant wavefunction formed with natural orbitals obtained from a new interacting-pair model. The latter leads to a natural orbital functional (NOF) capable of recovering the complete intra-pair, but only the static inter-pair correlation. Using the solution of the NOF, two new energy functionals are defined for both dynamic (Edyn) and static (Esta) correlation. Edyn is derived from a modified second-order Moller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2), while Esta is obtained from the static component of the new NOF. Double counting is avoided by introducing the amount of static and dynamic correlation in each orbital as a function of its occupation. As a result, the total energy is represented by the sum Ehf + Edyn + Esta, where Ehf is the Hartree-Fock energy obtained with natural orbitals. The new procedure called NOF-MP2 scales formally as O(M^5)(M: number of basis functions), and is applied successfully to the homolytic dissociation of a selected set of diatomic molecules, paradigmatic cases of near-degeneracy effects. Its size-consistency has been numerically demonstrated for singlets. The values obtained are in good agreement with the experimental data.

physics.chem-ph

Analytic gradients for natural orbital functional theory

The analytic energy gradients with respect to nuclear motion are derived for natural orbital functional (NOF) theory. The resulting equations do not require to resort to linear-response theory, so the computation of NOF energy gradients is analogous to gradient calculations at the Hartree-Fock level of theory. The structures of 15 spin-compensated systems, composed by first- and second-row atoms, are optimized employing the conjugate gradient algorithm. As functionals, two orbital-pairing approaches were used, namely, the fifth and sixth Piris NOFs (PNOF5 and PNOF6). For the latter, the obtained equilibrium geometries are compared with coupled cluster singles and doubles (CCSD) calculations and accurate empirical data.

physics.chem-ph

Molecular electric moments calculated by using natural orbital functional theory

The molecular electric dipole, quadrupole and octupole moments of a selected set of 21 spin-compensated molecules are determined employing the extended version of the Piris natural orbital functional 6 (PNOF6), using the triple-$ζ$ Gaussian basis set with polarization functions developed by Sadlej, at the experimental geometries. The performance of the PNOF6 is established by carrying out a statistical analysis of the mean absolute errors with respect to the experiment. The calculated PNOF6 electric moments agree satisfactorily with the corresponding experimental data, and are in good agreement with the values obtained by accurate ab initio methods, namely, the coupled-cluster single and doubles (CCSD) and multi-reference single and double excitation configuration interaction (MRSD-CI) methods.

physics.chem-ph

Potential energy curves for P2 and P2+ constructed from a strictly N-representable natural orbital functional

The potential energy curves of P2 and P2+ have been calculated using an approximate, albeit strictly N-representable, energy functional of the one-particle reduced density matrix: PNOF5. Quite satisfactory accord is found for the equilibrium bond lengths and dissociation energies for both species. The predicted vertical ionization energy for P2 by means of the extended Koopmans' theorem is 10.57 eV in good agreement with the experimental data. Comparison of the vibrational energies and anharmonicities with their corresponding experimental values supports the quality of the resultant potential energy curves.

physics.chem-ph

Robust Validation Of Approximate 1-Matrix Functionals With Few-Electron Harmonium Atoms

A simple comparison between the exact and approximate correlation components U of the electron-electron repulsion energy of several states of few-electron harmonium atoms with varying confinement strengths provides a superior validation tool for 1-matrix functionals. The robustness of this tool is clearly demonstrated in a survey of 14 known functionals, which reveals their substandard performance within different electron correlation regimes. Unlike spot-testing that employs dissociation curves of diatomic molecules or more extensive benchmarking against experimental atomization energies of molecules comprising one of standard sets, the present approach not only uncovers the flaws and patent failures of the functionals but, even more importantly, allows for pinpointing their root causes. Since the approximate values of U are computed at exact 1-densities, the testing requires minimal programming, and thus is particularly useful in quick screening of new functionals.

physics.chem-ph

H$_4$: A Challenging System For Natural Orbital Functional Approximations

The correct description of nondynamic correlation by electronic structure methods not belonging to the multireference family is a challenging issue. The transition of $D_{2h}$ to $D_{4h}$ symmetry in H$_4$ molecule is among the most simple archetypal examples to illustrate the consequences of missing nondynamic correlation effects. The resurge of interest in density matrix functional methods has brought several new methods including the family of Piris Natural Orbital Functionals (PNOF). In this work we compare PNOF5 and PNOF6, which include nondynamic electron correlation effects to some extent, with other standard ab initio methods in the H$_4$ $D_{4h}/D_{2h}$ potential energy surface. Thus far, the wrongful behavior of single-reference methods at the $D_{2h}-D_{4h}$ transition of H$_4$ has been attributed to wrong account of nondynamic correlation effects, whereas in geminal-based approaches it has been assigned to a wrong coupling of spins and the localized nature of the orbitals. We will show that actually $\textit{interpair}$ nondynamic correlation is the key to a cusp-free qualitatively correct description of H$_4$ PES. By introducing $\textit{interpair}$ nondynamic correlation, PNOF6 is shown to avoid cusps and provide the correct smooth PES features at distances close to equilibrium, total and local spin properties along with the correct electron delocalization, as reflected by natural orbitals and multicenter delocalization indices.

physics.chem-ph