arXiv subjects

Xuezhi Bian

Publications and source records attributed to Xuezhi Bian.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

A Perspective on Phase Space Electronic Structure Theory : From Its Surface Hopping Origins Through To Its Future Promise

We trace the history of phase space electronic structure theory (PSEST), high- lighting how this powerful approach emerged from fundamental questions in semi- classical surface hopping dynamics and evolved into an alternative to standard Born- Oppenheimer based electronic structure theory (with moving instead of frozen nuclei). Our goal herein is not to recapitulate the mathematical details of phase space electronic structure calculations, and few equations are presented so as to maximize readability. Instead, our goal is to provide intuition for those new to the field both (i) regarding the physics present when solving the Schrodinger equation in a non-inertial frame as well as (ii) regarding why PSEST is a necessary step forward towards understanding chemical problems involving spin (with limited practical alternatives). We further high- light some of the many open questions in this fast developing area, which will hopefully inspire new practitioners in this field. This intuitive perspective lacks many equations and is meant to complement (rather than replace) the more technical review given in Bian et al, Chem. Phys. Rev. 7, 011303 (2026)

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2026

Electron Transfer, Diabatic Couplings and Vibronic Energy Gaps in a Phase Space Electronic Structure Framework

We investigate the well-known Shin-Metiu model for an electronic crossing, using both a standard Born-Huang (BH) framework and a novel phase space (PS) electronic Hamiltonian framework. We show that as long as we are not in the strongly nonadiabatic region, a phase space framework can obtain a relative error in vibrational energy gap and other vibronic matrix elements that are consistently one order of magnitude smaller than what is found within a BH framework. In line with recent results showing that dynamics on one phase space surface can outperform dynamics on one Born-Oppenheimer surface, our results indicate that the same advantages should largely hold for curve crossings and dynamics on two or a handful of electronic surfaces, from which several implications can be surmised as far as the possibility of spin-dependent electron transfer dynamics.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2026

Transfer Learning Meets Embedded Correlated Wavefunction Theory for Chemically Accurate Molecular Simulations: Application to Calcium Carbonate Ion-Pairing

Achieving chemical accuracy for molecular simulations remains a central challenge in computational chemistry. Here, we present an embedded correlated wavefunction transfer learning (ECW-TL) framework for accurately simulating molecular dynamics in the condensed phase. ECW-TL incorporates high-level electron exchange and correlation effects in ECW theory while preserving training and computational efficiency of machine learned interatomic potentials. We demonstrate the framework on Ca2+-CO32- ion pairing in aqueous solution, a key process underlying CO2 mineralization in seawater. As proof of principle, we first show that finetuning a DFT-revPBE-D3(BJ) baseline model with embedded-DFT-SCAN data reproduces the DFT-SCAN free-energy surface within 1 kcal/mol across all solvation states. Extending the framework to embedded MP2 and localized natural-orbital CCSD(T) further refines the free-energy profile, revealing the crucial role of exact electron exchange and correlation in determining ion-pair stability and structure. ECW-TL thus provides a general, data-efficient route for transferring CW accuracy to large-scale simulations of complex aqueous and interfacial chemical processes.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2026

Phase Space Electronic Structure Theory: From Diatomic Lambda-Doubling to Macroscopic Einstein-de Haas

$Λ$-doubling of diatomic molecules is a subtle microscopic phenomenon that has long attracted the attention of experimental groups, insofar as rotation of molecular $\textit{nuclei}$ induces small energetic changes in the (degenerate) $\textit{electronic}$ state. A direct description of such a phenomenon clearly requires going beyond the Born-Oppenheimer approximation. Here we show that a phase space theory previously developed to capture electronic momentum and model vibrational circular dichroism -- and which we have postulated should also describe the Einstein-de Haas effect, a macroscopic manifestation of angular momentum conservation -- is also able to recover the $Λ$-doubling energy splitting (or $Λ$-splitting) of the NO molecule nearly quantitatively. The key observation is that, by parameterizing the electronic Hamiltonian in terms of both nuclear position ($\mathbf{X}$) and nuclear momentum ($\mathbf{P}$), a phase space method yields potential energy surfaces that explicitly include the electron-rotation coupling and correctly conserve angular momentum (which we show is essential to capture $Λ-$doubling). The data presented in this manuscript offers another small glimpse into the rich physics that one can learn from investigating phase space potential energy surfaces $E_{PS}(\mathbf{X},\mathbf{P})$ as a function of both nuclear position and momentum, all at a computational cost comparable to standard Born-Oppenheimer electronic structure calculations.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2025

The Phase-Space Way To Electronic Structure Theory and Subsequently Chemical Dynamics

Phase-space electronic structure theory offers up a new and powerful approach for tackling problems with coupled nuclear-electronic dynamics in a fashion that goes beyond Born-Oppenheimer (BO) theory. Whereas BO theory stipulates that we consider electronic states parameterized by nuclear position $X$ only, i.e. molecular orbitals are functions of nuclear positions but not nuclear velocities, phase-space (PS) theory allows for electronic states to be parameterized by both nuclear position X and nuclear momentum $P$. As a result, within a phase-space approach, one can directly recover many new features, including electronic momentum and vibrational circular dichroism spectra. Moreover, phase-space electronic structure theory is exact for the hydrogen atom and, for a set of model problems, the method can even improve upon vibrational energies relative to BO theory. Perhaps most importantly, the phase-space approach offers up a very new perspective on spin physics, stipulating that molecules and materials with degenerate or nearly degenerate ground states (due to spin degeneracy) display broken-symmetry ground states in their phase-space potential energy surfaces. This last feature opens up very new possibilities for exploring spin chemistry (including the Einstein-de Haas effect and chiral induced spin selectivity) within the context of more established electronic structure theory. At the end of the day, in order to tackle electronic dynamical phenomena, especially subtle problems in magnetic chemistry, it will be essential for the electronic structure community to pivot towards diagonalizing $\hat H_{PS}(X, P)$ rather than $\hat H_{BO}(X)$.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2025

Recovering Exact Vibrational Energies Within a Phase Space Electronic Structure Framework

In recent years, there has been a push to go beyond Born-Oppenheimer theory and build electronic states from a phase space perspective, i.e. parameterize electronic states by both nuclear position(R) and nuclear momentum(P). Previous empirical studies have demonstrated that such approaches can yield improved single-surface observables, including vibrational energies, electronic momenta, and vibrational circular dichroism spectra. That being said, unlike the case of BO theory, there is no unique phase space electronic Hamiltonian, nor any theory for using phase space eigenvectors (as opposed to BO eigenvectors) so as to recover exact quantum vibrational eigenvalues. As such, one might consider such phase space approaches ad hoc. To that end, here we show how to formally extract exact quantum energies from a coupled nuclear-electronic Hamiltonian using perturbation theory on top of a phase space electronic framework. Thus, while we cannot isolate an "optimal" phase space electronic Hamiltonian, this work does justify a phase space electronic structure approach by offering a rigorous framework for correcting the zeroth order phase space electronic states.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2024

A Basis-Free Phase Space Electronic Hamiltonian That Recovers Beyond Born-Oppenheimer Electronic Momentum and Current Density

We present a phase-space electronic Hamiltonian $\hat{H}_{PS}$ (parameterized by both nuclear position $\mathbf{X}$ and momentum $\mathbf{P}$) that boosts each electron into the moving frame of the nuclei that are closest in real space -- without presuming the existence of an atomic orbital basis. We show that $(i)$ quantum-classical dynamics along such a Hamiltonian maintains momentum conservation and $(ii)$ diagonalizing such a Hamiltonian can recover the electronic momentum and electronic current density reasonably well. In conjunction with other reports in the literature that such a phase-space approach can also recover vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectra, we submit that the present phase-space approach offers a testable and powerful approach to post-Born-Oppenheimer electronic structure theory. Moreover, the approach is inexpensive and can be immediately applied to simulations of chiral induced spin selectivity experiments (where the transfer of angular momentum between nuclei and electrons is considered critical).

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2024

A phase-space view of vibrational energies without the Born-Oppenheimer framework

We show that following the standard mantra of quantum chemistry and diagonalizing the Born-Oppenheimer (BO) Hamiltonian $\hat H_{\rm BO}(\bm R)$ is not the optimal means to construct potential energy surfaces. A better approach is to diagonalize a phase-space electronic Hamiltonian, $\hat H_{\rm PS}(\bm R,\bm P)$, which is parameterized by both nuclear position $\bm R$ and nuclear momentum $\bm P$. The foundation of such a non-perturbative phase-space electronic Hamiltonian can be made rigorous using a partial Wigner transform and the method has exactly the same cost as BO for a semiclassical calculation (and only a slight increase in cost for a quantum nuclear calculation). For a three-particle system, with two heavy particles and one light particle, numerical results show that a phase space electronic Hamiltonian produces not only meaningful electronic momenta (which are completely ignored by BO theory) but also far better vibrational energies. As such, for high level results and/or systems with degeneracies and spin degrees of freedom, we anticipate that future electronic structure and quantum chemistry packages will need to take as input not just the positions of the nuclei but also their momenta.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2024

A Phase-Space Electronic Hamiltonian for Molecules in a Static Magnetic Field I: Conservation of Total Pseudomomentum and Angular Momentum

We develop a phase-space electronic structure theory of molecules in magnetic fields. For a system of electrons in a magnetic field with vector potential $\bf{A}(\hat{\bf{r}})$, the usual Born-Oppenheimer Hamiltonian is the sum of the nuclear kinetic energy and the electronic Hamiltonian, $\frac{(\bf{P} - q\bf{A}(\bf{X}) )^2}{2M} + \hat{H}_{e}(\bf{X})$ (where $q$ is a nuclear charge). To include the effects of coupled nuclear-electron motion in the presence of magnetic field, we propose that the proper phase-space electronic structure Hamiltonian will be of the form $\frac{(\bf{P} - q^{\textit{eff}}\bf{A}(\bf{X}) - e\hat{\bfΓ})^2}{2M} + \hat{H}_{e}(\bf{X})$. Here, $q^{\textit{eff}}$ represents the {\em screened} nuclear charges and the $\hat{\bfΓ}$ term captures the local pseudomomentum of the electrons. This form reproduces exactly the energy levels for a hydrogen atom in a magnetic field; moreover, single-surface dynamics along the eigenstates is guaranteed to conserve both the total pseudomomentum as well as the total angular momentum in the direction of the magnetic field. This Hamiltonian form can be immediately implemented within modern electronic structure packages (where the electronic orbitals will now depend on nuclear position ($\bf{X}$) and nuclear momentum ($\bf{P}$)). One can expect to find novel beyond Born-Oppenheimer magnetic field effects for strong enough fields and/or nonadiabatic systems.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2024

A Phase-Space Electronic Hamiltonian for Molecules in a Static Magnetic Field II: Quantum Chemistry Calculations with Gauge Invariant Atomic Orbitals

In a companion paper, we have developed a phase-space electronic structure theory of molecules in magnetic fields, whereby the electronic energy levels arise from diagonalizing a phase-space Hamiltonian $\hat H_{PS}(\bf{X},\bfΠ)$ that depends parametrically on nuclear position and momentum. The resulting eigenvalues are translationally invariant; moreover, if the magnetic field is in the $z-$direction, then the eigenvalues are also invariant to rotations around the $z-$direction. However, like all Hamiltonians in a magnetic field, the theory has a gauge degree of freedom (corresponding to the position of the magnetic origin in the vector potential), and requires either $(i)$ formally, a complete set of electronic states or $(ii)$ in practice, gauge invariant atomic orbitals (GIAOs) in order to realize such translational and rotational invariance. Here we describe how to implement a phase-space electronic Hamiltonian using GIAOs within a practical electronic structure package (in our case, Q-Chem). We further show that novel phenomena can be observed with finite $\bf{B}-$fields, including minimum energy structures with $\bfΠ_{min} \ne 0$, indicating non-zero electronic motion in the ground-state.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2024

A semiclassical non-adiabatic phase-space approach to molecular translations and rotations: A new picture of surface hopping and electronic inertial effects

We present a novel semiclassical phase-space surface hopping approach that goes beyond the Born-Oppenheimer approximation and all existing surface hopping formalisms. We demonstrate that working with a correct phase-space electronic Hamiltonian can capture electronic inertial effects during pure nuclear translational and rotational motion and completely eliminate (at least to very high order) non-adiabatic transitions between electronic eigenstates. This work opens many new avenues for quantitatively investigating complex phenomena, including angular momentum transfer between chiral phonons and electrons as well as chiral-induced spin selectivity effects.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2024

A Phase Space Approach to Vibrational Circular Dichroism

We show empirically that a phase-space non-Born-Oppenheimer electronic Hamiltonian approach to quantum chemistry (where the electronic Hamiltonian is parameterized by both nuclear position and momentum, (H(R,P)) is both a practical and accurate means to recover vibrational circular dichroism spectra. We further hypothesize that such a phase space approach may lead to very new dynamical physics beyond spectroscopy circular dichroism, with potential implications for understanding chiral induced spin selectivity (CISS), noting that classical phase space approaches conserve the total nuclear plus electronic momentum, whereas classical Born-Oppenheimer approaches do not (they conserve only the nuclear momentum)

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2024

Angular Momentum Transfer between a Molecular System and a Continuous Circularly Polarized Light Field under the Born-Oppenheimer Framework

We demonstrate (both analytically and numerically) total angular momentum conservation for a molecular system subject to circularly polarized light (CPL) field moving along a single Born-Oppenheimer surface, where all of the angular momentum transfer is embodied in a Berry force. Moreover, we demonstrate that the model Hamiltonian proposed in [J. Chem. Phys. 150, 124101 (2019)] in fact corresponds physically to a homonuclear diatomic in a CPL field. Our results not only reveal an interesting microscopic mechanism for angular momentum transfer between a molecule and a radiation field, but they also provide new insight into the nature of novel semiclassical non-adiabatic dynamics methods that conserve the total angular momentum (including, e.g., phase-space surface-hopping methods).

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2024

Spin-Dependent Stereochemistry: A Non-adiabatic Quantum Dynamics Case Study of S + H2 -> SH + H Reaction

We study the spin-dependent stereodynamics of the S + H2 -> SH + H reaction using full-dimensional quantum dynamics calculations with zero total nuclear angular momentum along the triplet 3A" states and singlet 1A' states. We find that the interplay between the electronic spin direction and the molecular geometry has a measurable influence on the singlet-triplet intersystem crossing reaction probabilities. Our results show that for some incident scattering angles in the body-fixed frame, the relative difference in intersystem crossing reaction probabilities (as determined between spin up and spin down initial states) can be as large as 15%. Our findings are an ab initio demonstration of spin-dependent nonadiabatic dynamics which we hope will shine light as far as understanding the chiral-induced spin selectivity effect.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2024

Practical Phase-Space Electronic Hamiltonians for Ab Initio Dynamics

Modern electronic structure theory is built around the Born-Oppenheimer approximation and the construction of an electronic Hamiltonian H_{el}(X) that depends on the nuclear position X (and not the nuclear momentum P). In this article, using the well-known theory of electron translation (Gamma') and rotational (Gamma'') factors to couple electronic transitions to nuclear motion, we construct a practical phase-space electronic Hamiltonian that depends on both nuclear position and momentum, H_{PS}(X,P). While classical Born-Oppenheimer dynamics that run along the eigensurfaces of the operator H_{el}(X) can recover many nuclear properties correctly, we present some evidence that motion along the eigensurfaces of H_{PS}(X,P) can better capture both nuclear and electronic properties (including the elusive electronic momentum studied by Nafie). Moreover, only the latter (as opposed to the former) conserves the total linear and angular momentum in general.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2024

A Simple One-Electron Expression for Electron Rotational Factors

Within the context of FSSH dynamics, one often wishes to remove the angular component of the derivative coupling between states $\left|J\right>$ and $\left|K\right>$. In a set of previous papers, Truhlar {\em et al.} posited one approach for such a removal based on direct projection, while we isolated a second approach by constructing and differentiating rotationally invariant basis. Unfortunately, neither approach was able to demonstrate a {\em one-electron operator} $\hat{O}$ whose matrix element $\left $ was the angular component of the derivative coupling. Here, we show that a one-electron operator can in fact be constructed efficiently in a semi-local fashion. The present results yield physical insight into designing new surface hopping algorithms and be of immediate use for FSSH calculations.

physics.comp-ph↗

arXiv2023

Total Angular Momentum Conservation in Ehrenfest Dynamics with a Truncated Basis of Adiabatic States

We show that standard Ehrenfest dynamics does not conserve linear and angular momentum when using a basis of truncated adiabatic states. However, we also show that previously proposed effective Ehrenfest equations of motion[Amano2005,Krishna2007] involving the non-Abelian Berry force do maintain momentum conservation. As a numerical example, we investigate the Kramers' doublet of the methoxy radical using generalized Hartree-Fock with spin-orbit coupling and confirm angular momentum is conserved with the proper equations of motion. Our work makes clear some of the limitations of the Born-Oppenheimer approximation when using ab initio electronic structure theory to treat systems with unpaired electronic spin degrees of freedom and we demonstrate that Ehrenfest dynamics can offer much improved, qualitatively correct results.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2023

Surface Hopping, Electron Translation Factors, Electron Rotation Factors, Momentum Conservation, and Size Consistency

For a system without spin-orbit coupling, the (i) nuclear plus electronic linear momentum and (ii) nuclear plus orbital electronic angular momentum are good quantum numbers. Thus, when a molecular system undergoes a nonadiabatic transition, there should be no change in the total linear or angular momentum. Now, the standard surface hopping algorithm ignores the electronic momentum and indirectly equates the momentum of the nuclear degrees of freedom to the total momentum. However, even with this simplification, the algorithm still does not conserve either the nuclear linear or the nuclear angular momenta. Here, we show that one way to address these failures is to dress the derivative couplings (i.e. the hopping directions) in two ways: (i) we disallow changes in the nuclear linear momentum by working in a translating basis (which is well known and leads to electron translation factors [ETFs]); and (ii) we disallow changes in the nuclear angular momentum by working in a basis that rotates around the center of mass (which is not well-known and leads to a novel, rotationally removable component of the derivative coupling that we will call electron rotation factors [ERFs] below, cf. Eq. 96). The present findings should be helpful in the short term as far as interpreting surface hopping calculations for singlet systems (without spin) and then developing new surface hopping algorithm in the long term for systems where one cannot ignore the electronic orbital and/or spin angular momentum.

physics.chem-ph↗