Optimal grids for generalized finite basis and discrete variable representations: definition and method of calculation

The method of optimal generalized finite basis and discrete variable representations (FBR and DVR) generalizes the standard, Gaussian quadrature grid-classical orthonormal polynomial basis-based FBR/DVR method to general sets of grid points and to general, nondirect product, and/or nonpolynomial bases. Here, it is shown how an optimal set of grid points can be obtained for an optimal generalized FBR/DVR calculation with a given truncated basis. Basis set optimized and potential optimized grids are defined. The optimized grids are shown to minimize a function of grid points derived by relating the optimal generalized FBR of a Hamiltonian operator to a non-Hermitian effective Hamiltonian matrix. Locating the global minimum of this function can be reduced to finding the zeros of a function in the case of one dimensional problems and to solving a system of D nonlinear equations repeatedly in the case of D>1 dimensional problems when there is an equal number of grid points and basis functions. Gaussian quadrature grids are shown to be basis optimized grids. It is demonstrated by a numerical example that an optimal generalized FBR/DVR calculation of the eigenvalues of a Hamiltonian operator with potential optimized grids can have orders of magnitude higher accuracy than a variational calculation employing the same truncated basis. Nevertheless, for numerical integration with the optimal generalized FBR quadrature rule basis optimized grids are the best among grids of the same number of points. The notions of Gaussian quadrature and Gaussian quadrature accuracy are extended to general, multivariable basis functions.     

Gaussian basis sets for calculation of spin densities in first-row atoms

Summary The suitability of Gaussian basis sets for ab initio calculation of Fermi contact spin densities is established by application to the prototype first-row atoms B-F having open shell p electrons. Small multiconfiguration self-consistent-field wave functions are used to describe relevant spin and orbital polarization effects. Basis sets are evaluated by comparing the results to highly precise numerical grid calculations previously carried out with the same wave function models. It is found that modest contracted Gaussian basis sets developed primarily for Hartree-Fock calculations can give semiquantitative results if augmented by diffuse functions and if further uncontracted in the outer core-inner valence region.     

Molecular integrals by numerical quadrature. I. Radial integration

 This article presents a numerical quadrature intended primarily for evaluating integrals in quantum chemistry programs based on molecular orbital theory, in particular density functional methods. Typically, many integrals must be computed. They are divided up into different classes, on the basis of the required accuracy and spatial extent. Ideally, each batch should be integrated using the minimal set of integration points that at the same time guarantees the required precision. Currently used quadrature schemes are far from optimal in this sense, and we are now developing new algorithms. They are designed to be flexible, such that given the range of functions to be integrated, and the required precision, the integration is performed as economically as possible with error bounds within specification. A standard approach is to partition space into a set of regions, where each region is integrated using a spherically polar grid. This article presents a radial quadrature which allows error control, uniform error distribution and uniform error reduction with increased number of radial grid points. A relative error less than 10⁻¹⁴ for all s-type Gaussian integrands with an exponent range of 14 orders of magnitude is achieved with about 200 grid points. Higher angular l quantum numbers, lower precision or narrower exponent ranges require fewer points. The quadrature also allows controlled pruning of the angular grid in the vicinity of the nuclei. Received: 30 August 2000 / Accepted: 21 December 2000 / Published online: 3 April 2001     

Expansion of linear combinations of slater-type orbitals in eigenfunctions of the three-dimensional isotropic harmonic oscillator

Several classes of functions related to the Gaussian have been used with success as basis sets for the representation of atomic and molecular orbitals. We have compared the representation of a hydrogen 1s orbital by a sum of Gaussian lobe functions with its expansion in eigenfunctions of the three-dimensional isotropic harmonic oscillator. The lobe functions are shown to achieve better expectation values of the energy, with fewer terms. The lobe functions have the further computational advantage of not containing high powers of the radius. It is concluded that the lobe functions are a superior basis set for use in calculations of the electronic structure of atoms and molecules.     

Efficiency of numerical basis sets for predicting the binding energies of hydrogen bonded complexes: evidence of small basis set superposition error compared to Gaussian basis sets

Binding energies of selected hydrogen bonded complexes have been calculated within the framework of density functional theory (DFT) method to discuss the efficiency of numerical basis sets implemented in the DFT code DMol3 in comparison with Gaussian basis sets. The corrections of basis set superposition error (BSSE) are evaluated by means of counterpoise method. Two kinds of different numerical basis sets in size are examined; the size of the one is comparable to Gaussian double zeta plus polarization function basis set (DNP), and that of the other is comparable to triple zeta plus double polarization functions basis set (TNDP). We have confirmed that the magnitudes of BSSE in these numerical basis sets are comparative to or smaller than those in Gaussian basis sets whose sizes are much larger than the corresponding numerical basis sets; the BSSE corrections in DNP are less than those in the Gaussian 6-311+G(3df,2pd) basis set, and those in TNDP are comparable to those in the substantially large scale Gaussian basis set aug-cc-pVTZ. The differences in counterpoise corrected binding energies between calculated using DNP and calculated using aug-cc-pVTZ are less than 9 kJ/mol for all of the complexes studied in the present work. The present results have shown that the cost effectiveness in the numerical basis sets in DMol3 is superior to that in Gaussian basis sets in terms of accuracy per computational cost.     

Calculations using a set of evenly spaced S-type gaussian functions

A basis set of evenly spaced S-type Gaussian functions with common exponents is examined. Formulas for common one- and two-electron integrals are derived. Because of thesymmetry of this basis set, a very compact two-electron integral list is produced. The number of two-electron integrals that must be stored is approximately eight times the number of basis functions. Use of this basis set in an SCF calculation is examined. Numerical results show that this approach works well for molecules containing only small atoms such as hydrogen, helium, or lithium, but that the method has problems with the core orbitals of heavier atoms. Procedures for augementing this basis set in calculations involving heavier atoms are examined.     

Many-Electron,multicenter integrals in superposition of correlated configurations method. I. one- and two-electron integrals

The calculations by means of the superposition of correlated configurations method (Hylleraas-CI ), that is, the combination of configuration interaction with the Hylleraas-type correlation factors, needs the effective evaluation of some nontrivial integrals. This series of papers gives the formulas for all types of integrals needed for molecular calculations when Gaussian lobe functions are used as a basis set. The formulas for two-electron integrals are given in the present paper. The preliminary results for two-electron systems are presented.     

Gaussian basis sets for transition metals of the second series

A Gaussian basis set consisting of (15s, 9p, 8d) Gaussian functions has been optimized for the transition metal atoms of the second series (fourth-row atoms).     

Effects of contraction and reduction of basis set size on the He2 interaction energy components

The effect of basis set contraction and elimination of primitive Gaussian orbitals on the He₂ interaction energy components have been studied within the SCF counterpoise corrected approach supplemented by a dispersion term calculated within the variation-perturbation scheme. Despite elimination of almost half of the primitive Gaussian functions from the saturated sp basis set and complete contraction of the remaining ones, the components of interaction energy in He₂ suffer a remarkably small loss of accuracy except for the short range charge transfer contribution.     

Cubic-grid Gaussian basis sets for electron scattering calculations. II. Matrix elements

In this article, we report an efficient computational procedure for electron scattering matrix elements in the previously developed cubic-grid Gaussian basis sets. The Green function matrix elements derived for the cubic-grid basis set are simpler and easier to calculate than are those available in the literature for conventional Gaussian basis sets. Special features of the cubic-grid basis sets may also be exploited for a very efficient computation of Coulomb and exchange integrals. Inelastic scattering amplitudes for vibrational excitations may be efficiently calcualted in the harmonic approximation by numerical differention of the T-matrix elements. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Optimization of Gaussian basis sets for Dirac-Hartree-Fock calculations

We investigate the optimization of Gaussian basis sets for relativistic calculations within the framework of the restricted Dirac-Hartree-Fock (DHF) method for atoms. We compare results for Rn of nonrelativistic and relativistic basis set optimizations with a finite nuclear-size. Optimization of separate sets for each spin-orbit component shows that the basis set demands for the lower j component are greater than for the higher j component. In particular, the p _1/2 set requires almost as many functions as the s _1/2 set. This implies that for the development of basis sets for heavy atoms, the symmetry type for which a given number of functions is selected should be based on j, not on l, as has been the case in most molecular calculations performed to date.     

On the basis‐set dependence of local and integrated electron density properties: Application of a new computer program for quantum‐chemical density analysis

A new computer program for post‐processing analysis of quantum‐chemical electron densities is described. The code can work with Slater‐ and Gaussian‐type basis functions of arbitrary angular momentum. It has been applied to explore the basis‐set dependence of the electron density and its Laplacian in terms of local and integrated topological properties. Our analysis, including Gaussian/Slater basis sets up to sextuple/quadruple‐zeta order, shows that these properties considerably depend on the choice of type and number of primitives utilized in the wavefunction expansion. Basis sets with high angular momentum (l = 5 or l = 6) are necessary to achieve convergence for local properties of the density and the Laplacian. In agreement with previous studies, atomic charges defined within Bader's Quantum Theory of Atoms in Molecules appear to be much more basis‐set dependent than the Hirshfeld's stockholder charges. The former ones converge only at the quadruple‐zeta/higher level with Gaussian/Slater functions. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2009     

A simplified representation of the potential produced by Gaussian charge distributions

A procedure is presented which allows a more economical representation of the potential produced by orbital charge distributions in which the orbitals are expanded in terms of a finite set of polynomial Gaussian functions. The basic idea is that the products of pairs of Gaussian basis functions, on which the charge distributions are expanded, are expressed in terms of a new basis set of optimally chosen single Gaussian functions. Such a procedure has been tested in a particular case and a few possible applications have been suggested.     

3S- Versus 1s-type Gaussian primitives: Modifications of the 3-21G(*) basis set for the sulfur atom

The complete set of second-order Gaussian functions (6D) includes a totally symmetric second-order Gaussian function (3s-type) in addition to the five d-type functions. This 3s-type function in the 3–21G(*) basis set for the sulfur atom is described (1) in terms of its geometric and electronic effects observed in the sulfur atom and in four sulfur-containing molecules and (2) by the ability of a single zero-order 1s-type Gaussian function (with various exponents) to replace it in ab initio Hartree–Fock calculations. The geometry of the molecules (dihydrogen sulfide, dihydrogen thioketone, dihydrogen disulfide, and methanesulfonamide) were obtained using various semiempirical and ab initio methods. It is found that the 3s-type function lowers the energy relative to that calculated with the 3–21G(*) basis set with only five second-order Gaussian functions by ca. 46–48 kcal/mol per sulfur atom. Only small changes in geometry are observed when the latter basis set is augmented with a 3s or 1s function. When the exponent of the 1s replacement function is chosen so that the resulting function has a location similar to that of the 3s function as measured by the degree of overlap or the coincidence of radial distribution maxima, the corresponding drop in energy is less than 8 kcal/mol per sulfur atom. However, when the shape of the radial distribution of the 1s function is similar to that of the 3s, i.e., when the value of the 1s exponent is ca. equal to that of the 3s function (a local maximum in the 1s energy profile), the energy lowering is similar to that produced with the 3s function. The electronic effects observed in the molecules differ from those in the atom, the largest deviations being found in the methanesulfonamide calculations.     

Structure of liquid water at ambient temperature from ab initio molecular dynamics performed in the complete basis set limit

Structural properties of liquid water at ambient temperature were studied using Car-Parrinello [Phys. Rev. Lett. 55, 2471 (1985)] ab initio molecular dynamics (CPAIMD) simulations combined with the Kohn-Sham (KS) density functional theory and the BLYP exchange-correlation functional for the electronic structure. Unlike other recent work on the same subject, where plane-wave (PW) or hybrid Gaussian/plane-wave basis sets were employed, in the present paper, a discrete variable representation (DVR) basis set is used to expand the KS orbitals, so that with the real-space grid adapted in the present work, the properties of liquid water could be obtained very near the complete basis set limit. Structural properties of liquid water were extracted from a 30 ps CPAIMD-BLYP/DVR trajectory at 300 K. The radial distribution functions (RDFs), spatial distribution functions, and hydrogen bond geometry obtained from the CPAIMD-BLYP/DVR simulation are generally in good agreement with the most up to date experimental measurements. Compared to recent ab initio MD simulations based on PW basis sets, less significant overstructuring was found in the RDFs and the distributions of hydrogen bond angles, suggesting that previous plane-wave and Gaussian basis set calculations have exaggerated the tendency toward overstructuring.