On the cluster approach for calculating electronic energies of solid surfaces

A scheme for calculating electronic energy states of infinite solid surface systems by a cluster approach under the framework of the method of linear combinations of atomic orbitals is presented. The basis functions consist of atomic-like orbitals confined within a cluster whereas the Hamiltonian is that of the infinite solid. The latter circumvents the difficulty arising from the auxiliary boundary of the cluster which is not the true surface of the solid. All the multicenter integrals appearing in the Hamiltonian matrix can be evaluated exactly by means of the technique of Gaussian orbitals. This cluster-basis method is applied to the chlorine-adsorbed silicon (111) surface using several different clusters. The results are compared with those of the same Hamiltonian with basis functions extending over the entire solid in the Bloch-sum form. Criteria for optimal selection of clusters are suggested.