Self-consistent quantum mechanical model for the description of excitation energy transfers in molecules at interfaces

In this paper we present a quantum mechanical model to study excitation energy transfers in molecular systems located in the vicinity of an interface. The model is based on an approximate solution of the time-dependent density functional theory equations and solvent effects are introduced in terms of the integral equation formalism version of the polarizable continuum model. A unique characteristic of this model is that environment induced polarizing effects on the interacting molecules and screening effects on their interaction are included in a coherent and self-consistent way. The model is applied to different situations of the ethylene dimer in the vicinity of an air/water interface and compared with an alternative quantum electrodynamics approach.     

Multireference spin-adapted variant of density functional theory

A new Kohn-Sham formalism is developed for studying the lowest molecular electronic states of given space and spin symmetry whose densities are represented by weighted sums of several reference configurations. Unlike standard spin-density functional theory, the new formalism uses total spin conserving spin-density operators and spin-invariant density matrices so that the method is fully spin-adapted and solves the so-called spin-symmetry dilemma. The formalism permits the use of an arbitrary set of reference (noninteracting) configurations with any number of open shells. It is shown that the requirement of degeneracy of the total noninteracting energies of the reference configurations (or configuration state functions) is equivalent to the stationary condition of the exact energy relative to the weights of the configurations (or configuration state functions). Consequently, at any molecular geometry, the weights can be determined by minimization of the energy, and, for given reference weights, the Kohn-Sham orbitals can be determined. From this viewpoint, the developed theory can be interpreted as an analog of the multiconfiguration self-consistent field approach within density functional theory.     

Modeling vibrational spectra using the self-consistent charge density-functional tight-binding method. I. Raman spectra

An extension of the self-consistent charge density-functional tight-binding (SCC-DFTB) method is presented that allows for calculating intensities of peaks in vibrational Raman spectra for very large molecules. The extension is based on a simple ansatz: an extra term, which describes interaction of an external electric field with induced atomic charges, is added to the SCC-DFTB energy expression. We apply the modified SCC-DFTB formalism for reproducing vibrational Raman spectra of 17 organic molecules. The calculated spectra are compared with experiment and with spectra obtained from density functional theory (DFT) calculations. We find that the SCC-DFTB method is capable of reproducing most of the features of experimental Raman spectra. Limitations and advantages of this approach are analyzed and suggestions for interpreting calculated SCC-DFTB Raman spectra are given.     

Non-adiabatic quantum molecular dynamics: basic formalism and case study

A general formalism is presented that treats selfconsistently and simultaneously classical atomic motion and quantum electronic excitations in dynamical processes of atomic many-body systems (non-adiabatic quantum molecular dynamics). On the basis of time-dependent density functional theory, coupled highly non-linear equations of motion are derived for arbitrary basis sets for the time-dependent Kohn-Sham orbitals. Possible approximations to make the approach practical for large atomic cluster systems are discussed. As a first application of the still exact equations of motion, non-adiabatic effects in the scattering of H⁺+H, as a case study, are investigated.     

量子耗散与量子输运的级联方程组方法

级联方程已成为研究量子开放系统的稳态性质和动力学过程的重要方法。本文旨在系统综述量子耗散和量子输运的级联方程组方法的建立、发展以及在理论、算法和应用方面的一些最新进展。级联方程形式理论的建立以影响泛函路径积分为基础,并具有数值上的高效性和应用上的灵活性,可用于研究分子体系的复杂动力学过程以及强关联电子体系中的量子输运。其级联耦合结构以非微扰的方式揭示了多体相互作用、体系-环境耦合、非马尔可夫记忆等的综合效应。作为应用示例,我们采用级联方程模拟了生物光富集体系的二维相干动力学光谱以及含时电子输运过程中的动态近藤效应。     

Exact dynamics of dissipative electronic systems and quantum transport: Hierarchical equations of motion approach

A generalized quantum master equation theory that governs the exact, nonperturbative quantum dissipation and quantum transport is formulated in terms of hierarchically coupled equations of motion for an arbitrary electronic system in contact with electrodes under either a stationary or a nonstationary electrochemical potential bias. The theoretical construction starts with the influence functional in path integral, in which the electron creation and annihilation operators are Grassmann variables. Time derivatives on the influence functionals are then performed in a hierarchical manner. Both the multiple-frequency dispersion and the non-Markovian reservoir parametrization schemes are considered for the desired hierarchy construction. The resulting hierarchical equations of motion formalism is in principle exact and applicable to arbitrary electronic systems, including Coulomb interactions, under the influence of arbitrary time-dependent applied bias voltage and external fields. Both the conventional quantum master equation and the real-time diagrammatic formalism of Schon and co-workers can be readily obtained at well defined limits of the present theory. We also show that for a noninteracting electron system, the present hierarchical equations of motion formalism terminates at the second tier exactly, and the Landuer-Buttiker transport current expression is recovered. The present theory renders an exact and numerically tractable tool to evaluate various transient and stationary quantum transport properties of many-electron systems, together with the involving nonperturbative dissipative dynamics.     

Correlated driving-and-dissipation equation for non-Condon spectroscopy with the Herzberg–Teller vibronic coupling

Correlated driving-and-dissipation equation (CODDE) is an optimized complete second-order quantum dissipation approach, which is originally concerned with the reduced system dynamics only. However, one can actually extract the hybridized bath dynamics from CODDE with the aid of dissipaton-equation-of-motion theory, a statistical quasi-particle quantum dissipation formalism. Treated as a one–dissipaton theory, CODDE is successfully extended to deal with the Herzberg–Teller vibronic couplings in dipole–field interactions. Demonstrations will be carried out on the non-Condon spectroscopies of a model dimer system.     

Analytic techniques for the coupled multiconfiguration SCF perturbation theory

The perturbation theory based on the paired excitation multiconfiguration self-consistent field approach of Clementi and Veillard is considered. The coupled first-order perturbed orbital equations are analysed and an appropriate computational scheme for their solution is discussed. The proposed computational scheme is analogous to the technique employed for the solution of the coupled Hartree–Fock equations in the one-configuration approximation. However, because of the presence ofnondiagonal Lagrangian multipliers and the use of different one-electron operators for different orbitals, the present scheme raises some new computational problems. In this context a new technique for the solution of the unperturbed multiconfiguration self-consistent field equations is proposed. A simple illustration of the superiority of the multiconfiguration perturbation approach with respect to the ordinary coupled Hartree–Fock scheme is given. Also the validity of the variation formulation of the presented scheme and its relation to the finite-field approach are discussed.     

Solution reaction space Hamiltonian based on an electrostatic potential representation of solvent dynamics

Quantum chemical solvation models usually rely on the equilibrium solvation condition and is thus not immediately applicable to the study of nonequilibrium solvation dynamics, particularly those associated with chemical reactions. Here we address this problem by considering an effective Hamiltonian for solution-phase reactions based on an electrostatic potential (ESP) representation of solvent dynamics. In this approach a general ESP field of solvent is employed as collective solvent coordinate, and an effective Hamiltonian is constructed by treating both solute geometry and solvent ESP as dynamical variables. A harmonic bath is then attached onto the ESP variables in order to account for the stochastic nature of solvent dynamics. As an illustration we apply the above method to the proton transfer of a substituted phenol-amine complex in a polar solvent. The effective Hamiltonian is constructed by means of the reference interaction site model self-consistent field method (i.e., a type of quantum chemical solvation model), and a mixed quantum/classical simulation is performed in the space of solute geometry and solvent ESP. The results suggest that important dynamical features of proton transfer in solution can be captured by the present approach, including spontaneous fluctuations of solvent ESP that drives the proton from reactant to product potential wells.     

The influence of ultrafast laser pulses on electron transfer in molecular wires studied by a non-Markovian density-matrix approach

New features of molecular wires can be observed when they are irradiated by laser fields. These effects can be achieved by periodically oscillating fields but also by short laser pulses. The theoretical foundation used for these investigations is a density-matrix formalism where the full system is partitioned into a relevant part and a thermal fermionic bath. The derivation of a quantum master equation, either based on a time-convolutionless or time-convolution projection-operator approach, incorporates the interaction with time-dependent laser fields nonperturbatively and is valid at low temperatures for weak system-bath coupling. From the population dynamics the electrical current through the molecular wire is determined. This theory including further extensions is used for the determination of electron transport through molecular wires. As examples, we show computations of coherent destruction of tunneling in asymmetric periodically driven quantum systems, alternating currents and the suppression of the directed current by using a short laser pulse.     

How critical fluctuations influence adsorption properties of a van der Waals fluid onto a spherical colloidal particle

A recently proposed 3rd-order thermodynamic perturbation theory (TPT) is extended to its 5th-order version and non-uniform counterpart by supplementing with density functional theory (DFT) and a number of ansatzs for a bulk 2nd-order direct correlation function (DCF). Employment of the ansatzs DCF enables the resultant non-uniform formalism devoid of any adjustable parameter and free from numerically solving an Ornstein–Zernike integral equation theory. Density profiles calculated by the present non-uniform formalism for a hard core attractive Yukawa (HCAY) fluid near a spherical geometry are favorably compared with corresponding simulation data available in literature, and are more accurate than those based on a previous 3rd + 2nd-order perturbation DFT. The non-uniform 5th-order TPT is employed to investigate adsorption of the HCAY fluid onto a colloidal particle; it is disclosed that a depletion adsorption can be induced when the coexistence bulk fluid is situated in neighborhood of a critical point or near a bulk vapor–liquid coexistence gaseous phase or liquid phase density. A physical interpretation is given for such depletion adsorption and for its connection with parameters of the potential under consideration, which is ascribed to critical density fluctuations existing within a wide region of the bulk diagram. For a large spherical external potential inducing wetting transition, it is found that only round wetting transition is found instead of 1st-order pre-wetting transition in the case of a planar wall external potential, and the wetting transition temperature increases relative to that for the planar wall external potential. The present theoretical results for wetting transitions are supported by previous investigation based on thermodynamic considerations and a phenomenological Landau mean field theory, and are also in conformity with the present qualitative physical interpretation.     

Quantum wave packet ab initio molecular dynamics: an approach to study quantum dynamics in large systems

A methodology to efficiently conduct simultaneous dynamics of electrons and nuclei is presented. The approach involves quantum wave packet dynamics using an accurate banded, sparse and Toeplitz representation for the discrete free propagator, in conjunction with ab initio molecular dynamics treatment of the electronic and classical nuclear degree of freedom. The latter may be achieved either by using atom-centered density-matrix propagation or by using Born-Oppenheimer dynamics. The two components of the methodology, namely, quantum dynamics and ab initio molecular dynamics, are harnessed together using a time-dependent self-consistent field-like coupling procedure. The quantum wave packet dynamics is made computationally robust by using adaptive grids to achieve optimized sampling. One notable feature of the approach is that important quantum dynamical effects including zero-point effects, tunneling, as well as over-barrier reflections are treated accurately. The electronic degrees of freedom are simultaneously handled at accurate levels of density functional theory, including hybrid or gradient corrected approximations. Benchmark calculations are provided for proton transfer systems and the dynamics results are compared with exact calculations to determine the accuracy of the approach.     

Theoretical study on the excited-state intramolecular proton transfer in the aromatic schiff base salicylidene methylamine: an electronic structure and quantum dynamical approach

The proton-transfer dynamics in the aromatic Schiff base salicylidene methylamine has been theoretically analyzed in the ground and first singlet (pi,pi) excited electronic states by density functional theory calculations and quantum wave-packet dynamics. The potential energies obtained through electronic calculations that use the time-dependent density functional theory formalism, which predict a barrierless excited-state intramolecular proton transfer, are fitted to a reduced three-dimensional potential energy surface. The time evolution in this surface is solved by means of the multiconfiguration time-dependent Hartree algorithm applied to solve the time-dependent Schr?dinger equation. It is shown that the excited-state proton transfer occurs within 11 fs for hydrogen and 25 fs for deuterium, so that a large kinetic isotope effect is predicted. These results are compared to those of the only previous theoretical work published on this system [Zgierski, M. Z.; Grabowska, A. J. Chem. Phys. 2000, 113, 7845], reporting a configuration interaction singles barrier of 1.6 kcal mol(-1) and time reactions of 30 and 115 fs for the hydrogen and deuterium transfers, respectively, evaluated with the semiclassical instanton approach.     

Dynamic correlations with time-dependent quantum Monte Carlo

In this paper, we solve quantum many-body problem by propagating ensembles of trajectories and guiding waves in physical space. We introduce the "effective potential" correction within the recently proposed time-dependent quantum Monte Carlo methodology to incorporate the nonlocal quantum correlation effects between the electrons. The associated correlation length is calculated by adaptive kernel density estimation over the walker distribution. The general formalism is developed and tested on one-dimensional helium atom in laser field of different intensities and carrier frequencies. Good agreement with exact results for the atomic ionization is obtained.     

Photorotamerization of matrix-isolated acrylic acid revisited

In this study, the conformational preferences and photochemistry of acrylic acid (AA, CH(2)=CHCOOH) monomer isolated in cryogenic argon and krypton matrices were interpreted, based on results of quantum chemical calculations. Natural bond orbital analysis allowed to shed light on the main electronic effects determining the relative stability of the conformers of the molecule in the ground electronic state. The conformational isomerization taking place upon UV-irradiation of the matrix-isolated compound (λ ～ 243 nm) was explained, based on theoretical complete active space self-consistent field/complete active space with second order perturbation theory (CASSCF/CASPT2) and time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) results, allowing to rationalize the nearly equal populations of the two lowest energy conformers of the molecule observed in the photostationary state. Besides, details of the infrared spectra of the compound were reinterpreted based on the calculated spectra for the two most stable conformers of the molecule. In particular, the assignments for the out-of-plane A" symmetry vibrations were revised.     

Adsorption of noble gases on metal surfaces and the scanning tunneling microscope

Physisorption on metal surfaces, and the tunneling currents through the adsorbed species, are calculated using a unified formalism that presents both problems on the same footing. Our method is based on a self-consistent LCAO approach whereby the different interaction parameters defining the bonds, and the tunneling currents, are calculated using the atomic properties of the atomic species forming the interface. Green function methods and the Keldish formalism are used to calculate the different physical properties. We present results for xenon adsorbed on aluminum.     

Density functional theory on phase space

Forty‐five years after the point de départ [Hohenberg and Kohn, Phys Rev, 1964, 136, B864] of density functional theory, its applications in chemistry and the study of electronic structures keep steadily growing. However, the precise form of the energy functional in terms of the electron density still eludes us—and possibly will do so forever [Schuch and Verstraete, Nat Phys, 2009, 5, 732]. In what follows we examine a formulation in the same spirit with phase space variables. The validity of Hohenberg–Kohn–Levy‐type theorems on phase space is recalled. We study the representability problem for reduced Wigner functions, and proceed to analyze properties of the new functional. Along the way, new results on states in the phase space formalism of quantum mechanics are established. Natural Wigner orbital theory is developed in depth, with the final aim of constructing accurate correlation‐exchange functionals on phase space. A new proof of the overbinding property of the Müller functional is given. This exact theory supplies its home at long last to that illustrious ancestor, the Thomas–Fermi model. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2012