Density functional theory of born couplings: Consequences for electron flow in Jahn–Teller molecules and superconductors

The dynamics of Jahn–Teller systems has recently been discussed in terms of generalized electronic charge and current densities in nuclear-coordinate space. The introduction of the electronic phase as a function of both electronic and nuclear coordinates, in addition to the electronic density, was a crucial component of this formulation. Here, a densitybased treatment of Born couplings is derived from first-principles quantum mechanics beyond the Born–Oppenheimer approximation. Because of the degenerate electronic configuration of a Jahn–Teller molecule, there are an infinite number of ways in which the charge distribution can be oriented for the same energy, leading to a vanishing bond hardness for the molecule in the symmetric nuclear configuration. Further, the moving nuclear framework serves as the perturbation necessary to define the orientation of the charge density, leading to unhindered rotation of the charge cloud. This leads to the dynamical Jahn–Teller problem, namely, the coupling of electronic and nuclear motions through the Born coupling terms. Applications to superconductivity theory are discussed. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Simplest proof of the Jahn–Teller theorem for molecular systems

A new simple proof of the Jahn–Teller theorem for molecular systems is presented. The proof is based on some general properties of symmetric square representation characters that simplify their explicit treatment and minimize the use of tables. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2007     

Pseudo Jahn–Teller effects of triphenylene dianion

Pseudo Jahn–Teller effects of triphenylene dianion were discussed by molecular orbital method. While the triplet ground state preferred a D_3h geometry, singlet states were subject to symmetry lowering to have C_2v geometries. The resultant geometries were rationalized to amplitude patterns of the degenerate frontier orbitals.     

Analogies between Jahn–Teller and Rashba spin physics

In developing physical theories, analogical reasoning has been found to be very powerful, as attested by a number of important historical examples. An analogy between two apparently different phenomena, once established, allows one to transfer information and bring new concepts from one phenomenon to the other. Here, we discuss an important analogy between two widely different physical problems, namely, the Jahn–Teller distortion in molecular physics and the Rashba spin splitting in condensed matter physics. By exploring their conceptual and mathematical features and by searching for the counterparts between them, we examine the orbital texture in Jahn–Teller systems, as the counterpart of the spin texture of the Rashba physics, and put forward a possible way of experimentally detecting the orbital texture. Finally, we discuss the analogy by comparing the coexistence of linear Rashba + Dresselhaus effects and Jahn–Teller problems for specific symmetries, which allow for nontrivial spin and orbital textures, respectively.     

Finding transition states when second-order Jahn–Teller instability occurs

When second-order Jahn–Teller couplings become strong along “streambeds” on potential energy surfaces, instability reflected in negative curvature along a symmetry-lowering distortion coordinate can take place. The point where such negative curvature sets in is usually not a transition state because the gradient of the potential is usually large there. In this paper, it is demonstrated how to use the local energy, local gradient, local Hessian, and knowledge of how quickly the curvature for the symmetry-breaking mode evolves along the streambed (i.e., the derivative of this curvature) to predict how far to move in the symmetry-breaking mode in search of the desired transition state. It is shown that the Hessian matrix evaluated at the symmetry-broken geometry suggested by this analysis has only one negative eigenvalue. Because this analysis is based on a local approximation to the potential, its predictions are, of course, approximate. As such, they only “suggest” the proper direction and magnitude that one should “step” to move toward a transition state. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Geometrical configurations of Pu4 and the Jahn–Teller effect

The present work has found seven stable geometrical configurations of Pu₄ using the density functional method Becke3LYP with relativistic effective core potentials (RECP). Based on the Jahn–Teller effect, vibronic interaction and the resolution of group representations, the analysis of the relationships among these various geometrical configurations is in fair agreement with the calculated results. It is found that the spin–polarization effect is rather important for the plutonium clusters and, in general, actinide element molecules.     

E ⊗ ϵ Jahn–Teller anharmonic coupling for an octahedral system

The coupling between doubly degenerate electronic states and doubly degenerate vibrations is analyzed for an octahedral system on the basis of the introduction of an anharmonic Morse potential for the vibronic part. The vibrations are described by anharmonic coherent states and their linear coupling with the electronic states is considered. The matrix elements of the vibronic interaction are built and the energy levels corresponding to the interaction Hamiltonian derived. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2002     

Jahn–Teller Effects in Molecular Cations Studied by Photoelectron Spectroscopy and Group Theory

The traditional “ball‐and‐stick” concept of molecular structure fails when the motion of the electrons is coupled to that of the nuclei. Such a situation arises in the Jahn–Teller (JT) effect which is very common in open‐shell molecular systems, such as radicals or ions. The JT effect is well known to chemists as a mechanism that causes the distortion of an otherwise symmetric system. Its implications on the dynamics of molecules still represent unsolved problems in many cases. Herein we review recent progress in understanding the dynamic structure of molecular cations that have a high permutational symmetry by using rotationally resolved photoelectron spectroscopy and group theory. Specifically, we show how the pseudo‐Jahn–Teller effect in the cyclopentadienyl cation causes electronic localization and nuclear delocalization. The fundamental physical mechanisms underlying the vaguely defined concept of “antiaromaticity” are thereby elucidated. Our investigation of the methane cation represents the first experimental characterization of the JT effect in a threefold degenerate electronic state. A special kind of isomerism resulting from the JT effect has been discovered and is predicted to exist in all JT systems in which the minima on the potential‐energy surface are separated by substantial barriers.     

Dynamic nonlinear Jahn–Teller effect of the type E ⊗ ϵ

By applying the projection operator method it is shown that the complicated Hamiltonian of a E ? ? JT system with nonlinear coupling coefficients can be written in terms of two Hamiltonians which are simple to handle and transform according to irreducible representations E, A₁, and A₂ of C_3v point group. A variational approach is then used to calculate the ground state energy, using the Hamiltonian that transforms according to E, as an explicit function of the linear and nonlinear coupling parameters. The energies calculated in the strong coupling limit are finally compared with the corresponding previously calculated energies.     

Density functional theory for systems of very many atoms

The standard Kohn-Sham formulation of density functional theory (DFT ) is limited, for practical reasons, to systems of less than about 50-100 atoms. The computational effort scales as N, where N_at is the number of atoms and 2 < α > 3. (By comparison, conventional configuration interaction methods are limited to 5-10 atom systems.) This article deals with the prospect of practical methods that scale linearly in N_at and may thus allow calculations for systems of 10³-104 atoms. The physical reason (“near-sightedness”) for linear scaling is presented. Implementations of linear scaling DFT by the use of generalized Wannier functions or the one-particle density matrix are discussed. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Density functional theory of field theoretical systems

The field theoretical background of relativistic density functional theory is emphasized and its consequences for relativistic Kohn-Sham equations are shown. The local density approximation for the exchange energy functional is reviewed and the importance of relativistic corrections for an accurate representation of the exchange functional is demonstrated. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Geminal approach to vibronic models of superconductivity in crystals. I. The Jahn–Teller effect

Electronic geminals constructed as linear combinations of binary products of site functions are used to formulate a vibronic model of superconductivity in crystals that is based upon the approximation of independent correlated electron pairs obtained variationally from an electron‐pair Hamiltonian and the Jahn–Teller effect. The cyclic symmetry of the system is taken into account and the geminals are sorted into doubly degenerate pairs. The Herzberg–Teller expansion of the pair Hamiltonian in terms of vibrational modes leads directly to the Jahn–Teller effect. A contact transformation of the vibronic Hamiltonian containing only linear terms lowers the energy of the system by a second‐order term associated with the Jahn–Teller stabilization energy. A possible model for superconductivity in solids is proposed on the basis of the Jahn–Teller effect. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2003     

A Genuine Jahn–Teller System with Compressed Geometry and Quantum Effects Originating from Zero‐Point Motion

First‐principle calculations together with analysis of the experimental data found for 3d⁹ and 3d⁷ ions in cubic oxides proved that the center found in irradiated CaO:Ni²⁺ corresponds to Ni⁺ under a static Jahn–Teller effect displaying a compressed equilibrium geometry. It was also shown that the anomalous positive g_∥ shift (g_∥?g₀=0.065) measured at T=20 K obeys the superposition of the |3 z²?r²? and |x²?y²? states driven by quantum effects associated with the zero‐point motion, a mechanism first put forward by O'Brien for static Jahn–Teller systems and later extended by Ham to the dynamic Jahn–Teller case. To our knowledge, this is the first genuine Jahn–Teller system (i.e. in which exact degeneracy exists at the high‐symmetry configuration) exhibiting a compressed equilibrium geometry for which large quantum effects allow experimental observation of the effect predicted by O'Brien. Analysis of the calculated energy barriers for different Jahn–Teller systems allowed us to explain the origin of the compressed geometry observed for CaO:Ni⁺.     

La3Br3Ni: Jahn–Teller Distortion in the Reduced Rare Earth Metal Halide

A ternary lanthanum bromide La₃Br₃Ni was synthesized from lanthanum, LaBr₃ and nickel under argon at 800 °C. It crystallizes in the tetragonal space group I4₁22 (No. 98) with lattice constants a = 12.1758(9) Å and c = 11.744(2) Å. The structure is derived from the cubic Gd₃I₃C type of space group I4₁32 through a tetragonal distortion resulting in a squeezed nickel‐centered La₆ octahedron. Electronic structure and bonding of the compound have been investigated.     

Jahn–Teller Effect in Circulenes: X‐ray Diffraction Study of Coronene and Corannulene Radical Anions

Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction studies of two polyaromatic radical anions crystallized as sodium salts, namely [Na(DME)₃]⁺[C₂₀H₁₀^?] ( 1 ) and [Na(DME)₃]⁺[C₂₄H₁₂^?] ( 2 ) are reported. This allowed the first structural evaluation of Jahn–Teller (JT) effects for monoreduced circulenes and a comparison between bowl‐shaped corannulene and planar coronene. The C_s and D_2h symmetrical distortions are found to fit the experimental data for C₂₀H₁₀^.? and C₂₄H₁₂^.?, respectively. The continuous symmetry measure (CSM) analysis was carried out to provide a quantitative measure of the JT distortions in 1 and 2 . In addition, the X‐ray crystallographic results were fully supported by DFT calculations.