Overlap integrals of B functions

Two different methods for the evaluation of overlap integrals of B functions with different scaling parameters are analyzed critically. The first method consists of an infinite series expansion in terms of overlap integrals with equal scaling parameters 14]. The second method consists of an integral representation for the overlap integral which has to be evaluated numerically. Bhattacharya and Dhabal 13] recommend the use of Gauss-Legendre quadrature for this purpose. However, we show that Gauss-Jacobi quadrature gives better results, in particular for larger quantum number. We also show that the convergence of the infinite series can be improved if suitable convergence accelerators are applied. Since an internal error analysis can be done quite easily in the case of an infinite series even if it is accelerated, whereas it is very costly in the case of Gauss quadratures, the infinite series is probably more efficient than the integral representation. Overlap integrals of all commonly occurring exponentially declining basis functions such as Slater-type functions, can be expressed by finite sums of overlap integrals of B functions, because these basis functions can be represented by linear combinations of B functions.Dedicated to Professor J. Koutecký on the occasion of his 65th birthday