Improved generator coordinate Hartree–Fock method applied to generate Gaussian basis sets for the isoelectronic series of the atoms He to Ne

We have generated Gaussian basis sets (GBSs) for the neutral and the first 20 cations members of the isoelectronic series of each ground state atom from He to Ne with the improved generator coordinate Hartree–Fock (IGCHF) method. For all atomic species studied here, our total energy errors are smaller than those calculated by the original GCHF method using GBSs of the same sizes. The largest difference between our total energy results and those computed with a numerical Hartree–Fock approach is equal to 215 μhartree for Co¹⁷⁺. We also compare the ionization potentials obtained with the IGCHF with the corresponding experimental values. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem 88: 252–262, 2002