Construction and evaluation of embedding functions

Abstract

Non-self-consistent density functional theories require specification of the embedding energy for an atom in a reference system. We combine the embedding energies determined from linear muffin tin orbital (LMTO) calculations of the bulk cohesive energy curves with those determined from the experimental diatomic binding curve. These new embedding functions contain information about the variation of binding with both coordination and separation between atomic centers. These are shown to be superior to embedding functions determined solely from bulk cohesive energy curves through tests on structures and energies of small metal clusters, self-diffusion of adatoms on metal surfaces, and scattering of metal atoms from metal surfaces.