The flexible nature of exchange, correlation, and Hartree physics: Resolving “delocalization” errors in a “correlation free” density functional

Abstract

By exploiting freedoms in the definitions of "correlation," "exchange," and "Hartree" physics in ensemble systems, we better generalise the notion of "exact exchange" (EXX) to systems with fractional occupations of the frontier orbitals, arising in the dissociation limit of some molecules. We introduce the linear EXX ("LEXX") theory whose pair distribution and energy are explicitly piecewise linear in the occupations f(i)(σ). We provide explicit expressions for these functions for frontier s and p shells. Used in an optimised effective potential (OEP) approach the LEXX yields energies bounded by the piecewise linear "ensemble EXX" (EEXX) energy and standard fractional optimised EXX energy: E(EEXX) ≤ E(LEXX) ≤ E(EXX). Analysis of the LEXX explains the success of standard OEP methods for diatoms at large spacing, and why they can fail when both spins are allowed to be non-integer so that "ghost" Hartree interactions appear between opposite spin electrons in the usual formula. The energy E(LEXX) contains a cancellation term for the spin ghost case. It is evaluated for H, Li, and Na fractional ions with clear derivative discontinuities for all cases. The p-shell form reproduces accurate correlation-free energies of B-F and Al-Cl. We further test LEXX plus correlation energy calculations on fractional ions of C and F and again we find both derivative discontinuities and good agreement with exact results.