Exact Kohn-Sham Potential Research Articles

Machine-learning Kohn–Sham potential from dynamics in time-dependent Kohn–Sham systems

The construction of a better exchange-correlation potential in time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) can improve the accuracy of TDDFT calculations and provide more accurate predictions of the properties of many-electron systems. Here, we propose a machine learning method to develop the energy functional and the Kohn–Sham potential of a time-dependent Kohn–Sham (TDKS) system is proposed. The method is based on the dynamics of the Kohn–Sham system and does not require any data on the exact Kohn–Sham potential for training the model. We demonstrate the results of our method with a 1D harmonic oscillator example and a 1D two-electron example. We show that the machine-learned Kohn–Sham potential matches the exact Kohn–Sham potential in the absence of memory effect. Our method can still capture the dynamics of the Kohn–Sham system in the presence of memory effects. The machine learning method developed in this article provides insight into making better approximations of the energy functional and the Kohn–Sham potential in the TDKS system.

Second-order perturbative correlation energy functional in the ensemble density-functional theory

We derive the second-order approximation (PT2) to the ensemble correlation energy functional by applying the G\"{o}rling-Levy perturbation theory on the ensemble density-functional theory (EDFT). Its performance is checked by calculating excitation energies with the direct ensemble correction method in 1D model systems and 3D atoms using numerically exact Kohn-Sham orbitals and potentials. Comparing with the exchange-only approximation, the inclusion of the ensemble PT2 correlation improves the excitation energies in 1D model systems in most cases, including double excitations and charge-transfer excitations. However, the excitation energies for atoms are generally worse with PT2. We find that the failure of PT2 in atoms is due to the two contributions of an orbital-dependent functional to excitation energies being inconsistent in the calculations. We also analyze the convergence of PT2 excitation energies with respect to the number of unoccupied orbitals.

Charge-Transfer Steps in Density Functional Theory from the Perspective of the Exact Electron Factorization.

When a molecule dissociates, the exact Kohn-Sham (KS) and Pauli potentials may form step structures. Reproducing these steps correctly is central for the description of dissociation and charge-transfer processes in density functional theory (DFT): The steps align the KS eigenvalues of the dissociating subsystems relative to each other and determine where electrons localize. While the step height can be calculated from the asymptotic behavior of the KS orbitals, this provides limited insight into what causes the steps. We give an explanation of the steps with an exact mapping of the many-electron problem to a one-electron problem, the exact electron factorization (EEF). The potentials appearing in the EEF have a clear physical meaning that translates to the DFT potentials by replacing the interacting many-electron system with the KS system. With a simple model of a diatomic, we illustrate that the steps are a consequence of spatial electron entanglement and are the result of a charge transfer. From this mechanism, the step height can immediately be deduced. Moreover, two methods to approximately reproduce the potentials during dissociation are proposed. One is based on the states of the dissociated system, while the other one is based on an analogy to the Born-Oppenheimer treatment of a molecule. The latter method also shows that the steps connect adiabatic potential energy surfaces. The view of DFT from the EEF thus provides a better understanding of how many-electron effects are encoded in a one-electron theory and how they can be modeled.

Measuring Density-Driven Errors Using Kohn-Sham Inversion.

Kohn-Sham (KS) inversion, that is, the finding of the exact KS potential for a given density, is difficult in localized basis sets. We study the precision and reliability of several inversion schemes, finding estimates of density-driven errors at a useful level of accuracy. In typical cases of substantial density-driven errors, Hartree-Fock density functional theory (HF-DFT) is almost as accurate as DFT evaluated on CCSD(T) densities. A simple approximation in practical HF-DFT also makes errors much smaller than the density-driven errors being calculated. Two paradigm examples, stretched NaCl and the HO·Cl- radical, illustrate just how accurate HF-DFT is.

The Electron Affinity as the Highest Occupied Anion Orbital Energy with a Sufficiently Accurate Approximation of the Exact Kohn-Sham Potential.

Negative ions are not accurately represented in density functional approximations (DFAs) such as (semi)local density functionals (LDA or GGA or meta-GGA). This is caused by the much too high orbital energies (not negative enough) with these DFAs compared to the exact Kohn–Sham values. Negative ions very often have positive DFA HOMO energies, hence they are unstable. These problems do not occur with the exact Kohn–Sham potential, the anion HOMO energy then being equal to minus the electron affinity. It is therefore desirable to develop sufficiently accurate approximations to the exact Kohn–Sham potential. There are further beneficial effects on the orbital shapes and the density of using a good approximation to the exact KS potential. Notably the unoccupied orbitals are not unduly diffuse, as they are in the Hartree–Fock model, with hybrid functionals, and even with (semi)local density functional approximations (LDFAs). We show that the recently developed B-GLLB-VWN approximation [Gritsenko et al. J. Chem. Phys.2016, 144, 204114] to the exact KS potential affords stable negative ions with HOMO orbital energy close to minus the electron affinity.

Strong Correlation and Charge Localization in Kohn-Sham Theories with Fractional Orbital Occupations.

We study static correlation and delocalization errors and show that even methods with good energies can yield significant delocalization errors that affect the density, leading to large errors in predicting, e.g., dipole moments. We illustrate this point by comparing existing state-of-the-art approaches with an accurate exchange-correlation functional based on a generalized valence-bond ansatz in which orbitals and fractional occupations are treated as variational parameters via an optimized effective potential (OEP). We show that the OEP exhibits step and peak features that, similar to the exact Kohn-Sham potential of density functional theory (DFT), are crucial to prevent charge delocalization. We further show that the step is missing in common approximations within reduced density matrix functional theory, resulting in delocalization errors comparable to those found in DFT approximations. Finally, we explain the delocalization error as coming from artificial mixing of the ground state with a charge-transfer excited state that is avoided if the occupation numbers exhibit discontinuities.

Advantageous nearsightedness of many-body perturbation theory contrasted with Kohn-Sham density functional theory

For properties of interacting electron systems, Kohn-Sham (KS) theory is often favored over many-body perturbation theory (MBPT), owing to its low computational cost. However, the exact KS potential can be challenging to approximate, for example in the presence of localized subsystems where the exact potential is known to exhibit pathological features such as spatial steps. By modeling two electrons, each localized in a distinct potential well, we illustrate that the step feature has no counterpart in MBPTs (including Hartree-Fock and $GW)$ or hybrid methods involving Fock exchange because the spatial nonlocality of the self-energy renders such pathological behavior unnecessary. We present a quantitative illustration of the orbital-dependent nature of the nonlocal potential, and a numerical demonstration of Kohn's concept of the nearsightedness for self-energies, when two distant subsystems are combined, in contrast to the KS potential. These properties emphasize the value of self-energy-based approximations in developing future approaches within KS-like theories.

Response Potential in the Strong-Interaction Limit of Density Functional Theory: Analysis and Comparison with the Coupling-Constant Average

Using the formalism of the conditional amplitude, we study the response part of the exchange–correlation potential in the strong-coupling limit of density functional theory, analyzing its peculiar features and comparing it with the response potential averaged over the coupling constant for small atoms and for the hydrogen molecule. We also use a simple one-dimensional model of a stretched heteronuclear molecule to derive exact properties of the response potential in the strong-coupling limit. The simplicity of the model allows us to unveil relevant features also of the exact Kohn–Sham potential and its different components, namely the appearance of a second peak in the correlation kinetic potential on the side of the most electronegative atom.

Density-functional energy gaps of solids demystified

The fundamental energy gap of a solid is a ground-state second energy difference. Can one find the fundamental gap from the gap in the band structure of Kohn–Sham density functional theory? An argument of Williams and von Barth (WB), 1983, suggests that one can. In fact, self-consistent band-structure calculations within the local density approximation or the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) yield the fundamental gap within the same approximation for the energy. Such a calculation with the exact density functional would yield a band gap that also underestimates the fundamental gap, because the exact Kohn–Sham potential in a solid jumps up by an additive constant when one electron is added, and the WB argument does not take this effect into account. The WB argument has been extended recently to generalized Kohn–Sham theory, the simplest way to implement meta-GGAs and hybrid functionals self-consistently, with an exchange–correlation potential that is a non-multiplication operator. Since this operator is continuous, the band gap is again the fundamental gap within the same approximation, but, because the approximations are more realistic, so is the band gap. What approximations might be even more realistic?

Assessment of local density approximation based exchange–correlation functional for a two-dimensional spin polarized dipolar Fermi gas

In this paper we assess the accuracy of the local density approximation (LDA) based expressions for exchange and correlation functionals associated with a two-dimensional, spin-polarized, dipolar Fermi gas. For this purpose we consider and study an exactly solvable system of two interacting spin-polarized dipolar fermions confined in a two-dimensional harmonic oscillator potential. We determine the exact triplet ground state wavefunction, energy and the density by separating the time-independent Schrodinger equation in center-of-mass and relative coordinates and numerically solving the eigenvalue equation in relative coordinate. The exact Kohn–Sham orbitals, corresponding energies and exact Kohn–Sham potential are obtained from the exact density by inverting the Kohn–Sham equation. These results serve as benchmark data for assessing the accuracies of the LDA based expressions for a two-dimensional, spin-polarized, dipolar Fermi gas. We find that LDA results for total energy, interaction energy, and Kohn–Sham eigenvalues match well with the exact results for smaller values of dipole–dipole interaction strength. For higher values of interaction strength, LDA results for the total energy are underestimated. On the other hand, the LDA based interaction potentials overestimate the repulsion between the dipoles and their spatial profiles differ considerably from their exact counterparts and the discrepancy between them is higher for stronger interaction.

How Interatomic Steps in the Exact Kohn-Sham Potential Relate to Derivative Discontinuities of the Energy.

Accurate density functional calculations hinge on reliable approximations to the unknown exchange-correlation (xc) potential. The most popular approximations usually lack features of the exact xc potential that are important for an accurate prediction of the fundamental gap and the distribution of charge in complex systems. Two principal features in this regard are the spatially uniform shift in the potential, as the number of electrons infinitesimally surpasses an integer, and the spatial steps that form, for example, between the atoms of stretched molecules. Although both aforementioned concepts are well known, the exact relationship between them remained unclear. Here we establish this relationship via an analytical derivation. We support our result by numerically solving the many-electron Schrödinger equation to extract the exact Kohn-Sham potential and directly observe its features. Spatial steps in the exact xc potential of a full configuration-interaction (FCI) calculation of a molecule are presented in three dimensions.

Understanding band gaps of solids in generalized Kohn–Sham theory

The fundamental energy gap of a periodic solid distinguishes insulators from metals and characterizes low-energy single-electron excitations. However, the gap in the band structure of the exact multiplicative Kohn-Sham (KS) potential substantially underestimates the fundamental gap, a major limitation of KS density-functional theory. Here, we give a simple proof of a theorem: In generalized KS theory (GKS), the band gap of an extended system equals the fundamental gap for the approximate functional if the GKS potential operator is continuous and the density change is delocalized when an electron or hole is added. Our theorem explains how GKS band gaps from metageneralized gradient approximations (meta-GGAs) and hybrid functionals can be more realistic than those from GGAs or even from the exact KS potential. The theorem also follows from earlier work. The band edges in the GKS one-electron spectrum are also related to measurable energies. A linear chain of hydrogen molecules, solid aluminum arsenide, and solid argon provide numerical illustrations.

Local density approximations from finite systems

The local density approximation (LDA) constructed through quantum Monte Carlo calculations of the homogeneous electron gas (HEG) is the most common approximation to the exchange-correlation functional in density functional theory. We introduce an alternative set of LDAs constructed from slablike systems of one, two and three electrons that resemble the HEG within a finite region, and illustrate the concept in one dimension. Comparing with the exact densities and Kohn-Sham potentials for various test systems, we find that the LDAs give a good account of the self-interaction correction, but are less reliable when correlation is stronger or currents flow.

Origin of static and dynamic steps in exact Kohn-Sham potentials

Knowledge of exact properties of the exchange-correlation (xc) functional is important for improving the approximations made within density functional theory. Features such as steps in the exact xc potential are known to be necessary for yielding accurate densities, yet little is understood regarding their shape, magnitude and location. We use systems of a few electrons, where the exact electron density is known, to demonstrate general properties of steps. We find that steps occur at points in the electron density where there is a change in the `local effective ionization energy' of the electrons. We provide practical arguments, based on the electron density, for determining the position, shape and height of steps for ground-state systems, and extend the concepts to time-dependent systems. These arguments are intended to inform the development of approximate functionals, such as the mixed localization potential (MLP), which already demonstrate their capability to produce steps in the Kohn-Sham potential.

Fragment-based treatment of delocalization and static correlation errors in density-functional theory.

One of the most important open challenges in modern Kohn-Sham (KS) density-functional theory (DFT) is the correct treatment of systems involving fractional electron charges and spins. Approximate exchange-correlation functionals struggle with such systems, leading to pervasive delocalization and static correlation errors. We demonstrate how these errors, which plague density-functional calculations of bond-stretching processes, can be avoided by employing the alternative framework of partition density-functional theory (PDFT) even using the local density approximation for the fragments. Our method is illustrated with explicit calculations on simple systems exhibiting delocalization and static-correlation errors, stretched H2 (+), H2, He2 (+), Li2 (+), and Li2. In all these cases, our method leads to greatly improved dissociation-energy curves. The effective KS potential corresponding to our self-consistent solutions displays key features around the bond midpoint; these are known to be present in the exact KS potential, but are absent from most approximate KS potentials and are essential for the correct description of electron dynamics.

Kohn–Sham approach to quantum electrodynamical density-functional theory: Exact time-dependent effective potentials in real space

The density-functional approach to quantum electrodynamics extends traditional density-functional theory and opens the possibility to describe electron-photon interactions in terms of effective Kohn-Sham potentials. In this work, we numerically construct the exact electron-photon Kohn-Sham potentials for a prototype system that consists of a trapped electron coupled to a quantized electromagnetic mode in an optical high-Q cavity. Although the effective current that acts on the photons is known explicitly, the exact effective potential that describes the forces exerted by the photons on the electrons is obtained from a fixed-point inversion scheme. This procedure allows us to uncover important beyond-mean-field features of the effective potential that mark the breakdown of classical light-matter interactions. We observe peak and step structures in the effective potentials, which can be attributed solely to the quantum nature of light; i.e., they are real-space signatures of the photons. Our findings show how the ubiquitous dipole interaction with a classical electromagnetic field has to be modified in real space to take the quantum nature of the electromagnetic field fully into account.

Elimination of the asymptotic fractional dissociation problem in Kohn-Sham density-functional theory using the ensemble-generalization approach

Many approximations within density-functional theory spuriously predict that a many-electron system can dissociate into fractionally charged fragments. Here, we revisit the case of dissociated diatomic molecules, known to exhibit this problem when studied within standard approaches, including the local spin-density approximation (LSDA). By employing our recently proposed [E. Kraisler and L. Kronik, Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 126403 (2013)] ensemble generalization we find that asymptotic fractional dissociation is eliminated in all systems examined, even if the underlying exchange correlation (xc) is still the LSDA. Furthermore, as a result of the ensemble-generalization procedure, the Kohn-Sham potential develops a spatial step between the dissociated atoms, reflecting the emergence of the derivative discontinuity in the xc energy functional. This step, predicted in the past for the exact Kohn-Sham potential and observed in some of its more advanced approximate forms, is a desired feature that prevents any fractional charge transfer between the system's fragments. It is usually believed that simple xc approximations such as the LSDA cannot develop this step. Our findings show, however, that ensemble generalization to fractional electron densities automatically introduces the desired step even to the most simple approximate xc functionals and correctly predicts asymptotic integer dissociation.

Role of electron localization in density functionals

We introduce a functional for simulating ground-state and time-dependent electronic systems within density-functional theory. The functional combines an expression for the exact Kohn-Sham (KS) potential in the limit of complete electron localization with a measure of the actual localization. We find accurate self-consistent charge densities, even for systems where the exact exchange-correlation potential exhibits nonlocal dependence on the density, such as potential steps. We compare our results to the exact KS potential for each system. The self-interaction correction is accurately described, avoiding the need for orbital-dependent potentials.

Exact and approximate Kohn-Sham potentials in ensemble density-functional theory

We construct exact Kohn-Sham potentials for the ensemble density-functional theory (EDFT) from the ground and excited states of helium. The exchange-correlation (XC) potential is compared with the quasi-local-density approximation and both single determinant and symmetry eigenstate ghost-corrected exact exchange approximations. Symmetry eigenstate Hartree-exchange recovers distinctive features of the exact XC potential and is used to calculate the correlation potential. Unlike the exact case, excitation energies calculated from these approximations depend on ensemble weight, and it is shown that only the symmetry eigenstate method produces an ensemble derivative discontinuity. Differences in asymptotic and near-ground-state behavior of exact and approximate XC potentials are discussed in the context of producing accurate optical gaps.

Adiabatic and local approximations for the Kohn-Sham potential in time-dependent Hubbard chains

We obtain the exact Kohn-Sham potentials $V_{\mathrm{KS}}$ of time-dependent density-functional theory for 1D Hubbard chains, driven by a d.c.\ external field, using the time-dependent electron density and current density obtained from exact many-body time-evolution. The exact $V_{\mathrm{xc}}$ is compared to the adiabatically-exact $V_{\mathrm{xc}}^{\mathrm{ad}}$ and the "instantaneous ground state" $V_{\mathrm{xc}}^{\mathrm{igs}}$. The latter is shown to work effectively in some cases when the former fails. Approximations for the exchange-correlation potential $V_{\mathrm{xc}}$ and its gradient, based on the local density and on the local current density, are also considered and both physical quantities are observed to be far outside the reach of any possible local approximation. Insight into the respective roles of ground-state and excited-state correlation in the time-dependent system, as reflected in the potentials, is provided by the pair correlation function.