First-order Nonadiabatic Couplings Research Articles

Fewest switches surface hopping with Baeck-An couplings.

In the Baeck-An (BA) approximation, first-order nonadiabatic coupling vectors are given in terms of adiabatic energy gaps and the second derivative of the gaps with respect to the coupling coordinate. In this paper, a time-dependent (TD) BA approximation is derived, where the couplings are computed from the energy gaps and their second time-derivatives. TD-BA couplings can be directly used in fewest switches surface hopping, enabling nonadiabatic dynamics with any electronic structure methods able to provide excitation energies and energy gradients. Test results of surface hopping with TD-BA couplings for ethylene and fulvene show that the TD-BA approximation delivers a qualitatively correct picture of the dynamics and a semiquantitative agreement with reference data computed with exact couplings. Nevertheless, TD-BA does not perform well in situations conjugating strong couplings and small velocities. Considered the uncertainties in the method, TD-BA couplings could be a competitive approach for inexpensive, exploratory dynamics with a small trajectories ensemble. We also assessed the potential use of TD-BA couplings for surface hopping dynamics with time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT), but the results are not encouraging due to singlet instabilities near the crossing seam with the ground state.

NAC-TDDFT: Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory for Nonadiabatic Couplings

First-order nonadiabatic coupling (NAC) matrix elements (fo-NACMEs) are the basic quantities in theoretical descriptions of electronically nonadiabatic processes that are ubiquitous in molecular physics and chemistry. Given the large size of systems of chemical interests, time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) is usually the first choice of methods. However, the lack of many-electron wave functions in TDDFT renders the formulation of NAC-TDDFT for fo-NACMEs conceptually difficult. Because of this, various variants of NAC-TDDFT have been proposed in the literature from different standing points, including the Hellmann-Feynman-like expression and auxiliary/pseudo-wave function (AWF)-, equation-of-motion (EOM)-, and time-dependent perturbation theory (TDPT)-based formulations. Based on critical analyses, the following conclusions are made here: (1) The Hellmann-Feynman-like expression, which is rooted in exact wave function theory, is hardly useful due to huge demand on basis sets. (2) Although most popular, the AWF variants of NAC-TDDFT are not theoretically founded and become ambiguous particularly for the fo-NACMEs between two excited states, although they do agree with the EOM and TDPT variants under the Tamm-Dancoff approximation. (3) The TDPT variant of NAC-TDDFT is theoretically most rigorous but suffers from numerical instabilities on the one hand and does not differ to a significant extent from the EOM variant on the other hand. (4) As such, the EOM variant of NAC-TDDFT for the fo-NACMEs between the ground and excited states and between two excited states is solely the right choice in practice. These formal analyses are fully supported by numerical experimentations, taking azulene as a showcase. The proper implementation of the EOM variant of NAC-TDDFT is also highlighted, showing that the fo-NACMEs between the ground and excited states and between two excited states are computationally very much the same as the analytic energy gradients of DFT and TDDFT, respectively. Possible future developments of the EOM variant of NAC-TDDFT are also highlighted. Its extensions to spin-adapted open-shell TDDFT and proper treatment of spin-orbit couplings (which are another source of force for electronically nonadiabatic processes) are particularly warranted in the near future.

Fewest switches surface hopping with Baeck-An couplings

In the Baeck-An (BA) approximation, first-order nonadiabatic coupling vectors are given in terms of adiabatic energy gaps and the second derivative of the gaps with respect to the coupling coordinate. In this paper, a time-dependent (TD) BA approximation is derived, where the couplings are computed from the energy gaps and their second time-derivatives. TD-BA couplings can be directly used in fewest switches surface hopping, enabling nonadiabatic dynamics with any electronic structure methods able to provide excitation energies and energy gradients. Test results of surface hopping with TD-BA couplings for ethylene and fulvene show that the TD-BA approximation delivers a qualitatively correct picture of the dynamics and a semiquantitative agreement with reference data computed with exact couplings. Nevertheless, TD-BA does not perform well in situations conjugating strong couplings and small velocities. Considered the uncertainties in the method, TD-BA couplings could be a competitive approach for inexpensive, exploratory dynamics with a small trajectories ensemble. We also assessed the potential use of TD-BA couplings for surface hopping dynamics with time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT), but the results are not encouraging due to singlet instabilities near the crossing seam with the ground state.

Fast and Accurate Computation of Nonadiabatic Coupling Matrix Elements Using the Truncated Leibniz Formula and Mixed-Reference Spin-Flip Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory.

We present a fast and accurate numerical algorithm for computing the first-order nonadiabatic coupling matrix element (NACME). The algorithm employs the truncated Leibniz formula (TLF) approximation within the finite-difference method, which makes it easily applicable in connection with any wave function-based methodology. In this work, we used the algorithm in connection with the recently developed mixed-reference spin-flip time-dependent density functional theory (MRSF-TDDFT, MRSF for brevity). The accuracy is assessed for NACME between the singlet electronic states of a dissociating hydrogen molecule. It is demonstrated that an intermediate approximation, TLF(1), affords a negligible numeric error on the order of ∼10-10 a.u. while enabling a fast computation of NACME. As the MRSF method yields the correct description of the dissociation curves of H2 for all the electronic states involved, the numeric TLF(1)/MRSF NACME values are in excellent agreement with the reference analytical values obtained by the full configuration interaction. For polyatomic molecules, the MRSF NAC vectors agree very closely with the MRCISD NAC vectors. Hence, the proposed protocol is a promising tool for the evaluation of NACMEs.

First-order nonadiabatic couplings in extended systems by time-dependent density functional theory.

We propose an ab initio formulation that enables a rigorous calculation of the first-order nonadiabatic couplings (NAC) between electronic states based on time-dependent density functional theory in conjunction with planewave bases, projector augmented-wave pseudopotentials, and hybrid exchange-correlation functionals. The linear and quadratic time-dependent response theory is used to derive analytic expressions for the NAC matrix elements. In contrast to the previous formulation in atomic basis sets, the present formulation eliminates explicit references to Kohn-Sham virtual orbitals. With the introduction of Lagrangian functionals, the present formulation circumvents expensive derivative calculations of Kohn-Sham orbitals with respect to ionic coordinates. As a validation of the formulation, the NAC matrix elements of small molecules LiH and HeH+ are calculated and compared to previous results with the atomic orbital basis. This development paves the way for accurate ab initio nonadiabatic molecular dynamics in extended systems.

Validity of the Born-Oppenheimer approximation in the indirect-dissociative-recombination process

An alternative method is introduced to solve a simple two-dimensional models describing vibrational excitation and dissociation processes during the electron-molecule collisions. The model works with one electronic and one nuclear degree of freedom. The two-dimensional $R$-matrix can be constructed simultaneously on the electronic and nuclear surfaces using all three forms developed previously for electron-atom and electron-molecule collisions. These are the eigenchannel $R$-matrix form, inversion technique of Nesbet and Robicheaux, and the Wigner-Eisenbud-type form using expansion over the poles of the symmetrized Hamiltonian. The 2D $R$-matrix method is employed to solve a simple model tailored to describe the dissociative recombination and the vibrational excitation of H$_2^+$ cation in the singlet ungerade symmetry $^1\Sigma_u$. These results then serve as a (near-exact) benchmark for the following calculation in which the $R$-matrix states are replaced by their Born-Oppenheimer approximations. The accuracy of this approach and its correction with the first-order nonadiabatic couplings are discussed.

On the applicability of a wavefunction-free, energy-based procedure for generating first-order non-adiabatic couplings around conical intersections.

The primal definition of first-order non-adiabatic couplings among electronic states relies on the knowledge of how electronic wavefunctions vary with nuclear coordinates. However, the non-adiabatic coupling between two electronic states can be obtained in the vicinity of a conical intersection from energies only, as this vector spans the branching plane along which degeneracy is lifted to first order. The gradient difference and derivative coupling are responsible of the two-dimensional cusp of a conical intersection between both potential-energy surfaces and can be identified to the non-trivial eigenvectors of the second derivative of the square energy difference, as first pointed out in Köppel and Schubert [Mol. Phys. 104(5-7), 1069 (2006)]. Such quantities can always be computed in principle for the cost of two numerical Hessians in the worst-case scenario. Analytic-derivative techniques may help in terms of accuracy and efficiency but also raise potential traps due to singularities and ill-defined derivatives at degeneracies. We compare here two approaches, one fully numerical, the other semianalytic, where analytic gradients are available but Hessians are not, and investigate their respective conditions of applicability. Benzene and 3-hydroxychromone are used as illustrative application cases. It is shown that non-adiabatic couplings can thus be estimated with decent accuracy in regions of significant size around conical intersections. This procedure is robust and could be useful in the context of on-the-fly non-adiabatic dynamics or be used for producing model representations of intersecting potential energy surfaces with complete obviation of the electronic wavefunctions.

Analytic formulation of derivative coupling vectors for complete active space configuration interaction wavefunctions with floating occupation molecular orbitals.

The floating occupation molecular orbital complete active space configuration interaction (FOMO-CASCI) method is quite promising for the study of nonadiabatic processes. Use of this method directly in nonadiabatic dynamics simulations has been limited by the lack of available first-order nonadiabatic coupling vectors. Here, an analytic formulation of these derivative coupling vectors is presented for FOMO-CASCI wavefunctions using a simple Lagrangian-based approach. The derivative coupling vectors are applied in the optimization of minimum energy conical intersections of an aqueously solvated model compound for the chromophore of the green fluorescent protein (including 100 water molecules). The computational cost of the FOMO-CASCI derivative coupling vector is shown to scale quadratically, O(N2), with system size and is applied to systems with up to 1000 atoms.

First-order nonadiabatic coupling matrix elements between excited states: a Lagrangian formulation at the CIS, RPA, TD-HF, and TD-DFT levels.

Analytic expressions for the first-order nonadiabatic coupling matrix elements between electronically excited states are first formulated exactly via both time-independent equation of motion and time-dependent response theory, and are then approximated at the configuration interaction singles, particle-hole/particle-particle random phase approximation, and time-dependent density functional theory/Hartree-Fock levels of theory. Note that, to get the Pulay terms arising from the derivatives of basis functions, the standard response theory designed for electronic perturbations has to be extended to nuclear derivatives. The results are further recast into a Lagrangian form that is similar to that for excited-state energy gradients and allows to use atomic orbital based direct algorithms for large molecules.

Comment on “Nonadiabatic couplings from the Kohn-Sham derivative matrix: Formulation by time-dependent density-functional theory and evaluation in the pseudopotential framework”

The issue of the ab initio evaluation of the first-order nonadiabatic couplings (NAC's) is re-examined. In particular, a recent derivation in Phys. Rev. A 82, 062508 (2010) of the NAC's is corrected by performing an extension of the derivation to the case of arbitrary values of the Kohn-Sham (KS) occupation factors. A single expression for the nonadiabatic couplings, valid both for integer and fractional values of the KS occupation factors, is provided.

Electronic currents and Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics

Born-Oppenheimer variable separation is the mainstay of studies of chemical reactivity and dynamics. A long-standing problem of this ansatz is the absence of electronic currents in a system undergoing dynamics. I analyze the physical origin of the "missing" electronic currents in Born-Oppenheimer wavefunctions. By examining the problem within the multi-state Born-Huang ansatz, I demonstrate that electronic currents arise from the first-order non-adiabatic coupling to electronically excited states. I derive two expressions for the electronic currents induced by nuclear motion. The sum-over-the-states formula, identical to the result of "complete adiabatic" treatment of Nafie [J. Chem. Phys. 79, 4950 (1983)] leads to a transparent and intuitive physical picture of the induced currents, but is unsuitable for practical implementation in all but the simplest systems. The equivalent expression in terms of the electronic energy derivatives is straightforward to implement numerically. I present first applications of this approach to small systems of potential chemical interest.

Diabatization Schemes for Generating Charge-Localized Electron-Proton Vibronic States in Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer Systems.

A scheme for the rigorous construction of charge-localized diabatic electron-proton vibronic states for proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) reactions is presented. The diabatic electronic states are calculated using an adiabatic-to-diabatic transformation designed to ensure that the first-order nonadiabatic couplings with respect to a specified one-dimensional reaction coordinate vanish exactly. This scheme is applied to both symmetric and asymmetric PCET systems with several different one-dimensional reaction coordinates, including the hydrogen transfer coordinate, a normal mode coordinate, and the intrinsic reaction coordinate. This approach is also extended to describe the three-dimensional motion of the transferring hydrogen. The diabatic electronic states exhibit relatively invariant charge distributions along the reaction coordinate and are in excellent agreement with the analogous states obtained from the generalized Mulliken-Hush and Boys localization methods. Furthermore, these diabatic electronic states are combined with the associated proton vibrational wave functions to generate charge-localized electron-proton vibronic states that describe one- or three-dimensional hydrogen motion. These electron-proton vibronic states can be used to calculate the vibronic couplings, rate constants, and kinetic isotope effects of PCET reactions.

Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer versus Hydrogen Atom Transfer: Generation of Charge-Localized Diabatic States

The distinction between proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) and hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) mechanisms is important for the characterization of many chemical and biological processes. PCET and HAT mechanisms can be differentiated in terms of electronically nonadiabatic and adiabatic proton transfer, respectively. In this paper, quantitative diagnostics to evaluate the degree of electron-proton nonadiabaticity are presented. Moreover, the connection between the degree of electron-proton nonadiabaticity and the physical characteristics distinguishing PCET from HAT, namely, the extent of electronic charge redistribution, is clarified. In addition, a rigorous diabatization scheme for transforming the adiabatic electronic states into charge-localized diabatic states for PCET reactions is presented. These diabatic states are constructed to ensure that the first-order nonadiabatic couplings with respect to the one-dimensional transferring hydrogen coordinate vanish exactly. Application of these approaches to the phenoxyl-phenol and benzyl-toluene systems characterizes the former as PCET and the latter as HAT. The diabatic states generated for the phenoxyl-phenol system possess physically meaningful, localized electronic charge distributions that are relatively invariant along the hydrogen coordinate. These diabatic electronic states can be combined with the associated proton vibrational states to generate the reactant and product electron-proton vibronic states that form the basis of nonadiabatic PCET theories. Furthermore, these vibronic states and the corresponding vibronic couplings may be used to calculate rate constants and kinetic isotope effects of PCET reactions.

First-order nonadiabatic couplings from time-dependent hybrid density functional response theory: Consistent formalism, implementation, and performance

First-order nonadiabatic coupling matrix elements (NACMEs) are key for phenomena such as nonradiative transitions and excited-state decay, yet a consistent and practical first principles treatment has been elusive for molecules with more than a few heavy atoms. Here we present theory, implementation using Gaussian basis sets, and benchmarks of first-order NACMEs between ground and excited states in the framework of time-dependent hybrid density functional theory (TDDFT). A time-dependent response approach to NACMEs which avoids explicit computation of excited-state wave functions is outlined. In contrast to previous approaches, the present treatment produces exact analytical derivative couplings between time-dependent Kohn-Sham (TDKS) determinants in a finite atom-centered basis set. As in analytical gradient theory, derivative molecular orbital coefficients can be eliminated, making the computational cost independent of the number of nuclear degrees of freedom. Our expression reduces to the exact Chernyak-Mukamel formula for first-order NACMEs in the complete basis-set limit, but greatly improves basis-set convergence in finite atom-centered basis sets due to additional Pulay type terms. The Chernyak-Mukamel formula is shown to be equivalent to the Hellmann-Feynman contribution in analytical gradient theory. Our formalism may be implemented in TDDFT analytical excited-state gradient codes with minor modifications. Tests for systems with up to 147 atoms show that evaluation of first-order NACMEs causes total computation times to increase by an insignificant 10% on average. The resolution-of-the-identity approximation for the Coulomb energy (RI-J) reduces the computational cost by an order of magnitude for nonhybrid functionals, while errors are insignificant with standard auxiliary basis sets. We compare the computed NACMEs to full configuration interaction (FCI) in benchmark results for diatomic molecules; hybrid TDDFT and FCI are found to be in agreement for regions of the potential energy curve where the Kohn-Sham ground-state reference is stable and the character of the excitation is properly captured by the present functionals. With these developments, nonadiabatic molecular dynamics simulations of molecular systems in the 100 atoms regime are within reach.

First-order nonadiabatic coupling matrix elements using coupled cluster methods. I. Theory

It is shown how first-order nonadiabatic coupling matrix elements can be calculated using coupled cluster electronic structure methods. The formalism is consistent with the coupled cluster response theory approach for calculation of excitation energies and adiabatic transition properties. Expressions are derived that are in the limit of a complete coupled cluster expansion give results equivalent to the full configuration interaction results. Computational tractable expressions are given for the first-order nonadiabatic coupling matrix in coupled cluster theory. The final expressions are quite similar to those employed in the implementation of the analytical calculation of molecular gradients.

Orbital connections for perturbation-dependent basis sets

The use of perturbation-dependent basis sets is analysed with emphasis on the connection between the basis sets at different values of the perturbation strength. A particular connection, the natural connection, that minimizes the change of the basis set orbitals is devised and the second quantization realization of this connection is introduced. It is shown that the natural connection is important for the efficient evaluation of molecular properties and for the physical interpretation of the terms entering the calculated properties. For example, in molecular Hessian calculations the natural connection reduces the size of the relaxation term, leading to faster convergence of the response equations. The physical separation of the terms also means that first-order non-adiabatic coupling matrix elements can be obtained in a very simple way from a molecular Hessian calculation.

First-order nonadiabatic coupling matrix elements from multiconfigurational self-consistent-field response theory

A new scheme for obtaining first-order nonadiabatic coupling matrix elements (FO-NACME) for multiconfigurational self-consistent-field (MCSCF) wave functions is presented. The FO-NACME are evaluated from residues of linear response functions. The residues involve the geometrical response of a reference MCSCF wave function and the excitation vectors of response theory. Advantages of the method are that the reference state is fully optimized and that the excited states, represented by the excitation vectors, are strictly orthogonal to each other and to the reference state. In a single calculation the FO-NACME between the reference state and several excited states may be obtained simultaneously. The method is most well suited to describe situations where the dominant configurations for the two states differ mainly by a single electron replacement. When the dominant configurations differ by two electrons many correlating orbitals are required in the MCSCF reference state calculation to accurately describe the FO-NACME. FO-NACME between various states of H2, MgH2, and BH are presented. These calculations show that the method is capable of giving quantitatively correct results that converge to the full configuration interaction limit. Comparisons are made with state-averaged MCSCF results for MgH2 and finite-difference configuration interaction by perturbation with multi-configurational zeroth-order wave function reflected by interactive process (CIPSI) results for BH.