Accuracy of basis-set extrapolation schemes for DFT-RPA correlation energies in molecular calculations

We construct a reference benchmark set for atomic and molecular random-phase-approximation (RPA) correlation energies in a density functional theory (DFT) framework at the complete basis set limit. This set is used to evaluate the accuracy of some popular extrapolation schemes for RPA all-electron molecular calculations. The results indicate that for absolute energies accurate results, clearly outperforming raw data, are achievable with two-point extrapolation schemes based on quintuple- and sextuple-zeta basis sets. Moreover, we show that results in good agreement with the benchmark can also be also obtained by using a semiempirical extrapolation procedure based on quadruple- and quintuple-zeta basis sets. Finally, we analyze the performance of different extrapolation schemes for atomization energies.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figure

Accurate non-covalent interaction energies via an efficient MP2 scaling procedure

Using the observed proportionality of CCSD(T) and MP2 correlation interaction energies [I. Grabowski, E. Fabiano, F. Della Sala, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 15, 15485 (2013)] we propose a simple scaling procedure to compute accurate interaction energies of non-covalent complexes. Our method makes use of MP2 and CCSD(T) correlation energies, computed in relatively small basis sets, and fitted scaling coefficients to yield interaction energies of almost complete basis set limit CCSD(T) quality. Thanks to the good transferability of the scaling coefficients involved in the calculations, good results can be easily obtained for different intermolecular distances.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figure

Construction of a general semilocal exchange-correlation hole model: Application to nonempirical meta-GGA functionals

Using a reverse-engineering method we construct a meta-generalized gradient approximation (meta-GGA) angle-averaged exchange-correlation hole model which has a general applicability. It satisfies known exact hole constraints and can exactly recover the exchange-correlation energy density of any reasonable meta-GGA exchange-correlation energy functional satisfying a minimal set of exact properties. The hole model is applied to several non-empirical meta-GGA functionals: the Tao-Perdew-Staroverov-Scuseria (TPSS), the revised TPSS (revTPSS) and the recently Balanced LOCalization (BLOC) meta-GGA of L.A. Constantin, E. Fabiano, and F. Della Sala, (J. Chem. Theory Comput. 9, 2256 (2013)). The empirical M06-L meta-GGA functional is also considered. Real-space analyses of atoms and ions as well as wave-vector analyses of jellium surface energies, show that the meta-GGA hole models, in particular the BLOC one, are very realistic and can reproduce many features of benchmark XC holes. In addition, the BLOC hole model can be used to estimate with good accuracy the Coulomb hole radius of small atoms and ions. Thus, the proposed meta-GGA hole models provide a valuable tool to validate in detail existing meta-GGA functionals, and can be further used in the development of DFT methods beyond the semilocal level of theory.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figure

Kohn-Sham Kinetic Energy Density in the Nuclear and Asymptotic Regions: Deviations from the Von Weizs\"acker Behavior and Applications to Density Functionals

We show that the Kohn-Sham positive-definite kinetic energy (KE) density significantly differs from the von Weizs\"acker (VW) one at the nuclear cusp as well as in the asymptotic region. At the nuclear cusp, the VW functional is shown to be linear and the contribution of p-type orbitals to the KE density is theoretically derived and numerically demonstrated in the limit of infinite nuclear charge, as well in the semiclassical limit of neutral large atoms. In the latter case, it reaches 12 of the KE density. In the asymptotic region we find new exact constraints for meta Generalized Gradient Approximation (meta-GGA) exchange functionals: with an exchange enhancement factor proportional to $\sqrt{\alpha}$, where $\alpha$ is the common meta-GGA ingredient, both the exchange energy density and the potential are proportional to the exact ones. In addition, this describes exactly the large-gradient limit of quasi-two dimensional systems.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Wave-function and density functional theory studies of dihydrogen complexes

We performed a benchmark study on a series of dihydrogen bond complexes and constructed a set of reference bond distances and interaction energies. The test set was employed to assess the performance of several wave-function correlated and density functional theory methods. We found that second-order correlation methods describe relatively well the dihydrogen complexes. However, for high accuracy inclusion of triple contributions is important. On the other hand, none of the considered density functional methods can simultaneously yield accurate bond lengths and interaction energies. However, we found that improved results can be obtained by the inclusion of non-local exchange contributions.Comment: 15 pages, 7 figure

Kinetic and Exchange Energy Densities near the Nucleus

We investigate the behavior of the kinetic and the exchange energy densities near the nuclear cusp of atomic systems. Considering hydrogenic orbitals, we derive analytical expressions near the nucleus, for single shells, as well as in the semiclassical limit of large non-relativistic neutral atoms. We show that a model based on the helium iso-electronic series is very accurate, as also confirmed by numerical calculations on real atoms up to two thousands electrons. Based on this model, we propose non-local density-dependent ingredients that are suitable for the description of the kinetic and exchange energy densities in the region close to the nucleus. These non-local ingredients are invariant under the uniform scaling of the density, and they can be used in the construction of non-local exchange-correlation and kinetic functionals.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figure

Meta-GGA exchange-correlation functional with a balanced treatment of nonlocality

We construct a meta-generalized-gradient approximation which properly balances the nonlocality contributions to the exchange and correlation at the semilocal level. This non-empirical functional shows good accuracy for a broad palette of properties (thermochemistry, structural properties) and systems (molecules, metal clusters, surfaces and bulk solids). The accuracy for several well known problems in electronic structure calculations, such as the bending potential of the silver trimer and the dimensional crossover of anionic gold clusters, is also demonstrated. The inclusion of empirical dispersion corrections is finally discussed and analyzed.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figure

Effects of macroscopic-polarization built-in electrostatic fields in III-V nitrides multi-quantum-wells

Huge built-in electric fields have been predicted to exist in wurtzite III-V nitrides thin films and multilayers. Such fields originate from heterointerface discontinuities of the macroscopic bulk polarization of the nitrides. Here we discuss the background theory, the role of spontaneous polarization in this context, and the practical implications of built-in polarization fields in nitride nanostructures. To support our arguments, we present detailed self-consistent tight-binding simulations of typical nitride QW structures in which polarization effects are dominant.Comment: RevTeX 10 pages, 9 figure

Gradient-dependent upper bound for the exchange-correlation energy and application to density functional theory

We propose a simple gradient-dependent bound for the exchange-correlation energy (sLL), based on the recent non-local bound derived by Lewin and Lieb. We show that sLL is equivalent to the original Lieb-Oxford bound in rapidly-varying density cases but it is tighter for slowly-varying density systems. To show the utility of the sLL bound we apply it to the construction of simple semilocal and non-local exchange and correlation functionals. In both cases improved results, with respect to the use of Lieb-Oxford bound, are obtained showing the power of the sLL bound.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure

Laplacian-level kinetic energy approximations based on the fourth-order gradient expansion: Global assessment and application to the subsystem formulation of density functional theory

We test Laplacian-level meta-generalized gradient approximation (meta-GGA) non-interacting kinetic energy functionals based on the fourth-order gradient expansion (GE4). We consider several well known Laplacian-level meta-GGAs from literature (bare GE4, modified GE4, and the MGGA functional of Perdew and Constantin [Phys. Rev. B \textbf{75},155109 (2007)]), as well as two newly designed Laplacian-level kinetic energy functionals (named L0.4 and L0.6). First, a general assessment of the different functionals is performed, testing them for model systems (one-electron densities, Hooke's atom and different jellium systems), atomic and molecular kinetic energies as well as for their behavior with respect to density-scaling transformations. Finally, we assess, for the first time, the performance of the different functionals for Subsystem Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations on non-covalently interacting systems. We find that the different Laplacian-level meta-GGA kinetic functionals may improve the description of different properties of electronic systems but no clear overall advantage is found over the best GGA functionals. Concerning Subsystem DFT calculations, the here proposed L0.4 kinetic energy functional is competitive with state-of-the-art GGAs, whereas all other Laplacian-level functionals fail badly. The performance of the Laplacian-level functionals is rationalized thanks to a two-dimensional reduced-gradient and reduced-Laplacian decomposition of the non-additive kinetic energy density.Comment: 19 pages, 6 figure