Generalized relativistic small-core pseudopotentials accounting for quantum electrodynamic effects: construction and pilot applications

A simple procedure to incorporate one-loop quantum electrodynamic (QED) corrections into the generalized (Gatchina) nonlocal shape-consistent relativistic pseudopotential model is described. The pseudopotentials for Lu, Tl, and Ra replacing only inner core shells (with principal quantum numbers $n\le 3$ for the two former elements and $n\le 4$ for the latter one) are derived from the solutions of reference atomic SCF problems with the Dirac-Coulomb-Breit Hamiltonian to which the model Lamb shift operator added. QED contributions to atomic valence excitation energies evaluated at the SCF level are demonstrated to exceed the errors introduced by the pseudopotential approximation itself by an order of magnitude. Pilot applications of the new model to calculations of excitation energies of two-valence-electron atomic systems using the intermediate-Hamiltonian relativistic Fock space coupled cluster method reformulated here for incomplete main model spaces are reported. Implications for high-accuracy molecular excited state calculations are discussed

Which oxidation state of uranium and thorium as point defects in xenotime is favorable?

Relativistic study of xenotime, YPO$_4$, containing atoms thorium and uranium as point defects is performed in the framework of cluster model with using the compound-tunable embedding potential (CTEP) method proposed by us recently. The Y-(PO$_4$)$_6$-Y'$_{22}$-O'$_{104}$ cluster for xenotime is considered, in which central part, [Y-(PO$_4$)$_6$]$^{-15}$, is the main cluster, whereas outermost 22 atoms of yttrium and 104 atoms of oxygen are treated as its environment and compose electron-free CTEP with the total charge of $+15$. The P and O atoms of the orthophosphate groups nearest to the central Y atom are treated at all-electron level. The central Y, its substitutes, Th and U, together with environmental Y atoms are described within different versions of the generalized relativistic pseudopotential method. Correctness of our cluster and CTEP models, constructed in the paper, is justified by comparing the Y-O and P-O bond lengths with corresponding periodic structure values of the \ypo4 crystal, both experimental and theoretical. Using this cluster model, chemical properties of solitary point defects, X = U, Th, in xenotime are analyzed. It has been shown that the oxidation state ${+3}$ is energetically more profitable than ${+4}$ not only for thorium but for uranium as well ($\Delta E \approx 5$ eV) despite the notably higher ionic radius of U$^{+3}$ compared to Y$^{+3}$, whereas ionic radii of U$^{+4}$ and Y$^{+3}$ are close. This leads to notable local deformation of crystal geometry around the U$^{+3}$ impurity in xenotime and contradicts to widespread opinion about favorite oxidation state of uranium in such kind of minerals.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, 3 table

Compound-tunable embedding potential method to model local electronic excitations on ff-element ions in solids: Pilot relativistic coupled cluster study of Ce and Th impurities in yttrium orthophosphate, YPO4_4

A method to simulate local properties and processes in crystals with impurities via constructing cluster models within the frame of the compound-tunable embedding potential (CTEP) and highly-accurate {\it ab initio} relativistic molecular-type electronic structure calculations is developed and applied to the Ce and Th-doped yttrium orthophosphate crystals, YPO$_4$, having xenotime structure. Two embedded cluster models are considered, the "minimal" one, YO$_8$@CTEP$_{\rm min}$, consisting of the central Y$^{3+}$ cation and its first coordination sphere of eight O$^{2-}$ anions (i.~e.\ with broken P--O bonds), and its extended counterpart, Y(PO$_4$)$_6$@CTEP$_{\rm ext}$, implying the full treatment of all atoms of the PO$_4^{3-}$ anions nearest to the central Y$^{3+}$ cation. CTEP$_{\rm min,ext}$ denote here the corresponding cluster environment described within the CTEP method. The relativistic Fock-space coupled cluster (FS RCC) theory is applied to the minimal cluster model to study electronic excitations localized on Ce$^{3+}$ and Th$^{3+}$ impurity ions. Calculated transition energies for the cerium-doped xenotime are in a good agreement with the available experimental data (mean absolute deviation of ca.0.3 eV for $4f{\to}5d$ type transitions). For the thorium-doped crystal the picture of electronic states is predicted to be quite complicated, the ground state is expected to be of the $6d$ character. The uncertainty for the excitation energies of thorium-doped xenotime is estimated to be within 0.35 eV. Radiative lifetimes of excited states are calculated at the FS RCC level for both doped crystals. The calculated lifetime of the lowest $5d$ state of Ce$^{3+}$ differs from the experimentally measured one by no more than twice

Broadband velocity modulation spectroscopy of HfF^+: towards a measurement of the electron electric dipole moment

Precision spectroscopy of trapped HfF^+ will be used in a search for the permanent electric dipole moment of the electron (eEDM). While this dipole moment has yet to be observed, various extensions to the standard model of particle physics (such as supersymmetry) predict values that are close to the current limit. We present extensive survey spectroscopy of 19 bands covering nearly 5000 cm^(-1) using both frequency-comb and single-frequency laser velocity-modulation spectroscopy. We obtain high-precision rovibrational constants for eight electronic states including those that will be necessary for state preparation and readout in an actual eEDM experiment.Comment: 13 pages, 7 figures, 3 table

RELATIVISTIC COMBINED PSEUDOPOTENTIAL−-RESTORATION METHOD FOR STUDYING MULTITUDE OF PROPERTIES IN HEAVY-ATOM SYSTEMS

This work is supported by the RFBR Grant No. 09--03--01034.Author Institution: B.P.Konstantinov Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute, Gatchina; Leningrad district 188300, RussiaThe relativistic pseudopotential (RPP) calculations of valence (spectroscopic, chemical etc.) properties of molecules are very efficient because the modern two-component RPP methods allows one to treat very accurately the correlation and relativistic effects for the valence electrons of a molecule and to reduce dramatically the computational cost. The valence molecular spinors are usually smoothed in atomic cores and, as a result, direct calculation of electronic densities near heavy nuclei within such approach directly is impossible. Precise calculations of such properties, as hyperfine constants and other magnetic properties, parity nonconservation effects, which are described by the operators heavily concentrated in atomic cores, usually require very accurate accounting for both relativistic and correlation effects. Electronic structure should be well evaluated in both valence and atomic core regions. However, precise all-electron four-component treatment of molecules with heavy elements is yet rather consuming. In the report, an alternative approach based on the RPP method and one-center core-restoration technique [1] developed by the authors for such studies is discussed. Its efficiency is illustrated in benchmark to-date calculations of magnetic$-$dipole and electric quadrupole hyperfine$-$structure constants, as well as the space parity (P) and time-reversal symmetry (T) nonconservation effects in polar heavy-atom molecules, including HfF$^+$, PtH$^+$, ThO and WC, which are studied now as promising candidates for the experimental search of the electron electric dipole moment (eEDM). \vspace{5mm} [1] A.V.Titov, N.S.Mosyagin, A.N.Petrov, T.A.Isaev, D.DeMille, Progr.\ Theor.\ Chem.\ Phys., {\bf 15B}, 253 (2006)

LIBGRPP: A Library for the Evaluation of Molecular Integrals of the Generalized Relativistic Pseudopotential Operator over Gaussian Functions

Generalized relativistic pseudopotentials (GRPP) of atomic cores implying the use of different potentials for atomic electronic shells with different principal quantum numbers give rise to accurate and reliable relativistic electronic structure models of atoms, molecules, clusters, and solids. These models readily incorporate the effects of Breit electron–electron interactions and one-loop quantum electrodynamics effects. Here, we report the computational procedure for evaluating one-electron integrals of GRPP over contracted Gaussian functions. This procedure was implemented in a library of routines named LIBGRPP, which can be integrated into existing quantum chemistry software, thus enabling the application of various methods to solve the many-electron problem with GRPPs. Pilot applications to electronic transitions in the ThO and UO2 molecules using the new library and intermediate-Hamiltonian Fock space relativistic coupled cluster method are presented. Deviations of excitation energies obtained within the GRPP approach from their all-electron Dirac–Coulomb–Gaunt counterparts do not exceed 50 cm−1 for the 31 lowest-energy states of ThO and 110 cm−1 for the 79 states of UO2. The results clearly demonstrate that rather economical tiny-core GRPP models can exceed in accuracy relativistic all-electron models defined by Dirac–Coulomb and Dirac–Coulomb–Gaunt Hamiltonians

Ab initio study of electronic states and radiative properties of the AcF molecule

Relativistic coupled-cluster calculations of the ionization potential, dissociation energy, and excited electronic states under 35 000 cm−1 are presented for the actinium monofluoride (AcF) molecule. The ionization potential is calculated to be IPe = 48 866 cm−1, and the ground state is confirmed to be a closed-shell singlet and thus strongly sensitive to the T,P-violating nuclear Schiff moment of the Ac nucleus. Radiative properties and transition dipole moments from the ground state are identified for several excited states, achieving a mean uncertainty estimate of ∼450 cm−1 for the excitation energies. For higher-lying states that are not directly accessible from the ground state, possible two-step excitation pathways are proposed. The calculated branching ratios and Franck–Condon factors are used to investigate the suitability of AcF for direct laser cooling. The lifetime of the metastable (1)3Δ1 state, which can be used in experimental searches of the electric dipole moment of the electron, is estimated to be of order 1 ms

Ab initio study of electronic states and radiative properties of the AcF molecule

Relativistic coupled-cluster calculations of the ionization potential, dissociation energy, and excited electronic states under 35,000 cm$^{-1}$ are presented for the actinium monofluoride (AcF) molecule. The ionization potential is calculated to be IP$_e=48,866$ cm$^{-1}$, and the ground state is confirmed to be a closed-shell singlet and thus strongly sensitive to the $\mathcal{T}$,$\mathcal{P}$-violating nuclear Schiff moment of the Ac nucleus. Radiative properties and transition dipole moments from the ground state are identified for several excited states, achieving an uncertainty of $\sim$450 cm$^{-1}$ for the excitation energies. For higher-lying states that are not directly accessible from the ground state, possible two-step excitation pathways are proposed. The calculated branching ratios and Franck-Condon factors are used to investigate the suitability of AcF for direct laser cooling. The lifetime of the metastable $(1)^3\Delta_1$ state, which can be used in experimental searches of the electric dipole moment of the electron, is estimated to be of order 1 ms