The variational cluster approximation proposed by Potthoff is applied to the
calculation of the single-particle spectral function of the transition metal
oxides MnO, CoO and NiO. Trial self-energies and the numerical value of the
Luttinger-Ward functional are obtained by exact diagonalization of a
TMO6-cluster. The single-particle parameters of this cluster serve as
variational parameters to construct a stationary point of the grand potential
of the lattice system. The stationary point is found by a crossover procedure
which allows to go continuously from an array of disconnected clusters to the
lattice system. The self-energy is found to contain irrelevant degrees of
freedom which have marginal impact on the grand potential and which need to be
excluded to obtain meaningful results. The obtained spectral functions are in
good agreement with experimental data.Comment: 14 pages, 17 figure