Testing time-dependent density functional theory with depopulated molecular orbitals for predicting electronic excitation energies of valence, Rydberg, and charge-transfer states and potential energies near a conical intersection

Journal Article · Sun Sep 14 04:00:00 EDT 2014 · Journal of Chemical Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4894522· OSTI ID:22308360

Li, Shaohong L.

Kohn-Sham (KS) time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) with most exchange-correlation functionals is well known to systematically underestimate the excitation energies of Rydberg and charge-transfer excited states of atomic and molecular systems. To improve the description of Rydberg states within the KS TDDFT framework, Gaiduk et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 253005 (2012)] proposed a scheme that may be called HOMO depopulation. In this study, we tested this scheme on an extensive dataset of valence and Rydberg excitation energies of various atoms, ions, and molecules. It is also tested on a charge-transfer excitation of NH{sub 3}-F{sub 2} and on the potential energy curves of NH{sub 3} near a conical intersection. We found that the method can indeed significantly improve the accuracy of predicted Rydberg excitation energies while preserving reasonable accuracy for valence excitation energies. However, it does not appear to improve the description of charge-transfer excitations that are severely underestimated by standard KS TDDFT with conventional exchange-correlation functionals, nor does it perform appreciably better than standard TDDFT for the calculation of potential energy surfaces.

• OSTI ID: 22308360
• Journal Information: Journal of Chemical Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Chemical Physics Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 141; ISSN JCPSA6; ISSN 0021-9606
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
ACCURACY
AMMONIA
ATOMS
DENSITY FUNCTIONAL METHOD
EXCITATION
IONS
MOLECULES
POTENTIAL ENERGY
RYDBERG STATES
TESTING
TIME DEPENDENCE