First-principles simulation, meaning density-functional theory calculations with plane waves and pseudopotentials, has become a prized technique in condensed-matter theory. Here I look at the basics of the suject, give a brief review of the theory, examining the strengths and weaknesses of its implementation, and illustrating some of the ways simulators approach problems through a small case study. I also discuss why and how modern software design methods have been used in writing a completely new modular version of the CASTEP code.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0953-8984/14/11/301/pdf

First-principles simulation: ideas, illustrations and the CASTEP code

"Chemists familiar with conventional quantum mechanics will applaud and benefit greatly from this particularly instructive, thorough and clearly written exposition of density functional theory: its basis, concepts, terms, implementation, and performance in diverse applications. Users of DFT for structure, energy, and molecular property computations, as well as reaction mechanism studies, are guided to the optimum choices of the most effective methods. Well done!" Paul von RaguE Schleyer "A conspicuous hole in the computational chemist's library is nicely filled by this book, which provides a wide-ranging and pragmatic view of the subject.[...It] should justifiably become the favorite text on the subject for practioneers who aim to use DFT to solve chemical problems." J. F. Stanton, J. Am. Chem. Soc. "The authors' aim is to guide the chemist through basic theoretical and related technical aspects of DFT at an easy-to-understand theoretical level. They succeed admirably." P. C. H. Mitchell, Appl. Organomet. Chem. "The authors have done an excellent service to the chemical community. [...] A Chemist's Guide to Density Functional Theory is exactly what the title suggests. It should be an invaluable source of insight and knowledge for many chemists using DFT approaches to solve chemical problems." M. Kaupp, Angew. Chem.

A Chemist's Guide to Density Functional Theory

It is demonstrated that semiempirical methods give electrostatic potential (ESP) derived atomic point charges that are in reasonable agreement with ab initio ESP charges. Furthermore, we find that MNDO ESP charges are superior to AM1 ESP charges in correlating with ESP charges derived from the 6-31G* basis set. Thus, it is possible to obtain 6-31G* quality point charges by simply scaling MNDO ESP charges. The charges are scaled in a linear (y = Mx) manner to conserve charge. In this way researchers desiring to carry out force field simulations or minimizations can obtain charges by using MNDO, which requires much less computer time than the corresponding 6-31G* calculation.

Atomic charges derived from semiempirical methods

Basis sets are some of the most important input data for computational models in the chemistry, materials, biology, and other science domains that utilize computational quantum mechanics methods. Providing a shared, Web-accessible environment where researchers can not only download basis sets in their required format but browse the data, contribute new basis sets, and ultimately curate and manage the data as a community will facilitate growth of this resource and encourage sharing both data and knowledge. We describe the Basis Set Exchange (BSE), a Web portal that provides advanced browsing and download capabilities, facilities for contributing basis set data, and an environment that incorporates tools to foster development and interaction of communities. The BSE leverages and enables continued development of the basis set library originally assembled at the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory.

https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1915&context=chem_pubs

Basis set exchange: a community database for computational sciences.

Advances in theory and algorithms for electronic structure calculations must be incorporated into program packages to enable them to become routinely used by the broader chemical community. This work reviews advances made over the past five years or so that constitute the major improvements contained in a new release of the Q-Chem quantum chemistry package, together with illustrative timings and applications. Specific developments discussed include fast methods for density functional theory calculations, linear scaling evaluation of energies, NMR chemical shifts and electric properties, fast auxiliary basis function methods for correlated energies and gradients, equation-of-motion coupled cluster methods for ground and excited states, geminal wavefunctions, embedding methods and techniques for exploring potential energy surfaces.

/pdf/advances-in-methods-and-algorithms-in-a-modern-quantum-29c5vso11m.pdf

Advances in methods and algorithms in a modern quantum chemistry program package

Graduate-level text explains modern in-depth approaches to the calculation of the electronic structure and properties of molecules Hartree-Fock approximation, electron pair approximation, much more Largely self-contained, only prerequisite is solid course in physical chemistry Over 150 exercises 1989 edition

Modern quantum chemistry : introduction to advanced electronic structure theory

A new expression for the correlation energy within the random phase approximation (RPA) is presented. It has the following properties: it is (1) size consistent, (2) invariant to unitary transformations of degenerate orbitals, (3) correct to second order in perturbation theory, and (4) when applied to a supermolecule comprised of two interacting closed‐shells, it describes the dispersive part of the interaction at the coupled Hartree–Fock (HF) level, i.e., the van der Waals’ coefficient extracted from its long‐range behavior is identical to that obtained from the Casimir–Polder expression using the dynamic coupled Hartree–Fock polarizabilities of the isolated systems. This expression, which requires only particle–hole two‐electron integrals for its evaluation, is expected to yield considerably more accurate potential energy curves between closed‐shell systems than second‐order Moller–Plesset perturbation theory which, as is shown, describes dispersion forces at the less accurate uncoupled HF level. In add...

The correlation energy in the random phase approximation: Intermolecular forces between closed‐shell systems

Ghost orbitals and the basis set extension effects

Polyatomic scattering integrals with gaussian orbitals

The calculation of correlation energies for polyatomic molecules is discussed. Four second-order perturbation expressions are considered; only the simplest, a Rayleigh-Schroedinger expansion with the Moller-Plesset partitioning of the Hamiltonian is invariant to an arbitrary mixing of degenerate orbitals and has the correct dependence on the number of particles. In the absence of degeneracies an iterative Brillouin-Wigner method is proposed. Calculations predict that correlation effects favor the non-classical form of carbonium ions.

Neil S. Ostlund

Papers

Modern quantum chemistry : introduction to advanced electronic structure theory

The correlation energy in the random phase approximation: Intermolecular forces between closed‐shell systems

Ghost orbitals and the basis set extension effects

Polyatomic scattering integrals with gaussian orbitals

Perturbation calculation of correlation energies for polyatomic molecules I. Initial results