Coupled cluster

Abstract: In the past, basis sets for use in correlated molecular calculations have largely been taken from single configuration calculations. Recently, Almlof, Taylor, and co‐workers have found that basis sets of natural orbitals derived from correlated atomic calculations (ANOs) provide an excellent description of molecular correlation effects. We report here a careful study of correlation effects in the oxygen atom, establishing that compact sets of primitive Gaussian functions effectively and efficiently describe correlation effects i f the exponents of the functions are optimized in atomic correlated calculations, although the primitive (s p) functions for describing correlation effects can be taken from atomic Hartree–Fock calculations i f the appropriate primitive set is used. Test calculations on oxygen‐containing molecules indicate that these primitive basis sets describe molecular correlation effects as well as the ANO sets of Almlof and Taylor. Guided by the calculations on oxygen, basis sets for use in correlated atomic and molecular calculations were developed for all of the first row atoms from boron through neon and for hydrogen. As in the oxygen atom calculations, it was found that the incremental energy lowerings due to the addition of correlating functions fall into distinct groups. This leads to the concept of c o r r e l a t i o n c o n s i s t e n t b a s i s s e t s, i.e., sets which include all functions in a given group as well as all functions in any higher groups. Correlation consistent sets are given for all of the atoms considered. The most accurate sets determined in this way, [5s4p3d2f1g], consistently yield 99% of the correlation energy obtained with the corresponding ANO sets, even though the latter contains 50% more primitive functions and twice as many primitive polarization functions. It is estimated that this set yields 94%–97% of the total (HF+1+2) correlation energy for the atoms neon through boron.

Abstract: The calculation of accurate electron affinities (EAs) of atomic or molecular species is one of the most challenging tasks in quantum chemistry. We describe a reliable procedure for calculating the electron affinity of an atom and present results for hydrogen, boron, carbon, oxygen, and fluorine (hydrogen is included for completeness). This procedure involves the use of the recently proposed correlation‐consistent basis sets augmented with functions to describe the more diffuse character of the atomic anion coupled with a straightforward, uniform expansion of the reference space for multireference singles and doubles configuration‐interaction (MRSD‐CI) calculations. Comparison with previous results and with corresponding full CI calculations are given. The most accurate EAs obtained from the MRSD‐CI calculations are (with experimental values in parentheses) hydrogen 0.740 eV (0.754), boron 0.258 (0.277), carbon 1.245 (1.263), oxygen 1.384 (1.461), and fluorine 3.337 (3.401). The EAs obtained from the MR‐SD...

Abstract: The coupled‐cluster singles and doubles model (CCSD) is derived algebraically, presenting the full set of equations for a general reference function explicitly in spin–orbital form. The computational implementation of the CCSD model, which involves cubic and quartic terms, is discussed and results are reported and compared with full CI calculations for H2O and BeH2. We demonstrate that the CCSD exponential ansatz sums higher‐order correlation effects efficiently even for BeH2, near its transition state geometry where quasidegeneracy efforts are quite large, recovering 98% of the full CI correlation energy. For H2O, CCSD plus the fourth‐order triple excitation correction agrees with the full CI energy to 0.5 kcal/mol. Comparisons with low‐order models provide estimates of the effect of the higher‐order terms T1T2, T21T2, T31, and T41 on the correlation energy.

Abstract: A method is suggested for the calculation of the matrix elements of the logarithm of an operator which gives the exact wavefunction when operating on the wavefunction in the one‐electron approximation. The method is based on the use of the creation and annihilation operators, hole—particle formalism, Wick's theorem, and the technique of Feynman‐like diagrams. The connection of this method with the configuration‐interaction method as well as with the perturbation theory in the quantum‐field theoretical form is discussed. The method is applied to the simple models of nitrogen and benzene molecules. The results are compared with those obtained with the configuration‐interaction method considering all possible configurations within the chosen basis of one‐electron functions.

Abstract: Today, coupled-cluster theory offers the most accurate results among the practical ab initio electronic-structure theories applicable to moderate-sized molecules. Though it was originally proposed for problems in physics, it has seen its greatest development in chemistry, enabling an extensive range of applications to molecular structure, excited states, properties, and all kinds of spectroscopy. In this review, the essential aspects of the theory are explained and illustrated with informative numerical results.