Sandeep Sharma

The Density Matrix Renormalization Group in Quantum Chemistry

The density matrix renormalization group is a method that is useful for describing molecules that have strongly correlated electrons. Here we provide a pedagogical overview of the basic challenges of strong correlation, how the density matrix renormalization group works, a survey of its existing applications to molecular problems, and some thoughts on the future of the method.

Intramolecular Hydrogen Migration in Alkylperoxy and Hydroperoxyalkylperoxy Radicals: Accurate Treatment of Hindered Rotors

We have calculated the thermochemistry and rate coefficients for stable molecules and reactions in the title reaction families using CBS-QB3 and B3LYP/CBSB7 methods. The accurate treatment of hindered rotors for molecules having multiple internal rotors with potentials that are not independent of each other can be problematic, and a simplified scheme is suggested to treat them. This is particularly important for hydroperoxyalkylperoxy radicals (HOOQOO). Two new thermochemical group values are suggested in this paper, and with these values, the group additivity method for calculation of enthalpy as implemented in reaction mechanism generator (RMG) gives good agreement with CBS-QB3 predictions. The barrier heights follow the Evans-Polanyi relationship for each type of intramolecular hydrogen migration reaction studied.

Spin-adapted density matrix renormalization group algorithms for quantum chemistry

We extend the spin-adapted density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) algorithm of McCulloch and Gulacsi [Europhys. Lett. 57, 852 (2002)] to quantum chemical Hamiltonians. This involves using a quasi-density matrix, to ensure that the renormalized DMRG states are eigenfunctions of Ŝ(2), and the Wigner-Eckart theorem, to reduce overall storage and computational costs. We argue that the spin-adapted DMRG algorithm is most advantageous for low spin states. Consequently, we also implement a singlet-embedding strategy due to Tatsuaki [Phys. Rev. E 61, 3199 (2000)] where we target high spin states as a component of a larger fictitious singlet system. Finally, we present an efficient algorithm to calculate one- and two-body reduced density matrices from the spin-adapted wavefunctions. We evaluate our developments with benchmark calculations on transition metal system active space models. These include the Fe(2)S(2), [Fe(2)S(2)(SCH(3))(4)](2-), and Cr(2) systems. In the case of Fe(2)S(2), the spin-ladder spacing is on the microHartree scale, and here we show that we can target such very closely spaced states. In [Fe(2)S(2)(SCH(3))(4)](2-), we calculate particle and spin correlation functions, to examine the role of sulfur bridging orbitals in the electronic structure. In Cr(2) we demonstrate that spin-adaptation with the Wigner-Eckart theorem and using singlet embedding can yield up to an order of magnitude increase in computational efficiency. Overall, these calculations demonstrate the potential of using spin-adaptation to extend the range of DMRG calculations in complex transition metal problems.

Low-energy spectrum of iron–sulfur clusters directly from many-particle quantum mechanics

Iron-sulfur clusters are a universal biological motif. They carry out electron transfer, redox chemistry and even oxygen sensing, in diverse processes including nitrogen fixation, respiration and photosynthesis. Their low-lying electronic states are key to their remarkable reactivity, but they cannot be directly observed. Here, we present the first ever quantum calculation of the electronic levels of [2Fe-2S] and [4Fe-4S] clusters free from any model assumptions. Our results highlight the limitations of long-standing models of their electronic structure. In particular, we demonstrate that the widely used Heisenberg double exchange model underestimates the number of states by one to two orders of magnitude, which can conclusively be traced to the absence of Fe dd excitations, thought to be important in these clusters. Furthermore, the electronic energy levels of even the same spin are dense on the scale of vibrational fluctuations and this provides a natural explanation for the ubiquity of these clusters in catalysis in nature.

The ab-initio density matrix renormalization group in practice

The ab-initio density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) is a tool that can be applied to a wide variety of interesting problems in quantum chemistry. Here, we examine the density matrix renormalization group from the vantage point of the quantum chemistry user. What kinds of problems is the DMRG well-suited to? What are the largest systems that can be treated at practical cost? What sort of accuracies can be obtained, and how do we reason about the computational difficulty in different molecules? By examining a diverse benchmark set of molecules: π-electron systems, benchmark main-group and transition metal dimers, and the Mn-oxo-salen and Fe-porphine organometallic compounds, we provide some answers to these questions, and show how the density matrix renormalization group is used in practice.

Spectroscopic accuracy directly from quantum chemistry: Application to ground and excited states of beryllium dimer

We combine explicit correlation via the canonical transcorrelation approach with the density matrix renormalization group and initiator full configuration interaction quantum Monte Carlo methods to compute a near-exact beryllium dimer curve, without the use of composite methods. In particular, our direct density matrix renormalization group calculations produce a well-depth of D(e) = 931.2 cm(-1) which agrees very well with recent experimentally derived estimates D(e) = 929.7±2 cm(-1) [J. M. Merritt, V. E. Bondybey, and M. C. Heaven, Science 324, 1548 (2009)] and D(e) = 934.6 cm(-1) [K. Patkowski, V. Špirko, and K. Szalewicz, Science 326, 1382 (2009)], as well the best composite theoretical estimates, D(e) = 938±15 cm(-1) [K. Patkowski, R. Podeszwa, and K. Szalewicz, J. Phys. Chem. A 111, 12822 (2007)] and D(e) = 935.1±10 cm(-1) [J. Koput, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 13, 20311 (2011)]. Our results suggest possible inaccuracies in the functional form of the potential used at shorter bond lengths to fit the experimental data [J. M. Merritt, V. E. Bondybey, and M. C. Heaven, Science 324, 1548 (2009)]. With the density matrix renormalization group we also compute near-exact vertical excitation energies at the equilibrium geometry. These provide non-trivial benchmarks for quantum chemical methods for excited states, and illustrate the surprisingly large error that remains for 1 ¹Σ(g)⁻ state with approximate multi-reference configuration interaction and equation-of-motion coupled cluster methods. Overall, we demonstrate that explicitly correlated density matrix renormalization group and initiator full configuration interaction quantum Monte Carlo methods allow us to fully converge to the basis set and correlation limit of the non-relativistic Schrödinger equation in small molecules.

Communication: A flexible multi-reference perturbation theory by minimizing the Hylleraas functional with matrix product states

We describe a formulation of multi-reference perturbation theory that obtains a rigorous upper bound to the second order energy by minimizing the Hylleraas functional in the space of matrix product states (MPS). The first order wavefunctions so obtained can also be used to compute the third order energy with little overhead. Our formulation has several advantages including (i) flexibility with respect to the choice of zeroth order Hamiltonian, (ii) recovery of the exact uncontracted multi-reference perturbation theory energies in the limit of large MPS bond dimension, (iii) no requirement to compute high body density matrices, (iv) an embarrassingly parallel algorithm (scaling up to the number of virtual orbitals, squared, processors). Preliminary numerical examples show that the MPS bond dimension required for accurate first order wavefunctions scales sub-linearly with the size of the basis.

Semistochastic Heat-Bath Configuration Interaction Method: Selected Configuration Interaction with Semistochastic Perturbation Theory

We extend the recently proposed heat-bath configuration interaction (HCI) method [Holmes, Tubman, Umrigar, J. Chem. Theory Comput. 2016, 12, 3674], by introducing a semistochastic algorithm for performing multireference Epstein-Nesbet perturbation theory, in order to completely eliminate the severe memory bottleneck of the original method. The proposed algorithm has several attractive features. First, there is no sign problem that plagues several quantum Monte Carlo methods. Second, instead of using Metropolis-Hastings sampling, we use the Alias method to directly sample determinants from the reference wave function, thus avoiding correlations between consecutive samples. Third, in addition to removing the memory bottleneck, semistochastic HCI (SHCI) is faster than the deterministic variant for many systems if a stochastic error of 0.1 mHa is acceptable. Fourth, within the SHCI algorithm one can trade memory for a modest increase in computer time. Fifth, the perturbative calculation is embarrassingly parallel. The SHCI algorithm extends the range of applicability of the original algorithm, allowing us to calculate the correlation energy of very large active spaces. We demonstrate this by performing calculations on several first row dimers including F2 with an active space of (14e, 108o), Mn-Salen cluster with an active space of (28e, 22o), and Cr2 dimer with up to a quadruple-ζ basis set with an active space of (12e, 190o). For these systems we were able to obtain better than 1 mHa accuracy with a wall time of merely 55 s, 37 s, and 56 min on 1, 1, and 4 nodes, respectively.

Multireference linearized coupled cluster theory for strongly correlated systems using matrix product states

We propose a multireference linearized coupled cluster theory using matrix product states (MPSs-LCC) which provides remarkably accurate ground-state energies, at a computational cost that has the same scaling as multireference configuration interaction singles and doubles, for a wide variety of electronic Hamiltonians. These range from first-row dimers at equilibrium and stretched geometries to highly multireference systems such as the chromium dimer and lattice models such as periodic two-dimensional 1-band and 3-band Hubbard models. The MPS-LCC theory shows a speed up of several orders of magnitude over the usual Density Matrix Renormalization Group (DMRG) algorithm while delivering energies in excellent agreement with converged DMRG calculations. Also, in all the benchmark calculations presented here, MPS-LCC outperformed the commonly used multi-reference quantum chemistry methods in some cases giving energies in excess of an order of magnitude more accurate. As a size-extensive method that can treat large active spaces, MPS-LCC opens up the use of multireference quantum chemical techniques in strongly correlated ab initio Hamiltonians, including two- and three-dimensional solids.

Computed Rate Coefficients and Product Yields for c-C5H5 + CH3 → Products

Using quantum chemical methods, we have explored the region of the C6H8 potential energy surface that is relevant in predicting the rate coefficients of various wells and major product channels following the reaction between cyclopentadienyl radical and methyl radical, c-C5H5 + CH3. Variational transition state theory is used to calculate the high-pressure-limit rate coefficient for all of the barrierless reactions. RRKM theory and the master equation are used to calculate the pressure dependent rate coefficients for 12 reactions. The calculated results are compared with the limited experimental data available in the literature and the agreement between the two is quite good. All of the rate coefficients calculated in this work are tabulated and can be used in building detailed chemical kinetic models.