Calculating X-ray Absorption Spectra of Open-Shell Molecules with the Unrestricted Algebraic-Diagrammatic Construction Scheme for the Polarization Propagator.

X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) is a powerful tool that provides information about the electronic structure of molecules via excitation of electrons from the K-shell core region to the unoccupied molecular levels. These high-lying electronic core-excited states can be accurately calculated using the algebraic-diagrammatic construction scheme of second order ADC(2) by applying the core-valence separation (CVS) approximation to the ADC(2) working equations. For the first time, an efficient implementation of an unrestricted CVS-ADC(2) variant CVS-UADC(2) is presented for the calculation of open-shell molecules by treating α and β spins separately from each other.

Adapting algebraic diagrammatic construction schemes for the polarization propagator to problems with multi-reference electronic ground states exploiting the spin-flip ansatz.

For the investigation of molecular systems with electronic ground states exhibiting multi-reference character, a spin-flip (SF) version of the algebraic diagrammatic construction (ADC) scheme for the polarization propagator up to third order perturbation theory (SF-ADC(3)) is derived via the intermediate state representation and implemented into our existing ADC computer program adcman. The accuracy of these new SF-ADC(n) approaches is tested on typical situations, in which the ground state acquires multi-reference character, like bond breaking of H2 and HF, the torsional motion of ethylene, and the excited states of rectangular and square-planar cyclobutadiene. Overall, the results of SF-ADC(n) reveal an accurate description of these systems in comparison with standard multi-reference methods.

Statistical analysis of electronic excitation processes: Spatial location, compactness, charge transfer, and electron-hole correlation.

We report the development of a set of excited-state analysis tools that are based on the construction of an effective exciton wavefunction and its statistical analysis in terms of spatial multipole moments. This construction does not only enable the quantification of the spatial location and compactness of the individual hole and electron densities but also correlation phenomena can be analyzed, which makes this procedure particularly useful when excitonic or charge-resonance effects are of interest. The methods are first applied to bianthryl with a focus on elucidating charge-resonance interactions.

Analysis and comparison of CVS-ADC approaches up to third order for the calculation of core-excited states.

The extended second order algebraic-diagrammatic construction (ADC(2)-x) scheme for the polarization operator in combination with core-valence separation (CVS) approximation is well known to be a powerful quantum chemical method for the calculation of core-excited states and the description of X-ray absorption spectra. For the first time, the implementation and results of the third order approach CVS-ADC(3) are reported. Therefore, the CVS approximation has been applied to the ADC(3) working equations and the resulting terms have been implemented efficiently in the adcman program.

Experimental benchmark data and systematic evaluation of two a posteriori, polarizable-continuum corrections for vertical excitation energies in solution.

We report the implementation and evaluation of a perturbative, density-based correction scheme for vertical excitation energies calculated in the framework of a polarizable continuum model (PCM). Because the proposed first-order correction terms depend solely on the zeroth-order excited-state density, a transfer of the approach to any configuration interaction-type excited-state method is straightforward. Employing the algebraic-diagrammatic construction (ADC) scheme of up to third order as well as time-dependent density-functional theory (TD-DFT), we demonstrate and evaluate the approach.

The third-order algebraic diagrammatic construction method (ADC(3)) for the polarization propagator for closed-shell molecules: efficient implementation and benchmarking.

The implementation of an efficient program of the algebraic diagrammatic construction method for the polarisation propagator in third-order perturbation theory (ADC(3)) for the computation of excited states is reported. The accuracies of ADC(2) and ADC(3) schemes have been investigated with respect to Thiel's recently established benchmark set for excitation energies and oscillator strengths. The calculation of 141 vertical excited singlet and 71 triplet states of 28 small to medium-sized organic molecules has revealed that ADC(3) exhibits mean error and standard deviation of 0.

Calculating core-level excitations and X-ray absorption spectra of medium-sized closed-shell molecules with the algebraic-diagrammatic construction scheme for the polarization propagator.

Core-level excitations are generated by absorption of high-energy radiation such as X-rays. To describe these energetically high-lying excited states theoretically, we have implemented a variant of the algebraic-diagrammatic construction scheme of second-order ADC(2) by applying the core-valence separation (CVS) approximation to the ADC(2) working equations. Besides excitation energies, the CVS-ADC(2) method also provides access to properties of core-excited states, thereby allowing for the calculation of X-ray absorption spectra.

New tools for the systematic analysis and visualization of electronic excitations. II. Applications.

The excited states of a diverse set of molecules are examined using a collection of newly implemented analysis methods. These examples expose the particular power of three of these tools: (i) natural difference orbitals (the eigenvectors of the difference density matrix) for the description of orbital relaxation effects, (ii) analysis of the one-electron transition density matrix in terms of an electron-hole picture to identify charge resonance and excitonic correlation effects, and (iii) state-averaged natural transition orbitals for a compact simultaneous representation of several states. Furthermore, the utility of a wide array of additional analysis methods is highlighted.

New tools for the systematic analysis and visualization of electronic excitations. I. Formalism.

A variety of density matrix based methods for the analysis and visualization of electronic excitations are discussed and their implementation within the framework of the algebraic diagrammatic construction of the polarization propagator is reported. Their mathematical expressions are given and an extensive phenomenological discussion is provided to aid the interpretation of the results. Starting from several standard procedures, e.

Strong enhancement of parity violation effects in chiral uranium compounds.

The effects of parity violation (PV) on the vibrational transitions of chiral uranium compounds of the type N≡UXYZ and N≡UHXY (X, Y, Z = F, Cl, Br, I) are analysed by means of exact two-component relativistic (X2C) Hartree-Fock and density functional calculations using NUFClI and NUHFI as representative examples. The PV contributions to the vibrational transitions were found to be in the Hz range, larger than for any of the earlier proposed chiral molecules. Thus, these systems are very promising candidates for future experimental PV measurements.

New implementation of high-level correlated methods using a general block tensor library for high-performance electronic structure calculations.

This article presents an open-source object-oriented C++ library of classes and routines to perform tensor algebra.The primary purpose of the library is to enable post-Hartree–Fock electronic structure methods; however, the code is general enough to be applicable in other areas of physical and computational sciences. The library supports tensors of arbitrary order (dimensionality), size, and symmetry.

Evidence for low-temperature melting of mercury owing to relativity.

An old problem solved: Monte Carlo simulations using the diatomic-in-molecule method derived from accurate ground- and excited-state relativistic calculations for Hg2 show that the melting temperature for bulk mercury is lowered by 105 K, which is due to relativistic effects.

Ultrafast charge separation driven by differential particle and hole mobilities.

The process of a local excitation evolving into an intramolecular charge-separated state is followed and compared for several systems by directly simulating the time propagation of the electronic wavefunction. The wavefunction and Hamiltonian are handled using the extended second-order algebraic diagrammatic construction (ADC(2)-x), which explicitly accounts for electron correlation in the dynamic many-particle state. The details of the charge separation can be manipulated according to the chemical composition of the system; atoms which dope the conjugated system with either particles or holes are shown to effect whether the particle or hole is more mobile.

Nature of the lowest excited states of neutral polyenyl radicals and polyene radical cations.

Due to the close relation of the polyenyl radicals C(2n+1)H(2n+3) () and polyene radical cations C(2n)H(2n+2) (+) to the neutral linear polyenes, one may suspect their excited states to possess substantial double excitation character, similar to the famous S(1) state of neutral polyenes and thus to be equally problematic for simple excited state theories. Using the recently developed unrestricted algebraic-diagrammatic construction scheme of second order perturbation theory and the equation-of-motion coupled-cluster method, the vertical excitation energies, their corresponding oscillator strengths, and the nature of the wave functions of the lowest excited electronic states of the radicals are calculated and analyzed in detail. For the polyenyl radicals two one-photon allowed states are found as D(1) and D(4) states, with two symmetry-forbidden D(2) and D(3) states in between, while in the polyene radical cations D(1) and D(2) are allowed and D(3) is forbidden.

Excitation energy transfer and carotenoid radical cation formation in light harvesting complexes - a theoretical perspective.

Light harvesting complexes have been identified in all chlorophyll-based photosynthetic organisms. Their major function is the absorption of light and its transport to the reaction centers, however, they are also involved in excess energy quenching, the so-called non-photochemical quenching (NPQ). In particular, electron transfer and the resulting formation of carotenoid radical cations have recently been discovered to play an important role during NPQ in green plants.

Unrestricted algebraic diagrammatic construction scheme of second order for the calculation of excited states of medium-sized and large molecules.

An unrestricted version of the algebraic diagrammatic construction (ADC) scheme of the polarization propagator in second order perturbation theory [UADC(2)] is derived via the intermediate state representation. The accuracy of the extended UADC(2)-x approach is evaluated by comparison of computed excitation energies of 11 medium-sized radicals with their corresponding experimental literature values and with excitation energies computed at equation-of-motion-CCSD (coupled clusters singles and doubles) level of theory. Overall, our numerical tests show that UADC(2)-x exhibits an averaged mean deviation in the excitation energies of only 0.

Simple replacement of violaxanthin by zeaxanthin in LHC-II does not cause chlorophyll fluorescence quenching.

Recently, a mechanism for the energy-dependent component (qE) of non-photochemical quenching (NPQ), the fundamental photo-protection mechanism in green plants, has been suggested. Replacement of violaxanthin by zeaxanthin in the binding pocket of the major light harvesting complex LHC-II may be sufficient to invoke efficient chlorophyll fluorescence quenching. Our quantum chemical calculations, however, show that the excited state energies of violaxanthin and zeaxanthin are practically identical when their geometry is constrained to the naturally observed structure of violaxanthin in LHC-II.

Quantum chemical insights in energy dissipation and carotenoid radical cation formation in light harvesting complexes.

Light harvesting complexes (LHCs) have been identified in all photosynthetic organisms. To understand their function in light harvesting and energy dissipation, detailed knowledge about possible excitation energy transfer (EET) and electron transfer (ET) processes in these pigment proteins is of prime importance. This again requires the study of electronically excited states of the involved pigment molecules, in LHCs of chlorophylls and carotenoids.

Carotenoid radical cation formation in LH2 of purple bacteria: a quantum chemical study.

In LH2 complexes of Rhodobacter sphaeroides the formation of a carotenoid radical cation has recently been observed upon photoexcitation of the carotenoid S2 state. To shed more light onto the yet unknown molecular mechanism leading to carotenoid radical formation in LH2, the interactions between carotenoid and bacteriochlorophyll in LH2 are investigated by means of quantum chemical calculations for three different carotenoids--neurosporene, spheroidene, and spheroidenone--using time-dependent density functional theory. Crossings of the calculated potential energy curve of the electron transfer state with the bacteriochlorophyll Qx state and the carotenoid S1 and S2 states occur along an intermolecular distance coordinate for neurosporene and spheroidene, but for spheroidenone no crossing of the electron transfer state with the carotenoid S1 state could be found.