Search NASA⌕ Search

Engineering topics

Rehr, John J.

Publications and source records attributed to Rehr, John J..

Exploring the exact limits of the real-time equation-of-motion coupled cluster cumulant Green’s functions

In this paper, we analyze the properties of the recently proposed real-time equation-of-motion coupled-cluster (RT-EOM-CC) cumulant Green’s function approach [Rehr et al., J. Chem. Phys. 152, 174113 (2020)]. We specifically focus on identifying the limitations of the original time-dependent coupled cluster (TDCC) ansatz and propose an enhanced double TDCC ansatz, ensuring the exactness in the expansion limit. In addition, we introduce a practical cluster-analysis-based approach for characterizing the peaks in the computed spectral function from the RT-EOM-CC cumulant Green’s function approach, which is particularly useful for the assignments of satellite peaks when many-body effects dominate the spectra. Our preliminary numerical tests focus on reproducing, approximating, and characterizing the exact impurity Green’s function of the three-site and four-site single impurity Anderson models using the RT-EOM-CC cumulant Green’s function approach. The numerical tests allow us to have a direct comparison between the RT-EOM-CC cumulant Green’s function approach and other Green’s function approaches in the numerical exact limit.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Electronic structure simulations in the cloud computing environment

The transformative impact of modern computational paradigms and technologies, such as high-performance computing, quantum computing, and cloud computing, has opened up profound new opportunities for scientific simulations. Scalable computational chemistry is one beneficiary of this technological progress. The main focus of this paper is on the performance of various quantum chemical formulations, ranging from low-order methods to high-accuracy approaches, implemented in different computational chemistry packages, such as NWChem, NWChemEx, SPEC, ExaChem, and FLOSIC codes on the Azure Quantum Element (AQE) Microsoft cloud services. We pay particular attention to the intricate workflows for performing composite chemistry simulations, associated data curation, and mechanisms for accuracy assessment, as defined by the enabling cloud Computational Chemistry as a Service (CCaaS). Our focus also extends to Arrows' automated workflow for high throughput simulations. Finally, we provide a perspective on the role of cloud computing in supporting the mission of leadership computational facilities (LCFs).

computational chemistry, electronic structure, Clo↗

RT-EOM-CCSD Calculations of Inner and Outer Valence Ionization Energies and Spectral Functions

Photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) is a standard experimental method for material characterization, but its interpretation can be hampered by its reliance on standard materials. To facilitate the study of unknown systems, theoretical methods are desirable. Here we present a real-time equation-of-motion coupled cluster (RT-EOM-CC) approach for valence PES, extending our core-level development. Here, we demonstrate that RT-EOM-CC yields ionization energies and spectral functions in good agreement with experiment and CI-based methods, even for some more correlated cases.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Core-to-core X-ray emission spectra from Wannier based multiplet ligand field theory

Recent advances using Density Functional Theory (DFT) to augment Multiplet Ligand Field Theory (MLFT) have led to ab-initio calculations of many formerly empirical parameters. This development makes MLFT more predictive instead of interpretive, thus improving its value for studies of highly correlated 3 d , 4 d , and ƒ-electron systems. Synchrotron time is always at a premium, and tools that provide predictive capabilities have clear value when it comes to planning studies. Here, in this work, we develop a DFT + MLFT based approach for core-to-core Kα x-ray emission spectra (XES) and evaluate its performance for a range of transition metal systems. We find good agreement between theory and experiment, as well as the ability to capture key spectral trends related to spin and oxidation state. We also discuss limitations of the model in the context of the remaining free parameters and suggest directions forward.

Ab initio theoretical treatment↗

Time-resolved X-ray Spectroscopy from the Atomic Orbital Ground State Up

X-ray spectroscopy has been a key method to determine ground and excited state properties of quantum materials with atomic specificity. Now, new x-ray facilities are opening the door to the study of pump-probe x-ray spectroscopy - specifically time-resolved x-ray absorption (trXAS) and time-resolved resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (trRIXS). In this paper we will present simulations of each of these spectroscopies using a time-domain full atomic multiplet, charge transfer Hamiltonian, adapted to study the properties of a generalized cluster model including a central transition metal ion caged by ligand atoms in a planar geometry. The numerically evaluated trXAS and trRIXS cross-sections for representative electron configurations 3d9 and 3d8 demonstrate the insights that can be obtained from charge transfer pumping, and how this nonequilibrium process affects ground and excited state properties. The straightforward characterization of the excitations in these systems, based on our analysis of the simulations, can serve as a benchmark for future experiments, as access to these time-resolved spectroscopic techniques becomes more widely available.

Jost, Daniel↗

Determination of the vacancy distribution over Al cation sites in γ-Al 2 O 3

Although gamma-alumina (γ-Al 2 O 3 ) is an extensively used material with wide-ranging applications due to its inherently high surface area and acidity, its atomic structure is still not fully understood. γ-Al 2 O 3 is described as having a spinel-like structure, where the O sublattice has a face-centered cubic (FCC) arrangement and Al cations are placed in the spinel tetrahedral and octahedral interstitial sites. Achieving the correct stoichiometry of Al 2 O 3 , however, requires the introduction of Al vacancies into some of the interstitial sites. Despite the importance of accurately describing the structure of γ-Al 2 O 3 , the distribution of vacancies between tetrahedral and octahedral sites remains unclear, in part because of the usually poor crystalline quality of γ-Al 2 O 3 that has often been used in previous studies. To determine the actual cation distribution in γ-Al 2 O 3 , single-crystalline γ-Al 2 O 3 was investigated using a correlative approach of experimental and simulated selected-area electron diffraction (SAED) and high-resolution electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS). Comparison of the reflection intensities in single-crystal SAED to simulated SAED from models with varied vacancy distributions revealed that vacancies exist primarily on tetrahedral sites, contrary to the placement of vacancies on octahedral sites proposed in several common models. Comparison of EELS spectra—acquired with the highest energy resolution reported so far for γ-Al 2 O 3 —with ab initio multiple scattering EELS simulations confirmed the distribution of vacancies on tetrahedral sites. These results enable more accurate modeling of γ-Al 2 O 3 to better predict its properties in existing and future applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

New Dimensions in the Theory of Excited States and X-ray Spectra (Final Report)

This Final Technical Report briefly summarizes the achievements during the lifetime of our DOE BES grant DE-FG02-97ER45623. The long-term goal of this project has been the development of quantitative theories of the interaction between radiation and matter, with a focus on x-ray spectroscopies. X-ray spectra have long been among the most important probes of atomic-scale structure and properties of matter, ranging from atoms and molecular systems to condensed matter and exotic states. These spectroscopies are widely used in investigations at the major DOE synchrotron x-ray facilities and related centers world-wide. In addition to fundamental theory, a major goal of our project has been the development of computational software that implements the theory for calculations of x-ray spectra of various materials throughout the periodic table. Due to the complex nature of x-ray spectra, quantitative theory is essential for its interpretation. The theory is challenging since it involves excited state electronic structure and many-body correlation effects that go beyond independent particle approximations like DFT or Hartree-Fock. Moreover, the experimental investigations typically involve a broad range of energy, time, and temperature scales, from the UV-Vis to hard x-ray energies of order 10 4 eV, and temperatures T from ambient up to the warm-dense-matter regime where the Fermi energy kBTF is of order a few eV, i.e., temperatures of order 105 Kelvin. This broad range of experimental conditions has fostered many novel theoretical approaches and computational techniques, many of which we have developed systematically over the duration of the grant. In contrast to the traditional wave-function approach of quantum theory and electronic structure methods, our theoretical approach is based on modern Green's function techniques. This approach is better suited for aperiodic structures, excited states, and broad spectral ranges, since it avoids the computational bottlenecks of sum-over-states approaches, as in the Fermi golden rule. This theoretical framework has been incorporated into efficient, user-friendly x-ray spectroscopy software which is now used routinely worldwide to simulate and analyze spectra. These theoretical tools provide an essential complement to synchrotron and next-generation light sources, which are used to investigate complex materials with ever increasing precision. Moreover, the synergism between theory, computation and experiment contributed by our research enhances scientific understanding and creates opportunities for innovations in materials and energy science and in many fields. As documented in this Report, this research grant has been remarkably successful in achieving these goals. In particular, this grant has supported the development of the x-ray spectroscopy software suite known as FEFF (named for an effective scattering amplitude f eff in the theory). The FEFF codes have become one of the premier tools for quantitative simulations of x-ray spectra as documented by many thousands of citations in the Web of Science and Google-Scholar.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

NWChem: Recent and Ongoing Developments

In this paper we summarize developments in the NWChem computational chemistry suite since the last major release (NWChem 7.0). Specifically, we focus on functionalities, along with input blocks, that are currently accessible in the current stable release (NWChem 7.2) and master branches, interfaces to quantum computing simulators, interfaces to external libraries, the NWChem GitHub repository, and containerization of NWChem executable images. In conclusion, some of the ongoing developments that will be available in the near future are also discussed.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

High-temperature self-energy corrections to x-ray absorption spectra

Effects of finite-temperature quasiparticle self-energy corrections on x-ray absorption spectra are investigated within the finite-temperature quasiparticle local density GW approximation up to temperatures T of order the Fermi temperature. To facilitate the calculations, we parametrize the quasiparticle self-energy using low-order polynomial fits. Here we show that temperature-driven decrease in the electron lifetime substantially broadens the spectra in the near-edge region with increasing T. However, the quasiparticle shift is most strongly modified near the onset of plasmon excitations.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Real-time equation-of-motion CC cumulant and CC Green’s function simulations of photoemission spectra of water and water dimer

Newly developed coupled-cluster (CC) methods enable simulations of ionization potentials and spectral functions of molecular systems in a wide range of energy scales ranging from core-binding to valence. This paper discusses the results obtained with the real-time equation-of-motion CC cumulant (RT-EOM-CC) approach and CC Green’s function (CCGF) approaches in applications to the water and water dimer molecules. Here, we compare the ionization potentials obtained with these methods for the valence region with the results obtained with the coupled-cluster with singles, doubles, and perturbative triples formulation as a difference of energies for N and N – 1 electron systems. All methods show good agreement with each other. They also agree well with the experiment with errors usually below 0.1 eV for the ionization potentials. We also analyze unique features of the spectral functions, associated with the position of satellite peaks, obtained with the RT-EOM-CC and CCGF methods employing single and double excitations, as a function of the monomer OH bond length and the proton transfer coordinate in the dimer. Finally, we analyze the impact of the basis set effects on the quality of calculated ionization potentials and find that the basis set effects are less pronounced for the augmented-type sets.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Ab initio calculation of X-ray and related core-level spectroscopies: Green's function approaches

X-Ray and related spectroscopies are powerful probes of atomic, vibrational, and electronic structure. In order to unlock the full potential of such experimental techniques, accurate and efficient theoretical and computational approaches are essential. Here we review the status of a variety of first-principles and nearly first principles techniques for X-ray spectroscopies such as X-ray absorption, X-ray emission, and X-ray photoemission, with a focus on Green's function based methods. In particular, we describe the current state of multiple scattering Green's function techniques available in the FEFF10 code and cumulant Green's function techniques for including the effects of many-body electronic excitations. Furthermore, illustrative examples are shown for a variety of materials and compared with other theoretical and experimental results.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Equation-of-Motion Coupled-Cluster Cumulant Green’s Function for Excited States and X-ray Spectra

Green’s function methods within many-body perturbation theory provide a general framework for treating electronic correlations in excited states and spectra. Conventional methods using the Dyson equation or the cumulant expansion are typically based on the GW self-energy approximation. In order to extend this approximation in molecular systems, a non-perturbative real-time coupled-cluster cumulant Green’s function approach has been introduced, where the cumulant is obtained as the solution to a set of coupled first order, non-linear differential equations. This approach naturally includes non-linear corrections to conventional cumulant Green’s function techniques where the cumulant is linear in the GW self-energy. The method yields the spectral function associated with the core Green’s function, which is directly related to the x-ray photoemission spectra (XPS) of molecular systems. The approach also yields very good results for binding energies and satellite excitations. The x-ray absorption spectrum (XAS) is then obtained as a convolution of the core spectral function and an effective one-body absorption spectrum. Here this approach is extended to include the full coupled-cluster-singles (CCS) core Green’s function by including the complete form of the non-linear contributions to the cumulant as well as all single, double, and triple cluster excitations in the CC amplitude equations. This approach naturally builds in orthogonality and shake-up effects analogous to those in the Mahan-Noizeres-de Dominicis edge singularity corrections that enhance the XAS near the edge. Themethod is illustrated for the XPS and XAS of NH 3 .

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Strengths of plasmon satellites in XPS: Real-time cumulant approach

Plasmon satellites observed in x-ray photoemission spectra (XPS) reflect many-body effects beyond the single-electron approximation. However, theoretical calculations are challenging and simplified theories based on electron gas models are not always satisfactory. Here, a cumulant Green’s function approach with a real-time time-dependent density functional theory calculation of the cumulant is described for calculations of these effects, without the need for adjustable parameters. Here, the approach yields good agreement with experimental XPS results, as illustrated for Ge and Al. Corrections due to extrinsic losses and interference are also briefly discussed.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Real-time coupled-cluster approach for the cumulant Green's function

Green’s function methods within many-body perturbation theory provide a general framework for treating electronic correlations in excited states. Here we investigate the cumulant form of the one-electron Green’s function based on the coupled-cluster equation of motion approach in an extension of our previous study. The approach yields a non-perturbative expression for the cumulant in terms of the solution to a set of coupled first order, non-linear differential equations. The method thereby adds non-linear corrections to traditional cumulant methods linear in the self energy. The approach is applied to the core-hole Green’s function and illustrated for a number of small molecular systems. For these systems we find that the non-linear contributions lead to significant improvements both for quasiparticle properties such as core-level binding energies, as well as the satellites corresponding to inelastic losses observed in photoemission spectra.

Vila, Fernando D.↗

Equation of motion coupled-cluster cumulant approach for intrinsic losses in x-ray spectra

We present an equation of motion coupled cluster approach for calculating and understanding intrinsic inelastic losses in core level x-ray absorption spectra (XAS). The method is based on a factorization of the transition amplitude in the time-domain, which leads to a convolution of an effective one-body spectrum and the core-hole spectral function. The spectral function characterizes these losses in terms of shake-up excitations and satellites, and is calculated using a cumulant representation of the core-hole Green’s function that includes non-linear corrections. The one-body spectrum also includes orthogonality corrections that enhance the XAS at the edge.

Rehr, John J.↗