A new generation of non-diagonal, renormalized self-energies for calculation of electron removal energies

Simplified Ring and Ladder Renormalizations in Electron-Propagator Calculations of Molecular Ionization Energies

The self-energy operator of the ab initio Dyson quasiparticle equation generates orbital-relaxation and differential-correlation corrections to Koopmans predictions of electron binding energies. Among the most important corrections are terms that may be expressed as ring and ladder diagrams. Inclusions of such terms in all orders of the fluctuation potential constitute renormalizations. The ability of several renormalized self-energies to predict molecular ionization energies has been tested versus reliable computational and experimental standards. These results reveal the superior accuracy and efficiency of several new-generation electron-propagator methods. They also demonstrate the strengths and weaknesses of self-energies that include ring or ladder renormalizations only and of methods that allow interactions between these terms. Whereas a simplified ladder method produces useful results, its simplified ring counterpart is more computationally efficient, but less accurate. New-generation alternatives to both methods are more accurate and efficient. No adjustable parameters are included in the generation of reference orbitals or in the formulation of the self-energy approximations examined in this work.

Electron-propagator methods versus experimental ionization energies

Select electron-propagator (EP) methods agree as closely with experimental standards for molecular vertical ionization energies as they do with computational data of nearly full-configuration-interaction quality. Several EP methods consistently attain higher accuracy than alternatives with equal arithmetic bottlenecks expressed in terms of occupied (O) and virtual (V) orbital dimensions. The cubically scaling methods realize a mean absolute error (MAE) below 0.2 eV and are feasible whenever conventional self-consistent-field calculations are performed. O2V3-scaling EP self-energies achieve an MAE slightly above 0.1 eV and are as feasible as conventional second-order perturbative calculations of total energies. OV4 methods are more accurate (MAEs ∼0.075 eV) than ΔCCSD(T) and are more efficient than third-order total-energy calculations. An equally accurate generalization with full self-energy matrices and non-iterative O2V4 contractions produces Dyson orbitals in their most general form. Composite EP models that accurately estimate the effects of basis-set saturation drastically improve efficiency without sacrificing accuracy. No adjustable parameters are employed in the self-energy formulas or in the generation of reference-state orbitals. When Dyson-orbital probability factors indicate that Koopmans's theorem is qualitatively valid, simple perturbative corrections suffice to approach chemical accuracy.

Molecular Ionization Energies from GW and Hartree-Fock Theory: Polarizability, Screening, and Self-Energy Vertex Corrections

Accurate prediction of electron removal and addition energies is essential for reproducing neutral excitation spectra in molecules using Bethe-Salpeter equation methods. A Hartree-Fock starting point for GW/BSE calculations, combined with a random phase approximation (RPA) polarizability in the screened interaction, W, is well-known to overestimate neutral excitation energies. Using a Hartree-Fock starting point, we apply several different approximations for W to molecules in the Quest-3 database [Loos et al. J. Chem. Theory Comput. 2020, 16, 1711]. W is calculated using polarizabilities in RPA and time-dependent HF approximations. Inclusion of screened electron-hole attraction in the polarizability yields valence ionization energies in better agreement with experimental values and ADC(3) calculations than the more commonly applied RPA polarizability. Quasiparticle weights are also in better agreement with ADC(3) values when electron-hole attraction is included in W. Shake-up excitations for the 1π levels in benzene and azines are indicated only when electron-hole attraction is included. Ionization energies derived from HF eigenvalues via Koopmans theorem for molecules with nitrogen or oxygen lone pairs have the largest differences from experimental values in the molecules considered, leading to incorrect ordering of nonbonding and π bonding levels. Inclusion of electron-hole attraction in the polarizability results in correct ordering of ionization energies and marked improvement in agreement with experimental data. Vertex corrections to the self-energy further improve agreement with experimental ionization energies for these localized states.

Electron Binding Energies of Open-Shell Species from Diagonal Electron-Propagator Self-Energies with Unrestricted Hartree-Fock Spin-Orbitals

For closed-shell molecules, valence electron binding energies may be calculated accurately and efficiently with ab initio electron-propagator methods that have surpassed their predecessors. Advantageous combinations of accuracy and efficiency range from cubically scaling methods with mean errors of 0.2 eV to quintically scaling methods with mean errors of 0.1 eV or less. The diagonal self-energy approximation in the canonical Hartree-Fock basis is responsible for the enhanced efficiency of several methods. This work examines the predictive capabilities of diagonal self-energy approximations when they are generalized to the canonical spin-orbital basis of unrestricted Hartree-Fock (UHF) theory. Experimental data on atomic electron binding energies and high-level, correlated calculations in a fixed basis for a set of open-shell molecules constitute standards of comparison. A review of the underlying theory and analysis of numerical errors lead to several recommendations for the calculation of electron binding energies: (1) In calculations that employ the diagonal self-energy approximation, Koopmans's identity for UHF must be qualitatively correct. (2) Closed-shell reference states are preferable to open-shell reference states in calculations of molecular ionization energies and electron affinities. (3) For molecular electron binding energies between doublets and triplets, calculations of electron detachment energies are more accurate and efficient than calculations of electron attachment energies. When these recommendations are followed, mean absolute errors increase by approximately 0.05 eV with respect to their counterparts obtained with closed-shell reference orbitals.

Ab Initio Electron Propagators with an Hermitian, Intermediately Normalized Superoperator Metric Applied to Vertical Electron Affinities

New-generation ab initio electron propagator methods for calculating electron detachment energies of closed-shell molecules and anions have surpassed their predecessors' accuracy and computational efficiency. Derived from an Hermitian, intermediately normalized superoperator metric, these methods contain no adjustable parameters. To assess their versatility, a standard set (NIST-50-EA) of 50 vertical electron affinities of small closed-shell molecules based on NIST reference data has been created. Errors with respect to reference data on 23 large, conjugated organic photovoltaic (OPV23) molecules have also been analyzed. All final states are valence anions that correspond to electron affinities between 0.2 and 4.2 eV. For a given scaling of the arithmetic bottleneck, the new-generation methods obtain the lowest mean absolute errors (MAEs). The best methods with fifth-power arithmetic scaling realize MAEs below 0.1 eV. Composite models comprising cubically and quintically scaling calculations executed with large and small basis sets, respectively, produce OPV23 MAEs near 0.05 eV. The accuracy of quintically scaling methods executed with large basis sets is thereby procured with reduced computational effort. New-generation results obtained with and without the diagonal self-energy approximation in the canonical Hartree-Fock basis have been compared. These results indicate that Dyson orbitals closely resemble canonical Hartree-Fock orbitals multiplied by the square root of a probability factor above 0.85.

New-generation electron-propagator methods for vertical electron detachment energies of molecular anions: benchmarks and applications to model green-fluorescent-protein chromophores

Ab initio electron-propagator calculations continue to be useful companions to experimental investigations of electronic structure in molecular anions. A new generation of electron-propagator methods recently has surpassed its antecedents' predictive accuracy and computational efficiency. Interpretive clarity has been conserved, for no adjustable parameters have been introduced in the preparation of molecular orbitals or in the formulation of approximate self-energies. These methods have employed the diagonal self-energy approximation wherein each Dyson orbital equals a canonical Hartree-Fock orbital times the square root of a probability factor. Numerical tests indicate that explicitly renormalized, diagonal self-energies are needed when Dyson orbitals have large valence nitrogen, oxygen or fluorine components. They also demonstrate that even greater accuracy can be realized with generalizations that do not employ the diagonal self-energy approximation in the canonical Hartree-Fock basis. Whereas the diagonal methods have fifth-power arithmetic scaling factors, the non-diagonal generalizations introduce only non-iterative sixth-power contractions. Composite models conserve the accuracy of the most demanding combinations of self-energy approximations and flexible basis sets with drastically reduced computational effort. Composite-model results on anions that resemble the chromophore of the green fluorescent protein illustrate the interpretive capabilities of explicitly renormalized self-energies. Accurate predictions on the lowest vertical electron detachment energy of each anion confirm experimental data and the utility of the diagonal self-energy approximation.

New-Generation Electron-Propagator Methods for Molecular Electron-Binding Energies

A new generation of electron-propagator methods for the calculation of electron binding energies has surpassed its antecedents with respect to accuracy, efficiency, and interpretability. No adjustable parameters are introduced in these fully ab initio procedures. Numerical tests versus several databases of valence, vertical electron binding energies of closed-shell molecules and atoms have been performed. Easily interpreted self-energy approximations with cubic arithmetic scaling produce mean absolute errors (MAEs) of 0.2 and 0.3 eV for electron detachments and attachments, respectively. The most accurate explicitly renormalized methods with fifth-power arithmetic scaling yield MAEs below 0.1 eV for detachments and attachments. Approximate renormalization leads to more efficient fifth-power alternatives for electron detachments that achieve similar accuracy with fewer bottleneck operations. Composite protocols generate excellent predictions versus highly accurate basis-extrapolated standards and experiments. The validity of the diagonal self-energy approximation and the accuracy of the approximate renormalizations are confirmed. The success of these perturbative methods based on canonical Hartree-Fock orbitals rests on a Hermitized, intermediately normalized superoperator metric. The results of all of the new-generation calculations may be analyzed in terms of final-state orbital relaxation and differential correlation effects.

New-Generation Electron-Propagator Methods for Calculations of Electron Affinities and Ionization Energies: Tests on Organic Photovoltaic Molecules

A new generation of ab initio electron-propagator self-energies recently superseded its antecedents' accuracy and computational efficiency in calculating vertical ionization energies (VIEs) of closed-shell molecules. (See J. Chem. Phys. 2021, 155, 204107, J. Chem. Theory Comput. 2022, 18, 4927, J. Chem. Phys. 2023, 159, 124109.) No adjustable parameters were introduced in the generation of reference orbitals or in the construction of self-energies. The same approach has been extended in this work to vertical electron affinities (VEAs). Calculations were performed on 24 conjugated, organic photovoltaic molecules with diverse functional groups. These molecules are considerably larger than those studied in previous tests on VIEs. Several new-generation self-energies produce mean absolute errors (MAEs) below 0.1 eV versus ΔCCSD(T) (i.e., total energy differences from the coupled-cluster singles, doubles, and perturbative triples method) VIEs and VEAs obtained with identical basis sets. A composite model employs cubically and quintically scaling algorithms and power-law basis-set extrapolations based on augmented double-triple or triple-quadruple ζ data. Its MAEs are near 0.05 eV versus benchmark values, with 0.03 eV error bars for the lowest VIE and the highest VEA of each molecule. A more efficient and equally accurate composite model for calculating VIEs avoids full transformations of electron repulsion integrals to the molecular orbital basis. High probability factors support the diagonal self-energy approximation, wherein Dyson orbitals are proportional to canonical, Hartree-Fock orbitals.