The Complete Active Space Self-Consistent Field Method and its Applications in Electronic Structure Calculations

THE CONSTRUCTION AND INTERPRETATION OF MCSCF WAVEFUNCTIONS

The multiconfiguration self-consistent field (MCSCF) method offers the most general approach to the computation of chemical reactions and multiple electronic states. This review discusses the design of MCSCF wavefunctions for treating these problems and the interpretation of the resulting orbitals and configurations. In particular, localized orbitals are convenient both for selection of the appropriate active space and for understanding the computed results. The computational procedures for optimizing these wavefunctions and the techniques for recovery of dynamical correlation energy are reviewed.

AB INITIO DYNAMICS OF SURFACE CHEMISTRY

▪ Abstract  We review the young field of ab initio molecular dynamics applied to molecule-surface reactions. The techniques of ab initio molecular dynamics include methods that use an analytic potential energy function fit to ab initio data and those that are fully ab initio. In this review, we focus on the insights provided by ab initio–based molecular dynamics that are currently unavailable from experimental studies and discuss current techniques and limitations. As an example of how different aspects of a problem can be tackled with state-of-the-art theoretical tools, we consider the well-studied case of H2 desorption and adsorption from the Si(100)-2 × 1 surface.