Non-Born-Oppenheimer dynamics calculations using the coherent switching with decay of mixing method

Time-Derivative Couplings for Self-Consistent Electronically Nonadiabatic Dynamics

Electronically nonadiabatic dynamics methods based on a self-consistent potential, such as semiclassical Ehrenfest and coherent switching with decay of mixing, have a number of advantages but are computationally slower than approximations based on an unaveraged potential because they require evaluation of all components of the nonadiabatic coupling vector. Here we introduce a new approximation to the self-consistent potential that does not have this computational drawback. The new approximation uses time-derivative couplings evaluated by overlap integrals of electronic wave functions to approximate the nonadiabatic coupling terms in the equations of motion. We present a numerical test of the method for ethylene that shows there is little loss of accuracy in the ensemble-averaged results. This new approximation to the self-consistent potential makes direct dynamics calculations with self-consistent potentials more efficient for complex systems and makes them practically affordable for some cases where the cost was previously too high.

Non-Born–Oppenheimer stereodynamics study for the D+ + H2 (v, j = 0) reaction using coherent switching with decay of mixing method

A non-Born–Oppenheimer (BO) investigation using coherent switching with decay of mixing method is carried out for both reactive non-charge transfer and charge transfer channels of reaction D+ + H2 (v, j = 0). For the non-charge transfer channel, it is found that the non-BO effect has a small influence on the differential cross section, but it has a large impact on the rotational polarization of the HD product, which is reflected by the joint distribution P(θr, ϕr). And it is also found that the polarization of the charge transfer products shows a quite different form. The rotational polarizations are also investigated at various collision energies and initial vibrational states for both reactive channels.