On the Importance of Gradient-Corrected Correlation for van der Waals Density Functionals

Benchmarking van der Waals density functionals with experimental data: potential-energy curves for H2 molecules on Cu(111), (100) and (110) surfaces

Detailed physisorption data from experiment for the H(2) molecule on low-index Cu surfaces challenge theory. Recently, density functional theory (DFT) has been developed to account for nonlocal correlation effects, including van der Waals (dispersion) forces. We show that the functional vdW-DF2 gives a potential-energy curve, potential-well energy levels and difference in lateral corrugation promisingly close to the results obtained by resonant elastic backscattering-diffraction experiments. The backscattering barrier is sensitive to the choice of exchange functional approximation. Further, the DFT-D3 and TS-vdW corrections to traditional DFT formulations are also benchmarked, and deviations are analyzed.

Are we van der Waals ready?

We apply a range of density-functional-theory-based methods capable of describing van der Waals interactions with weakly bonded layered solids in order to investigate their accuracy for extended systems. The methods under investigation are the local-density approximation, semi-empirical force fields, non-local van der Waals density functionals and the random-phase approximation. We investigate the equilibrium geometries, elastic constants and binding energies of a large and diverse set of compounds and arrive at conclusions about the reliability of the different methods. The study also points to some directions of further development for the non-local van der Waals density functionals.