Nonorthogonal Active Space Decomposition of Wave Functions with Multiple Correlation Mechanisms

Time propagation of electronic wavefunctions using nonorthogonal determinant expansions

The use of truncated configuration interaction in real-time time-dependent simulations of electron dynamics provides a balance of computational cost and accuracy, while avoiding some of the failures associated with real-time time-dependent density functional theory. However, low-order truncated configuration interaction also has limitations, such as overestimation of polarizability in configuration interaction singles, even when perturbative doubles are included. Increasing the size of the determinant expansion may not be computationally feasible, and so, in this work, we investigate the use of nonorthogonality in the determinant expansion to establish the extent to which higher-order substitutions can be recovered, providing an improved description of electron dynamics. Model systems are investigated to quantify the extent to which different methods accurately reproduce the (hyper)polarizability, including the high-harmonic generation spectrum of H2, water, and butadiene.

Nonorthogonal Multireference Wave Function Description of Triplet-Triplet Energy Transfer Couplings

In this study, the use of self-consistent field quasi-diabats is investigated for calculation of triplet energy transfer diabatic coupling elements. It is proposed that self-consistent field quasi-diabats are particularly useful for studying energy transfer (EnT) processes because orbital relaxation in response to changes in electron configuration is implicitly built into the model. The conceptual model that is developed allows for the simultaneous evaluation of direct and charge-transfer mechanisms to establish the importance of the different possible EnT mechanisms. The method's performance is evaluated using two model systems: the ethylene dimer and ethylene with the methaniminium cation. While states that mediate the charge-transfer mechanism were found to be higher in energy than the states involved in the direct mechanism, the coupling elements that control the kinetics were found to be significantly larger in the charge-transfer mechanism. Subsequently, we discuss the advantage of the approach in the context of practical difficulties with the use of established approaches.

Non-orthogonal Configuration Interaction Study on the Effect of Thermal Distortions on the Singlet Fission Process in Photoexcited Pure and B,N-Doped Pentacene Crystals

The present computational work analyzes singlet fission (SF) as a pathway for multiplication of photogenerated excitons in crystalline polyacenes. Our study explores the well-known crystalline pentacene (C22H14) and the prospective and potentially interesting doped B,N-pentacene (BC20NH14). At the molecular level, the singlet fission process involves a pair of neighboring molecules and is based on the coupling between an excited singlet state (S1S0) and two singlet-coupled triplets (1T1T1), which, typically, is influenced by an intermolecular charge transfer state. Taking data from periodic density functional theory and ab initio wave function calculations, we applied the non-orthogonal configuration interaction method to determine electronic coupling parameters. The comparison of the results for both equilibrium structures reveal smaller SF coupling for pentacene than for B,N-pentacene by a factor of ∼5. Introduction of the dynamic behavior to the crystals (vibrations, thermal motion) provides a more realistic picture of the effect of the disorder at the molecular level on the SF efficiency. The coupling values associated to out-of-equilibrium structures show that most of the S1S0/1T1T1 couplings remain virtually constant or slightly increase for pentacene when molecular disorder is introduced. Homologous calculations on B,N-pentacene show a generalized decrease in the coupling values, notably if large phonon displacements are considered. A few of the structures analyzed feature much larger SF coupling if some distortion results in (nearly) degenerate charge transfer and excited singlet and triplet states. For these particular situations, an acceleration of the SF process could occur although in competition with electron-hole separation as an alternative pathway.