Energy switching approach to potential surfaces: An accurate single‐valued function for the water molecule

High-accuracy DMBE potential energy surface for CNO(A''4) and the rate coefficients for the C + NO reaction in the A'2, A''2, and A''4 states

An accurate potential energy surface (PES) for the lowest lying A''4 state of the CNO system is presented based on explicitly correlated multi-reference configuration interaction calculations with quadruple zeta basis set (MRCI-F12/cc-pVQZ-F12). The ab initio energies are fitted using the double many-body expansion method, thus incorporating long-range energy terms that can accurately describe the electrostatic and dispersion interactions with physically motivated decaying functions. Together with the previously fitted lowest A'2 and A''2 states using the same theoretical framework, this constitutes a new set of PESs that are suitable to predict rate coefficients for all atom-diatom reactions of the CNO system. We use this set of PESs to calculate thermal rate coefficients for the C(P3) + NO(Π2) reaction and compare the temperature dependence and product branching ratios with experimental results. The comparison between theory and experiment is shown to be improved over previous theoretical studies. We highlight the importance of the long-range interactions for low-temperature rate coefficients.

Quasiclassical Trajectory Study of the Si + SH Reaction on an Accurate Double Many-Body Expansion Potential Energy Surface

An accurate potential energy surface (PES) for the HSiS system based on MRCI+Q calculations extrapolated to the complete basis set limit is presented. Modeled with the double many-body expansion (DMBE) method, the PES provides an accurate description of the long-range interactions, including electrostatic and dispersion terms decaying as R^-4, R^-5, R^-6, R^-8, R^-10 that are predicted from dipole moments, quadrupole moments, and dipolar polarizabilities, which are also calculated at the MRCI+Q level. The novel PES is then used in quasiclassical trajectory calculations to predict the rate coefficients of the Si + SH → SiS + H reaction, which has been shown to be a major source of the SiS in certain regions of the interstellar medium. An account of the zero-point energy leakage based on various nonactive models is also given. It is shown that the reaction is dominated by long-range forces, with the mechanism Si + SH → SiSH → SSiH → SiS + H being the most important one for all temperatures studied. Although SSiH corresponds to the global minimum of the PES, the contribution from the direct reaction Si + SH → SSiH → SiS + H is less than 0.5% for temperatures higher than 500 K. The rovibrational distributions of the products are calculated using the momentum Gaussian binning method and show that as the temperature is increased the average vibrational quantum number decreases while the rotational distribution spreads up to larger values.

Globally Accurate Potential Energy Surface for BH2+2(13A') Using the Switching Function Formalism

A great number of ab initio energy points are calculated using the aug-cc-pV(Q,5)Z basis sets at the multireference configuration interaction level and extrapolated to the complete basis set limit. An exact three-dimensional potential energy surface of the ground-state BH₂⁺ is obtained. A switching function is developed to model the transition of B⁺(³P) to B⁺(¹S) to guarantee the reliable behavior at B⁺(³P) + H₂(X¹∑_g⁺) and BH⁺(X²∑⁺) + H(²S) dissociation limits. The various topographic features of the new global potential energy surface are discussed in detail, showing a good agreement with the previous results from the theory. The quasi-classical trajectory method is utilized to calculate the integral cross sections of the B⁺(³P) + H₂(X¹∑_g⁺) (v = 0, j = 0) → BH⁺(X²∑⁺) + H(²S) reaction, which can provide another support for reliability of the title potential energy surface.

Accurate High-Level Ab Initio-Based Global Potential Energy Surface and Quantum Dynamics Calculation for the First Excited State of CH2. J Phys Chem A 2021;125:5490-5498. [PMID: 34137628 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.1c02413]

A full three-dimensional global potential energy surface (PES), covering the whole configuration space, is reported first for the title system by fitting high-level ab initio energies at the multireference configuration interaction level with the aug-cc-pV6Z basis set. In this work, the many-body expansion method is invoked to fit the innate character of the CH₂⁺(1²A″) PES. The topographical features are examined in detail based on the new global PES and in accordance with the other calculations from the ab initio energies, which show the correct behavior at the C⁺(²P) + H₂(X¹Σ_g⁺) and CH⁺(a³Π) + H(²S) dissociation limits. Using a time-dependent wave packet method, we provide insights into the dynamics behavior for reaction of C⁺(²P) + H₂(X¹Σ_g⁺) → CH⁺(a³Π) + H(²S). The integral cross sections and reaction probabilities increase monotonically in terms of the collision energy.

Accurate Potential Energy Surface for Quartet State HN2 and Interplay of N(4S) + NH(X̃3Σ-) versus H + N2(A3Σu+) Reactions

A global potential energy surface for the lowest quartet state of HN₂ is reported for the first time from accurate multireference ab initio calculations extrapolated to the complete basis set limit using the double many-body expansion method. All its stationary points are characterized, with the lowest quartet of HN₂ predicted to have a bent global minimum 36 kcal mol^-1 below the N(⁴S) + NH(X̃³Σ^-) asymptote, from which it is barrierlessly achievable. The entire set of calculated ab initio points has been fitted for energies up to 1000 kcal mol^-1 above the global minimum with an RMSD of 0.89 kcal mol^-1, a gap comprising all identified stationary points. Special care is taken in modeling the involved long-range forces and cusps caused by crossing seams. The novel PES prompts for the calculation of rate constants for several unexplored reactions that are relevant for combustion, plasma, and atmospheric chemistry.

Accurate global potential energy surface by extrapolation to the complete basis set limit and dynamics studies for ground state of H2S. SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY 2019;219:267-273. [PMID: 31048256 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2019.04.051]

The atomic ions with hydrogen reactions play important role in biological chemistry, atmospheric and combustion chemistry. In this work, a full three-dimensional global many-body expansion potential energy surface (PES) for the ground state of H₂S^-(²A') is reported for the first time, since there is almost no investigations can accurately and completely describe the PES. It is obtained using many-body expansion theory and an extensive set of accurate ab initio energies extrapolated to the complete basis set limit, for improving the accuracy of the potential energy surface. The topographical features of the new three-dimensional global potential energy surface are examined in detail, and found to be in good agreement with theoretical and experimental results. To better test the reaction, such a surface was applied to quasi classical trajectory calculations for S^-(²P)+H₂(¹Σ_g⁺)→SH^-(¹Σ)+H(²S) reaction. The integral cross sections, differential cross sections and the rate coefficients have been computed. Results indicate that such a work can be recommended for corresponding atmospheric dynamics studies and as building blocks for constructing the many body expansion potential energy surface of larger S^-/H containing systems.

Modelling potential energy surfaces for small clusters using Shepard interpolation with Gaussian-form nodal functions

A new interpolation method based on Gaussian functions to reliably generate potential energy surfaces.

Accurate global potential energy surface for the ground state of CH2 + by extrapolation to the complete basis set limit

A full three-dimensional global potential energy surface is reported for the ground state of CH2 + by fitting accurate multireference configuration interaction energies calculated using aug-cc-pVQZ and aug-cc-pV5Z basis sets with extrapolation of the electron correlation energy to the complete basis set limit. The topographical characteristics have been compared in detail with a potential energy surface of the same type recently reported [J. Chem. Phys., 2015, 142, 124302] based on a least-squares fit to accurate high level ab initio MRCI(Q) energies, calculated using AV6Z basis set. The new three-dimensional global potential energy surface is then used in quasiclassical trajectory calculations for H(2S) + CH+(X 1Σ+) → C+(2P) + H2(X 1Σg +) reaction. The integral cross sections, differential cross sections and the rate coefficients have been computed. A comparison shows that our potential energy surface can be applied to any type of dynamic study.

Effect of Initial Vibrational-State Excitation on Subfemtosecond Photodynamics of Water

We discuss the effect of initial vibrational-state excitation on the subfemtosecond photodynamics of water. Photoelectron spectra of Franck-Condon ionization to the (2)B1 state of the H2O(+) (D2O(+)) from the ground and several vibrationally excited states of the neutral are reported. Also calculated are ratios of the high-order harmonic generation (HHG) signals as a function of time for each initial vibrational state of the neutral molecule as predicted from the ratios of the square of the autocorrelation functions for D2O(+) and H2O(+). They reveal maxima as a function of time for each vibrational state of the neutral molecule. In turn, the HHG signals are found to be enhanced with vibrational excitation, with the calculated expectation values of the bond lengths and bond angle revealing quasiperiodic oscillations in time for all initial vibrational states of the neutral species. Although the bond lengths show only a marginal increase, the bond angle is found to be enhanced markedly by vibrational excitation, this being therefore responsible for the observed rise in the HHG signal.

Accurate high level ab initio-based global potential energy surface and dynamics calculations for ground state of CH2(+)

A global many-body expansion potential energy surface is reported for the electronic ground state of CH2 (+) by fitting high level ab initio energies calculated at the multireference configuration interaction level with the aug-cc-pV6Z basis set. The topographical features of the new global potential energy surface are examined in detail and found to be in good agreement with those calculated directly from the raw ab initio energies, as well as previous calculations available in the literature. In turn, in order to validate the potential energy surface, a test theoretical study of the reaction CH(+)(X(1)Σ(+))+H((2)S)→C(+)((2)P)+H2(X(1)Σg (+)) has been carried out with the method of time dependent wavepacket on the title potential energy surface. The total integral cross sections and the rate coefficients have been calculated; the results determined that the new potential energy surface can both be recommended for dynamics studies of any type and as building blocks for constructing the potential energy surfaces of larger C(+)/H containing systems.

Sub-femtosecond quantum dynamics of the strong-field ionization of water to the X ̃(2)B1 and Ã(2)A1 states of the cation

Motivated by recent efforts to achieve sub-femtosecond structural resolution in various molecular systems, we have performed a femtosecond quantum dynamics study of the water cation in the X ̃(2)B1 and Ã(2)A1 electronic states. Autocorrelation functions for H2O(+) and D2O(+) are calculated for such electronic states by solving numerically the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. From the ratio of the squared autocorrelation functions of D2O(+) and H2O(+), the high-order harmonic generation signals are calculated. Substantial vibrational dynamics is found in the Ã(2)A1 state as compared to the one in X ̃(2)B1, which supports recent experimental findings of Farrell et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., 2011, 107, 083001. Maxima in the above ratio are also predicted at ∼1.1 fs and ∼1.6 fs for the X ̃(2)B1 and Ã(2)A1 states, respectively. The expectation values of the positions of the atoms in H2O(+) as a function of time reveal a strong excitation of the bending mode in the Ã(2)A1 state, which explains the observed vibrational dynamics. The peaks in the ratios of the squared autocorrelation functions are also explained in terms of the evolving geometries of the water cation.

The READY program: Building a global potential energy surface and reactive dynamic simulations for the hydrogen combustion

READY (REActive DYnamics) is a program for studying reactive dynamic systems using a global potential energy surface (PES) built from previously existing PESs corresponding to each of the most important elementary reactions present in the system. We present an application to the combustion dynamics of a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen using accurate PESs for all the systems involving up to four oxygen and hydrogen atoms. Results at the temperature of 4000 K and pressure of 2 atm are presented and compared with model based on rate constants. Drawbacks and advantages of this approach are discussed and future directions of research are pointed out.

Accurate ab initio-based adiabatic global potential energy surface for the 2(2)A" state of NH2 by extrapolation to the complete basis set limit

A full three-dimensional global potential energy surface is reported first time for the title system, which is important for the photodissociation processes. It is obtained using double many-body expansion theory and an extensive set of accurate ab initio energies extrapolated to the complete basis set limit. Such a work can be recommended for dynamics studies of the N((2)D) + H2 reaction, a reliable theoretical treatment of the photodissociation dynamics and as building blocks for constructing the double many-body expansion potential energy surface of larger nitrogen/hydrogen containing systems. In turn, a preliminary theoretical study of the reaction N((2)D)+H2(X(1)Σg (+))(ν=0,j=0)→NH(a(1)Δ)+H((2)S) has been carried out with the method of quasi-classical trajectory on the new potential energy surface. Integral cross sections and thermal rate constants have been calculated, providing perhaps the most reliable estimate of the integral cross sections and the rate constants known thus far for such a reaction.

Accurate double many-body expansion potential energy surface by extrapolation to the complete basis set limit and dynamics calculations for ground state of NH2

An accurate single-sheeted double many-body expansion potential energy surface is reported for the title system. A switching function formalism has been used to warrant the correct behavior at the H2(X1Σg+)+N(2D) and NH (X3Σ-)+H(2S) dissociation channels involving nitrogen in the ground N(4S) and first excited N(2D) states. The topographical features of the novel global potential energy surface are examined in detail, and found to be in good agreement with those calculated directly from the raw ab initio energies, as well as previous calculations available in the literature. The novel surface can be using to treat well the Renner-Teller degeneracy of the 12A″ and 12A' states of NH 2. Such a work can both be recommended for dynamics studies of the N(2D)+H2 reaction and as building blocks for constructing the double many-body expansion potential energy surface of larger nitrogen/hydrogen-containing systems. In turn, a test theoretical study of the reaction N(2D)+H2(X1Σg+)(ν=0,j=0)→NH (X3Σ-)+H(2S) has been carried out with the method of quantum wave packet on the new potential energy surface. Reaction probabilities, integral cross sections, and differential cross sections have been calculated. Threshold exists because of the energy barrier (68.5 meV) along the minimum energy path. On the curve of reaction probability for total angular momentum J = 0, there are two sharp peaks just above threshold. The value of integral cross section increases quickly from zero to maximum with the increase of collision energy, and then stays stable with small oscillations. The differential cross section result shows that the reaction is a typical forward and backward scatter in agreement with experimental measurement result.

Accurate ab initio based multisheeted double many-body expansion potential energy surface for the three lowest electronic singlet states of H3+

The authors present diabatic and adiabatic potential energy surfaces for the three lowest electronic singlet states of H3+. The modeling of the surfaces is based on the multi-sheeted double many-body expansion method which consists of dressing the various matrix elements of the diatomics-in-molecules potential matrix with three-body terms. The avoided crossing between the two lowest states and the conical intersection between the second and the third state are accurately represented by construction.