Extensions to the distributed approximating functional: The harmonic propagator

Quantum wave packet ab initio molecular dynamics: an approach to study quantum dynamics in large systems

A methodology to efficiently conduct simultaneous dynamics of electrons and nuclei is presented. The approach involves quantum wave packet dynamics using an accurate banded, sparse and Toeplitz representation for the discrete free propagator, in conjunction with ab initio molecular dynamics treatment of the electronic and classical nuclear degree of freedom. The latter may be achieved either by using atom-centered density-matrix propagation or by using Born-Oppenheimer dynamics. The two components of the methodology, namely, quantum dynamics and ab initio molecular dynamics, are harnessed together using a time-dependent self-consistent field-like coupling procedure. The quantum wave packet dynamics is made computationally robust by using adaptive grids to achieve optimized sampling. One notable feature of the approach is that important quantum dynamical effects including zero-point effects, tunneling, as well as over-barrier reflections are treated accurately. The electronic degrees of freedom are simultaneously handled at accurate levels of density functional theory, including hybrid or gradient corrected approximations. Benchmark calculations are provided for proton transfer systems and the dynamics results are compared with exact calculations to determine the accuracy of the approach.

Hierarchy of local minimum solutions of Heisenberg's uncertainty principle

We derive a new hierarchy of local minimum Heisenberg-uncertainty states by introducing a superposition of "small waves" onto some initial state. Our objective is to increase the resolution in one observable, with the least decrease in the resolution in the conjugate observable. This leads to a constrained minimization which in a well-defined sense yields the best possible way of achieving this goal. The results are relevant to many topics (e.g., quantum optics and control, Bose-Einstein condensation, path integration, etc.).