Improving the accuracy of Weyl-Heisenberg wavelet and symmetrized Gaussian representations using customized phase-space-region operators

Hitting the Trifecta: How to Simultaneously Push the Limits of Schrödinger Solution with Respect to System Size, Convergence Accuracy, and Number of Computed States

Methods for solving the Schrödinger equation without approximation are in high demand but are notoriously computationally expensive. In practical terms, there are just three primary factors that currently limit what can be achieved: 1) system size/dimensionality; 2) energy level excitation; and 3) numerical convergence accuracy. Broadly speaking, current methods can deliver on any two of these three goals, but achieving all three at once remains an enormous challenge. In this paper, we shall demonstrate how to "hit the trifecta" in the context of molecular vibrational spectroscopy calculations. In particular, we compute the lowest 1000 vibrational states for the six-atom acetonitrile molecule (CH₃CN), to a numerical convergence of accuracy 10^-2 cm^-1 or better. These calculations encompass all vibrational states throughout most of the dynamically relevant range (i.e., up to ∼4250 cm^-1 above the ground state), computed in full quantum dimensionality (12 dimensions), to near spectroscopic accuracy. To our knowledge, no such vibrational spectroscopy calculation has ever previously been performed.

Applying Bogomolny's quantization method to generic classical systems

The quantization method of Bogomolny [Nonlinearity 5, 805 (1992)] can potentially provide semiclassical estimates for energy levels of all bound states of arbitrary systems. This approach requires the formation of the transfer matrix TE as a function of energy E. Existing practical methods for calculating this matrix require a recalculation of many classical trajectories for each energy. This has hampered the application of Bogomolny's method to generic systems that do not possess special classical scaling properties. Generalizing earlier work [H. Barak and K. G. Kay, Phys. Rev. E 88, 062926 (2013)], we develop initial value representation formulas for TE that overcome this problem. These expressions are obtained from a generalized Herman-Kluk formula for the propagator that allows one to easily derive a family of semiclassical integral approximations for the Green's function that are, in turn, used to form the transfer matrix. Calculations for two-dimensional systems show that Bogomolny's method with the present expressions for TE produces accurate semiclassical energy levels from small transfer matrices.

Quantum Dynamics in Phase Space using Projected von Neumann Bases

We describe the mathematical underpinnings of the biorthogonal von Neumann method for quantum mechanical simulations (PvB). In particular, we present a detailed discussion of the important issue of nonorthogonal projection onto subspaces of biorthogonal bases, and how this differs from orthogonal projection. We present various representations of the Schrödinger equation in the reduced basis and discuss their relative merits. We conclude with illustrative examples and a discussion of the outlook and challenges ahead for the PvB representation.

Phase-space approach to solving the time-independent Schrödinger equation

We propose a method for solving the time-independent Schrödinger equation based on the von Neumann (vN) lattice of phase space Gaussians. By incorporating periodic boundary conditions into the vN lattice [F. Dimler et al., New J. Phys. 11, 105052 (2009)], we solve a longstanding problem of convergence of the vN method. This opens the door to tailoring quantum calculations to the underlying classical phase space structure while retaining the accuracy of the Fourier grid basis. The method has the potential to provide enormous numerical savings as the dimensionality increases. In the classical limit, the method reaches the remarkable efficiency of one basis function per one eigenstate. We illustrate the method for a challenging two-dimensional potential where the Fourier grid method breaks down.