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arXiv:1311.1646 · The Journal of Chemical Physics

Linear response theory for the density matrix renormalization group: Efficient algorithms for strongly correlated excited states

Naoki Nakatani, Sebastian Wouters, Dimitri Van Neck, Garnet Kin-Lic Chan

Published Jan 13, 2014• 59 citations
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Abstract

Linear response theory for the density matrix renormalization group (DMRG-LRT) was first presented in terms of the DMRG renormalization projectors [J. J. Dorando, J. Hachmann, and G. K.-L. Chan, J. Chem. Phys. 130, 184111 (2009)]. Later, with an understanding of the manifold structure of the matrix product state (MPS) ansatz, which lies at the basis of the DMRG algorithm, a way was found to construct the linear response space for general choices of the MPS gauge in terms of the tangent space vectors [J. Haegeman, J. I. Cirac, T. J. Osborne, I. Pižorn, H. Verschelde, and F. Verstraete, Phys. Rev. Lett. 107, 070601 (2011)]. These two developments led to the formulation of the Tamm-Dancoff and random phase approximations (TDA and RPA) for MPS. This work describes how these LRTs may be efficiently implemented through minor modifications of the DMRG sweep algorithm, at a computational cost which scales the same as the ground-state DMRG algorithm. In fact, the mixed canonical MPS form implicit to the DMRG sweep is essential for efficient implementation of the RPA, due to the structure of the second-order tangent space. We present ab initio DMRG-TDA results for excited states of polyenes, the water molecule, and a [2Fe-2S] iron-sulfur cluster.

DOI
10.1063/1.4860375

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Linear response theory for the density matrix renormalization group (DMRG-LRT) was first presented in terms of the DMRG renormalization projectors [J. J. Dorando, J. Hachmann, and G. K.-L. Chan, J. Chem. Phys. 130, 184111 (2009)]. Later, with an understanding of the manifold structure of the matrix product state (MPS) ansatz, which lies at the basis of the DMRG algorithm, a way was found to construct the linear response space for general choices of the MPS gauge in terms of the tangent space vectors [J. Haegeman, J. I. Cirac, T. J. Osborne, I. Pižorn, H. Verschelde, and F. Verstraete, Phys. Rev. Lett. 107, 070601 (2011)]. These two developments led to the formulation of the Tamm-Dancoff and random phase approximations (TDA and RPA) for MPS. This work describes how these LRTs may be efficiently implemented through minor modifications of the DMRG sweep algorithm, at a computational cost which scales the same as the ground-state DMRG algorithm. In fact, the mixed canonical MPS form implicit to the DMRG sweep is essential for efficient implementation of the RPA, due to the structure of the second-order tangent space. We present ab initio DMRG-TDA results for excited states of polyenes, the water molecule, and a [2Fe-2S] iron-sulfur cluster.
The similarities between Hartree-Fock (HF) theory and the density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) are explored. Both methods can be formulated as the variational optimization of a wave-function Ansatz. Linearization of the time-dependent variational principle near a variational minimum allows to derive the random phase approximation (RPA). We show that the nonredundant parameterization of the matrix product state (MPS) tangent space [J. Haegeman, J. I. Cirac, T. J. Osborne, I. Pi\ifmmode \check{z}\else \v{z}\fi{}orn, H. Verschelde, and F. Verstraete, Phys. Rev. Lett. 107, 070601 (2011)] leads to the Thouless theorem for MPS, i.e., an explicit nonredundant parameterization of the entire MPS manifold, starting from a specific MPS reference. Excitation operators are identified, which extends the analogy between HF and DMRG to the Tamm-Dancoff approximation (TDA), the configuration interaction (CI) expansion, and coupled cluster theory. For a small one-dimensional Hubbard chain, we use a CI-MPS Ansatz with single and double excitations to improve on the ground state and to calculate low-lying excitation energies. For a symmetry-broken ground state of this model, we show that RPA-MPS allows to retrieve the Goldstone mode. We also discuss calculations of the RPA-MPS correlation energy. With the long-range quantum chemical Pariser-Parr-Pople Hamiltonian, low-lying TDA-MPS and RPA-MPS excitation energies for polyenes are obtained.
During the past 15 years, the density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) has become increasingly important for ab initio quantum chemistry. The underlying matrix product state (MPS) ansatz is a low-rank decomposition of the full configuration interaction tensor. The virtual dimension of the MPS controls the size of the corner of the many-body Hilbert space that can be reached. Whereas the MPS ansatz will only yield an efficient description for noncritical one-dimensional systems, it can still be used as a variational ansatz for other finite-size systems. Rather large virtual dimensions are then required. The two most important aspects to reduce the corresponding computational cost are a proper choice and ordering of the active space orbitals, and the exploitation of the symmetry group of the Hamiltonian. By taking care of both aspects, DMRG becomes an efficient replacement for exact diagonalization in quantum chemistry. DMRG and Hartree-Fock theory have an analogous structure. The former can be interpreted as a self-consistent mean-field theory in the DMRG lattice sites, and the latter in the particles. It is possible to build upon this analogy to introduce post-DMRG methods. Based on an approximate MPS, these methods provide improved ansätze for the ground state, as well as for excitations. Exponentiation of the single-particle (single-site) excitations for a Slater determinant (an MPS with open boundary conditions) leads to the Thouless theorem for Hartree-Fock theory (DMRG), an explicit nonredundant parameterization of the entire manifold of Slater determinants (MPS wavefunctions). This gives rise to the configuration interaction expansion for DMRG. The Hubbard-Stratonovich transformation lies at the basis of auxiliary field quantum Monte Carlo for Slater determinants. An analogous transformation for spin-lattice Hamiltonians allows to formulate a promising variant for MPSs.
The density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) has an underlying variational ansatz, the matrix product state (MPS). The accuracy of this ansatz is controlled by its virtual dimension. In most applications for quantum chemistry this parameter is very large, and the high-accuracy or FCI regime is studied. With a good orbital choice and ordering, and by exploiting the symmetry group of the Hamiltonian, DMRG then allows to retrieve highly accurate results in active spaces beyond the reach of FCI [1,2]. However, DMRG can also be of use with smaller virtual dimensions. I will discuss how fundamental ideas from Hartree-Fock (HF) theory are transferable to DMRG. Both methods have a variational ansatz. The time-independent variational principle leads for HF and DMRG to a self-consistent mean-field theory in the particles and lattice sites, respectively. The time-dependent variational principle results in the random-phase approximation (RPA). RPA reveals the elementary excitations: particle and site excitations for HF and DMRG, respectively. Exponentiation of these excitations provides a nonredundant parameterization of the ansatz manifold, formulated by Thouless’ theorem. A Taylor expansion in the nonredundant parameters leads to the configuration interaction expansion [3,4]. References [1] S. Wouters, W. Poelmans, P. W. Ayers and D. Van Neck, Computer Physics Communications 185, 1501-1514 (2014). [2] S. Wouters, T. Bogaerts, P. Van Der Voort, V. Van Speybroeck and D. Van Neck, Journal of Chemical Physics 140, 241103 (2014). [3] S. Wouters, N. Nakatani, D. Van Neck and G. K.-L. Chan, Physical Review B 88, 075122 (2013). [4] N. Nakatani, S. Wouters, D. Van Neck and G. K.-L. Chan, Journal of Chemical Physics 140, 024108 (2014).
The density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) has an underlying variational ansatz, the matrix product state (MPS). The accuracy of this ansatz is controlled by its virtual dimension. In most applications for quantum chemistry this parameter is very large, and the high-accuracy or FCI regime is studied. With a good orbital choice and ordering, and by exploiting the symmetry group of the Hamiltonian, DMRG then allows to retrieve highly accurate results in active spaces beyond the reach of FCI. However, DMRG can also be of use with smaller virtual dimensions. I will discuss how fundamental ideas from Hartree-Fock (HF) theory are transferable to DMRG. Both methods have a variational ansatz. The time-independent variational principle leads for HF and DMRG to a self-consistent mean-field theory in the particles and lattice sites, respectively. The time-dependent variational principle results in the random-phase approximation (RPA). RPA reveals the elementary excitations: particle and site excitations for HF and DMRG, respectively. Exponentiation of these excitations provides a nonredundant parameterization of the ansatz manifold, formulated by Thouless’ theorem. A Taylor expansion in the nonredundant parameters leads to the configuration interaction expansion. I will also discuss how auxiliary field quantum Monte Carlo for Slater determinants can be extended for matrix product states.
The density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) is one of the most powerful numerical methods available for many-body systems. It has been applied to solve many physical problems, including the calculation of ground states and dynamical properties. In this work, we develop a perturbation theory of the DMRG (PT-DMRG) to greatly increase its accuracy in an extremely simple and efficient way. Using the canonical matrix product state (MPS) representation for the ground state of the considered system, a set of orthogonal basis functions $\left\{|{\ensuremath{\psi}}_{i}\ensuremath{\rangle}\right\}$ is introduced to describe the perturbations to the ground state obtained by the conventional DMRG. The Schmidt numbers of the MPS that are beyond the bond dimension cutoff are used to define these perturbation terms. The perturbed Hamiltonian is then defined as ${\stackrel{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}{H}}_{ij}=\ensuremath{\langle}{\ensuremath{\psi}}_{i}|\stackrel{\ifmmode \hat{}\else \^{}\fi{}}{H}|{\ensuremath{\psi}}_{j}\ensuremath{\rangle}$; its ground state permits us to calculate physical observables with a considerably improved accuracy compared to the original DMRG results. We benchmark the second-order perturbation theory with the help of a one-dimensional Ising chain in a transverse field and the Heisenberg chain, where the precision of the DMRG is shown to be improved O(10)O(10)O(10) times. Furthermore, for moderate LLL the errors of the DMRG and PT-DMRG both scale linearly with ${L}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ (with LLL being the length of the chain). The linear relation between the dimension cutoff of the DMRG and that of the PT-DMRG at the same precision shows a considerable improvement in efficiency, especially for large dimension cutoffs. In the thermodynamic limit we show that the errors of the PT-DMRG scale with $\sqrt{{L}^{\ensuremath{-}1}}$. Our work suggests an effective way to define the tangent space of the ground-state MPS, which may shed light on the properties beyond the ground state. This second-order PT-DMRG can be readily generalized to higher orders, as well as applied to models in higher dimensions.
In this thesis, we will describe several extensions of the Density Matrix Renormalization Group (DMRG) and Canonical Transformation Theory (CT). In the first part we describe a new way to solve for excited states in DMRG. To overcome the limitations of the traditional state-averaging approaches in excited state calculations, where one solves for all states between the ground state and excited state of interest, we have investigated a number of new excited state algorithms. Building on the work of van der Vorst and Sleijpen (SIAM J. Matrix Anal. Appl., 17, 401 (1996)), we have implemented Harmonic Davidson and State-Averaged Harmonic Davidson algorithms within the context of DMRG. We have assessed their accuracy and stability of convergence in complete active space DMRG calculations on the low-lying excited states in the acenes ranging from naphthalene to pentacene. We find that both algorithms offer increased accuracy over the traditional State-Averaged Davidson approach, and in particular, the State-Averaged Harmonic Davidson algorithm offers an optimal combination of accuracy and stability in convergence. In the second part, we propose an analytic response theory for DMRG whereby response properties correspond to analytic derivatives of DMRG observables with respect to the applied perturbations. Both static and frequencydependent response theories are formulated and implemented. We evaluate our pilot implementation by calculating static and frequency-dependent polar- isabilities of short oligo-di-acetylenes. The analytic response theory is competitive with dynamical DMRG methods and yields significantly improved accuracies when using a small number of density matrix renormalisation group states. Strengths and weaknesses of the analytic approach are discussed. In the third part, we describe how to calculate density matrices in CT theory. Density matrices are useful not only for computing observables but also for characterizing the nature of individual states. We demonstrate this with a preliminary application of the CT theory to understand the low-lying excited states of oligo-phenylvinylenes. We finish by presenting the theory and equations for calculating the response (e.g. to an external field) in the CT and DMRG-CT theories.