Common density-matrix functionals, the M\"uller and the power functional, have been benchmarked for the half-filled Hubbard dimer, which allows us to model the bond dissociation problem and the transition from the weakly to the strongly correlated limit. Unbiased numerical calculations are combined with analytical results. Despite the well known successes of the M\"uller functional, the ground state is degenerate with a one-dimensional manifold of ferromagnetic solutions. The resulting infinite magnetic susceptibility indicates another qualitative flaw of the M\"uller functional. The derivative discontinuity with respect to particle number is not present indicating an incorrect metal-like behavior. The power functional actually favors the ferromagnetic state for weak interaction. Analogous to the Hartree-Fock approximation, the power functional undergoes a transition beyond a critical interaction strength, in this case, however, to a noncollinear antiferromagnetic state.
Common density-matrix functionals, the M"uller and the power functional, have been benchmarked for the half-filled Hubbard dimer, which allows us to model the bond dissociation problem and the transition from the weakly to the strongly correlated limit. Unbiased numerical calculations are combined with analytical results. Despite the well known successes of the M"uller functional, the ground state is degenerate with a one-dimensional manifold of ferromagnetic solutions. The resulting infinite magnetic susceptibility indicates another qualitative flaw of the M"uller functional. The derivative discontinuity with respect to particle number is not present indicating an incorrect metal-like behavior. The power functional actually favors the ferromagnetic state for weak interaction. Analogous to the Hartree-Fock approximation, the power functional undergoes a transition beyond a critical interaction strength, in this case, however, to a noncollinear antiferromagnetic state.
This review explains the relationship between density functional theory and strongly correlated models using the simplest possible example, the two-site Hubbard model. The relationship to traditional quantum chemistry is included. Even in this elementary example, where the exact ground-state energy and site occupations can be found analytically, there is much to be explained in terms of the underlying logic and aims of Density Functional Theory. Although the usual solution is analytic, the density functional is given only implicitly. We overcome this difficulty using the Levy-Lieb construction to create a parametrization of the exact function with negligible errors. The symmetric case is most commonly studied, but we find a rich variation in behavior by including asymmetry, as strong correlation physics vies with charge-transfer effects. We explore the behavior of the gap and the many-body Green’s function, demonstrating the ‘failure ’ of the Kohn-Sham method to reproduce the fundamental gap. We perform benchmark calculations of the occupation and components of the KS potentials, the correlation kinetic energies, and the adiabatic connection. We test several approximate functionals (restricted and unrestricted Hartree-Fock and Bethe Ansatz Local Density Approximation) to show their successes and limitations. We also discuss and illustrate the concept of the derivative discontinuity. Useful appendices include analytic expressions for Density
The Hubbard model is investigated in the framework of lattice density functional theory (LDFT). The single-particle density matrix ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{\mathrm{ij}}$ with respect to the lattice sites is considered as the basic variable of the many-body problem. A new approximation to the interaction-energy functional $W[\ensuremath{\gamma}]$ is proposed which is based on its scaling properties and which recovers exactly the limit of strong electron correlations at half-band filling. In this way, a more accurate description of W is obtained throughout the domain of representability of ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{\mathrm{ij}},$ including the crossover from weak to strong correlations. As examples of applications results are given for the ground-state energy, charge-excitation gap, and charge susceptibility of the Hubbard model in one-, two-, and three-dimensional lattices. The performance of the method is demonstrated by comparison with available exact solutions, with numerical calculations, and with LDFT using a simpler dimer ansatz for W. Goals and limitations of the different approximations are discussed.
This review explains the relationship between density functional theory and strongly correlated models using the simplest possible example, the two-site Hubbard model. The relationship to traditional quantum chemistry is included. Even in this elementary example, where the exact ground-state energy and site occupations can be found analytically, there is much to be explained in terms of the underlying logic and aims of density functional theory. Although the usual solution is analytic, the density functional is given only implicitly. We overcome this difficulty using the Levy-Lieb construction to create a parametrization of the exact function with negligible errors. The symmetric case is most commonly studied, but we find a rich variation in behavior by including asymmetry, as strong correlation physics vies with charge-transfer effects. We explore the behavior of the gap and the many-body Green's function, demonstrating the 'failure' of the Kohn-Sham (KS) method to reproduce the fundamental gap. We perform benchmark calculations of the occupation and components of the KS potentials, the correlation kinetic energies, and the adiabatic connection. We test several approximate functionals (restricted and unrestricted Hartree-Fock and Bethe ansatz local density approximation) to show their successes and limitations. We also discuss and illustrate the concept of the derivative discontinuity. Useful appendices include analytic expressions for density functional energy components, several limits of the exact functional (weak- and strong-coupling, symmetric and asymmetric), various adiabatic connection results, proofs of exact conditions for this model, and the origin of the Hubbard model from a minimal basis model for stretched H2.
The dimerized one-dimensional Hubbard model is studied in the framework of lattice density-functional theory (LDFT). The single-particle density matrix ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{\mathrm{ij}}$ with respect to the lattice sites is considered as the basic variable. The corresponding interaction-energy functional $W[{\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{\mathrm{ij}}]$ is defined by Levy's constrained search. Exact numerical results are obtained for $W({\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{12},{\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{23}),$ where ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{12}={\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{i,i+1}$ for odd i and ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{23}={\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{i,i+1}$ for even i are the nearest-neighbor density-matrix elements along the chain. The domain of representability of ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{\mathrm{ij}}$ and the functional dependence of $W({\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{12},{\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{23})$ are analyzed. A simple, explicit approximation to $W({\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{12},{\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{23})$ is proposed, which is derived from scaling properties of W, exact dimer results, and known limits. Using this approximation, LDFT is applied to determine ground-state properties and charge-excitation gaps of finite and infinite dimerized chains as a function of the Coulomb-repulsion strength U/t and of the alternation $\ensuremath{\delta}t$ of the hopping integrals tij ${(t}_{\mathrm{ij}}=t\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}\ensuremath{\delta}t).$ The accuracy of the method is demonstrated by comparison with available exact solutions and accurate numerical calculations. Goals and limitations of the present approach are discussed particularly concerning its ability to describe the crossover from weak to strong electron correlations.
In this Thesis, we develop and apply an accurate method to determine the ground-state properties of strongly-correlated electrons in the framework of lattice model Hamiltonians. In lattice density-functional theory (LDFT) the basic variable is the one-particle density matrix γ. From a generalized HK theorem, the ground state energy Egs[γgs] = minγ E[γ] is obtained by minimizing the energy-functional E[γ] over all the physical or representable γ. The energy functional can be divided into two contributions: the kinetic-energy functional T [γ], which linear dependence on γ is exactly known, and the correlation-energy functional W [γ], which dependence on γ is not explicitly known. Finding accurate approximations for W [γ] constitutes the actual challenge of this thesis. Part of this work is based on previous studies which derive an approximation of W [γ] for the Hubbard Hamiltonian based on scaling hypothesis and an exact analytical results for the Hubbard dimer. However, this approach is limited to spin independent and homogeneous systems. In order to extend the scope of LDFT, we have developed three different approaches to derive W [γ] in order to study broken symmetry problems. First we extend the previous scaling functional to system having charge transfer. By a systematic study of the dependence of W [γ] on the charge distribution we find similar scaling properties as for the homogeneous case. An extension to the Hubbard model on bipartite lattices is then derived and applied to finite and infinite systems with repulsive and attractive interactions. The high accuracy of this functional is demonstrated. Nevertheless, this approach is difficult to transfer to more complex systems, since the calculation of W [γ] applies to the system as a whole. To overcome this problem, we derive another approximation based on local scaling properties. This functional is formulated on-site so that it can be applied to any ordered or disordered Hamiltonian with on-site interaction. As applications we study the metal-insulator transition in the ionic Hubbard model in oneand two-dimensions, as well as the one-dimensional Hubbard chain with first and second nearest neighbor hoppings. Finally, we develop a numerical approach of W [γ], on the basis on exact diagonalizations of an effective many-body Hamiltonian corresponding to a cluster surrounded by an effective medium. This effective Hamiltonian depends on the density matrix γ and allows to derive approximation to W [γ] which improve systematically with increasing cluster size. The formulation is spin-dependent and allows a straightforward generalization to multi-orbital correlated systems such spd-Hamiltonians. In addition it take into account the effects of short-range charge and spin fluctuations in the functional. The accuracy of the method is demonstrated for the Hubbard model by comparison with the Bethe-Ansatz solution (1D) and quantum Monte Carlo simulations (2D). Finally, an outlook or relevant future developments of the theory is provided.
A density-functional theory for many-body lattice models is considered in which the single-particle density matrix ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{\mathrm{ij}}$ is the basic variable. Eigenvalue equations are derived for solving Levy's constrained search of the interaction energy functional $W[{\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{\mathrm{ij}}].$ $W[{\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{\mathrm{ij}}]$ is expressed as the sum of Hartree-Fock energy ${E}_{\mathrm{HF}}[{\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{\mathrm{ij}}]$ and the correlation energy ${E}_{C}[{\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{\mathrm{ij}}].$ Exact results are obtained for ${E}_{C}({\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{12})$ of the Hubbard model on various periodic lattices, where ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{\mathrm{ij}}={\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{12}$ for all nearest neighbors i and j. The functional dependence of ${E}_{C}({\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{12})$ is analyzed by varying the number of sites Na, band filling Ne, and lattice structure. The infinite one-dimensional chain and one-, two-, or three-dimensional finite clusters with periodic boundary conditions are considered. The properties of ${E}_{C}({\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{12})$ are discussed in the limits of weak $({\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{12}\ensuremath{\simeq}{\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{12}^{0})$ and strong $({\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{12}\ensuremath{\simeq}{\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{12}^{\ensuremath{\infty}})$ electronic correlations, and in the crossover region $({\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{12}^{\ensuremath{\infty}}<~{\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{12}<~{\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{12}^{0}).$ Using an appropriate scaling we observe that ${\ensuremath{\varepsilon}}_{C}{(g}_{12}{)=E}_{C}{/E}_{\mathrm{HF}}$ has a pseudo-universal behavior as a function of ${g}_{12}=({\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{12}\ensuremath{-}{\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{12}^{\ensuremath{\infty}})/({\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{12}^{0}\ensuremath{-}{\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{12}^{\ensuremath{\infty}}).$ The fact that ${\ensuremath{\varepsilon}}_{C}{(g}_{12})$ depends weakly on Na,Ne, and lattice structure suggests that the correlation energy of extended systems could be obtained quite accurately from finite-cluster calculations. Finally, the behaviors of ${E}_{C}({\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{12})$ for repulsive (U>0) and attractive (U<0) interactions are contrasted.