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The Journal of Chemical Physics

Highly correlated calculations with a polynomial cost algorithm: A study of the density matrix renormalization group

Garnet Kin‐Lic Chan, Martin Head‐Gordon

Published Mar 15, 2002• 554 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We study the recently developed Density Matrix Renormalization Group (DMRG) algorithm in the context of quantum chemistry. In contrast to traditional approaches, this algorithm is believed to yield arbitrarily high accuracy in the energy with only polynomial computational effort. We describe in some detail how this is achieved. We begin by introducing the principles of the renormalization procedure, and how one formulates an algorithm for use in quantum chemistry. The renormalization group algorithm is then interpreted in terms of familiar quantum chemical concepts, and its numerical behavior, including its convergence and computational cost, are studied using both model and real systems. The asymptotic convergence of the algorithm is derived. Finally, we examine the performance of the DMRG on widely studied chemical problems, such as the water molecule, the twisting barrier of ethene, and the dissociation of nitrogen. In all cases, the results compare favorably with the best existing quantum chemical methods, and particularly so when the nondynamical correlation is strong. Some perspectives for future development are given.

DOI
10.1063/1.1449459

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We study the recently developed Density Matrix Renormalization Group (DMRG) algorithm in the context of quantum chemistry. In contrast to traditional approaches, this algorithm is believed to yield arbitrarily high accuracy in the energy with only polynomial computational effort. We describe in some detail how this is achieved. We begin by introducing the principles of the renormalization procedure, and how one formulates an algorithm for use in quantum chemistry. The renormalization group algorithm is then interpreted in terms of familiar quantum chemical concepts, and its numerical behavior, including its convergence and computational cost, are studied using both model and real systems. The asymptotic convergence of the algorithm is derived. Finally, we examine the performance of the DMRG on widely studied chemical problems, such as the water molecule, the twisting barrier of ethene, and the dissociation of nitrogen. In all cases, the results compare favorably with the best existing quantum chemical methods, and particularly so when the nondynamical correlation is strong. Some perspectives for future development are given.
This paper is an introduction to a density matrix renormalization group method (DMRG) and its use in quantum chemistry. Firstly we define the term of strongly correlated systems and explain why the standard methods of quantum chemistry are not suitable for use with such systems. Then, motivated by the principle of locality, we introduce the wave function approximation in the form of matrix product state (MPS), its graphical representation and calculation of expectation values of operators. In the next section, we present the canonical form of MPS expansion and show its relationship to the algorithm of the DMRG method as a form of optimization of matrices in MPS in the sense of variational minimization of energy. Then, a brief overview is given to the properties of DMRG method, with its computational complexity and the resulting limitations, followed by a list of methods for inclusion of the remaining dynamical correlation. Finally, we provide example calculations on realistic, chemically interesting molecules.
Despite the success of modern quantum chemistry in predicting properties of organic molecules, the treatment of inorganic systems, which have many close lying states, remains out of quantitative reach for current methods. To treat non-dynamic correlation, we take advantage of the density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) method that has become very successful in the field of solid state physics. We present a detailed study of the DMRG method, and we pay special attention to the evolution of the understanding behind the mathematical structure of the DMRG wave function. Our primary goal is to develop a density matrix renormalization group self--consistent--field (DMRG-SCF) approach, analogous to the complete active space self--consistent field (CASSCF) method, but dealing with large active spaces that are too demanding for the full configuration interaction (FCI) method. \nAs a first step towards such a DMRG-SCF procedure, we present a spin-adapted DMRG algorithm designed to target spin- and spatial-symmetry states that are hard to obtain while using an unrestricted algorithm. \nOur next step is a modification of the DMRG algorithm to obtain decreasing energy at every step during the sweep. This monotonically convergent DMRG scheme lets us obtain the two-body density matrix as a by--product of the existing procedure without any additional cost in storage. Additionally, the two-body density matrix produced at convergence using this scheme is free from the N-representability problem that is present when the two--body density matrix is produced with the two-site DMRG scheme without additional storage cost. Finally, taking advantage of the modifications developed herein, we present results obtained from our DMRG-SCF method. Lastly, we discuss possible ways of incorporating dynamical correlation into the DMRG scheme, in order to obtain a modern multireference approach.
In the past two decades, the density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) has emerged as an innovative new method in quantum chemistry relying on a theoretical framework very different from that of traditional electronic structure approaches. The development of the quantum chemical DMRG has been remarkably fast: it has already become one of the reference approaches for large-scale multiconfigurational calculations. This perspective discusses the major features of DMRG, highlighting its strengths and weaknesses also in comparison with other novel approaches. The method is presented following its historical development, starting from its original formulation up to its most recent applications. Possible routes to recover dynamical correlation are discussed in detail. Emerging new fields of applications of DMRG are explored, such as its time-dependent formulation and the application to vibrational spectroscopy.
An implementation of the single-site density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) approach for the quantum-chemical application to calculate approximate as well as exact electronic ground-state energies and wave functions of atoms and molecules is presented.The algorithm is formulated in terms of the variational and sizeconsistent class of wave functions, matrix product states, and their operator analogues, matrix product operators.A procedure to construct quantum-chemical Hamiltonian operators with long-range Coulomb interactions as matrix product operators is developed.The many-electron Hamiltonian operators are represented as sums and products of one-electron operators.For the efficient matrix product operator construction of quantum-chemical Hamiltonians, different basis spaces including discrete position and momentum space as well as molecular and atomic orbitals are investigated.Discrete position space yields the best matrix product operator size scaling, but introduces artificial long-range couplings in the kinetic energy term of the Hamiltonian which are a consequence of the DMRG algorithm in terms of matrix product states.The huge amount of discrete space points needed for an accurate description poses a problem because of the electron-electron interaction.Therefore, a momentum space or Fourier series expansion of the electron-electron interaction is shown which makes it possible to compress its matrix product operator representation.DMRG applied to quantum-chemical Hamiltonians in matrix product operator form can serve as means to directly (without mean-field treatment in advance) investigate quantum-chemical problems and find the analytically exact ground-state solution of small atoms and molecules.The next basis space analyzed in detail is the atomic orbital basis.The matrix product operator construction and the direct application of the DMRG method in this basis is examined.A physical compression scheme based on a singular value decomposition of the electron-electron interaction in the atomic orbital basis is demonstrated.Furthermore, DMRG calculations in the atomic orbital basis for certain systems where mean-field theory yields qualitatively wrong results and where higher-order approximative correction methods like truncated configuration interaction and coupled cluster cannot fully capture strong electron correlation effects are compared to results obtained in the molecular orbital basis.The comparison shows that atomic orbitals describe the physical situation well and thus lead to a tremendous reduction of the matrix product state dimension and the computational effort.i
The ab-initio density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) is a tool that can be applied to a wide variety of interesting problems in quantum chemistry. Here, we examine the density matrix renormalization group from the vantage point of the quantum chemistry user. What kinds of problems is the DMRG well-suited to? What are the largest systems that can be treated at practical cost? What sort of accuracies can be obtained, and how do we reason about the computational difficulty in different molecules? By examining a diverse benchmark set of molecules: π-electron systems, benchmark main-group and transition metal dimers, and the Mn-oxo-salen and Fe-porphine organometallic compounds, we provide some answers to these questions, and show how the density matrix renormalization group is used in practice.