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Physical Review A

Generalized time-dependent density-functional-theory response functions for spontaneous density fluctuations and nonlinear response: Resolving the causality paradox in real time

Shaul Mukamel

Published Feb 23, 2005• 27 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Time-ordered superoperators are used to develop a unified description of nonlinear density response and spontaneous fluctuations of many-electron systems. The $p\mathrm{th}$-order density response functions are decomposed into ${2}^{p+1}$ non-causal Liouville space pathways. Individual pathways are symmetric to the interchange of their space, time, and superoperator indices and can thus be calculated as functional derivatives. Other combinations of these pathways represent spontaneous density fluctuations and the response of such fluctuations to an external field. The resolution of the causality paradox of time-dependent density-functional theory (TDDFT) is shown to be intimately connected with the nonretarded nature of fluctuations.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.71.024503

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Time-ordered superoperators are used to develop a unified description of nonlinear density response and spontaneous fluctuations of many-electron systems. The pthp\mathrm{th}pth-order density response functions are decomposed into 2p+1{2}^{p+1}2p+1 non-causal Liouville space pathways. Individual pathways are symmetric to the interchange of their space, time, and superoperator indices and can thus be calculated as functional derivatives. Other combinations of these pathways represent spontaneous density fluctuations and the response of such fluctuations to an external field. The resolution of the causality paradox of time-dependent density-functional theory (TDDFT) is shown to be intimately connected with the nonretarded nature of fluctuations.
The time-dependent density-functional (TDDFT) equations may be written either for the Kohn-Sham orbitals in Hilbert space or for the single-electron density matrix in Liouville space. A collective-oscillator, quasiparticle, representation of the density response of many-electron systems which explicitly reveals the relevant electronic coherence sizes is developed using the Liouville-space representation of adiabatic TDDFT. Closed expressions for the nonlinear density-density response are derived, eliminating the need to solve nonlinear integral equations, as required in the Hilbert-space formulation of the response.
Computing response functions by following the time evolution of superoperators in Liouville space (whose vectors are ordinary Hilbert space operators) offers an attractive alternative to the diagrammatic perturbative expansion of many-body equilibrium and nonequilibrium Green's functions. The bookkeeping of time ordering is naturally maintained in real (physical) time, allowing the formulation of Wick's theorem for superoperators, giving a factorization of higher order response functions in terms of two fundamental Green's functions. Backward propagations and analytic continuations using artificial times (Keldysh loops and Matsubara contours) are avoided. A generating functional for nonlinear response functions unifies quantum field theory and the classical mode coupling formalism of nonlinear hydrodynamics and may be used for semiclassical expansions. Classical response functions are obtained without the explicit computation of stability matrices.
I show that the so-called causality paradox of time-dependent density-functional theory arises from an incorrect formulation of the variational principle for the time evolution of the density. The correct formulation not only resolves the paradox in real time, but also leads to an expression for the causal exchange-correlation kernel in terms of Berry curvature. Furthermore, I show that all the results that were previously derived from symmetries of the action functional remain valid in the present formulation. Finally, I develop a model functional theory which explicitly demonstrates the workings of the formulation.
We resolve an existing paradox regarding the causality and symmetry properties of response functions within time-dependent density-functional theory. We do this by defining a new action functional within the Keldysh formalism. By functional differentiation the new functional leads to response functions which are symmetric in the Keldysh time contour parameter, but which become causal when a transition to physical time is made. The new functional is further used to derive the equations of the time-dependent optimized potential method.
This chapter discusses the linear-response framework of time-dependent density-functional theory (TDDFT). It begins with a thorough and self-contained exposition of general linear-response theory for many-body systems. The time-dependent as well as the frequency-dependent response are discussed. Several exact representations and properties of the density-density response function are reviewed, such as the Lehmann representation and fluctuation-dissipation theorem, and the Kramers-Kronig relations. It is shown how several important spectroscopic observables are obtained from linear-response theory. Then, the TDDFT formulation of linear-response theory is derived. The key quantity in this formalism is the so-called exchange-correlation kernel. The remainder of the chapter demonstrates how this linear-response formalism can be used to calculate excitation energies in principle exactly with TDDFT. The Casida equation is derived, as well as several approximate schemes. A comparison is made with time-dependent Hartree-Fock theory.
Time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) has recently been extended to describe many-body open quantum systems evolving under nonunitary dynamics according to a quantum master equation. In the master equation approach, electronic excitation spectra are broadened and shifted due to relaxation and dephasing of the electronic degrees of freedom by the surrounding environment. In this paper, we develop a formulation of TDDFT linear-response theory (LR-TDDFT) for many-body electronic systems evolving under a master equation, yielding broadened excitation spectra. This is done by mapping an interacting open quantum system onto a noninteracting open Kohn-Sham system yielding the correct nonequilibrium density evolution. A pseudoeigenvalue equation analogous to the Casida equations of the usual LR-TDDFT is derived for the Redfield master equation, yielding complex energies and Lamb shifts. As a simple demonstration, we calculate the spectrum of a C(2 +) atom including natural linewidths, by treating the electromagnetic field vacuum as a photon bath. The performance of an adiabatic exchange-correlation kernel is analyzed and a first-order frequency-dependent correction to the bare Kohn-Sham linewidth based on the Görling-Levy perturbation theory is calculated.