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The Journal of Chemical Physics

Quantum-classical molecular dynamics as an approximation to full quantum dynamics

Folkmar A. Bornemann, Peter Nettesheim, Christof Schütte

Published Jul 15, 1996• 118 citations
Publisher

Abstract

This paper presents a mathematical derivation of a model for quantum-classical molecular dynamics (QCMD) as a partial classical limit of the full Schrödinger equation. This limit is achieved in two steps: separation of the full wave function and short wave asymptotics for its ‘‘classical’’ part. Both steps can be rigorously justified under the same smallness assumptions. This throws some light on the time-dependent self-consistent-field method and on mixed quantum-semiclassical models, which also depend on the separation step. On the other hand, the theory leads to a characterization of the critical situations in which the QCMD model is in danger of largely deviating from the solution of full Schrödinger equation. These critical situations are exemplified in an illustrative numerical simulation: the collinear collision of a classical particle with a harmonic quantum oscillator.

DOI
10.1063/1.471952

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This paper presents a mathematical derivation of a model for quantum-classical molecular dynamics (QCMD) as a partial classical limit of the full Schrödinger equation. This limit is achieved in two steps: separation of the full wave function and short wave asymptotics for its ‘‘classical’’ part. Both steps can be rigorously justified under the same smallness assumptions. This throws some light on the time-dependent self-consistent-field method and on mixed quantum-semiclassical models, which also depend on the separation step. On the other hand, the theory leads to a characterization of the critical situations in which the QCMD model is in danger of largely deviating from the solution of full Schrödinger equation. These critical situations are exemplified in an illustrative numerical simulation: the collinear collision of a classical particle with a harmonic quantum oscillator.
In molecular dynamics applications there is a growing interest in mixed quantum-classical models. The quantum-classical Liouville equation (QCL) describes most atoms of the molecular system under consideration by means of a classical phase space density but an important, small portion of the system by means of quantum mechanics. The QCL is derived from the full quantum dynamical (QD) description by applying the Wigner transform to the \\classical part" of the system only. We discuss the conditions under which the QCL model approximates the full QD evolution of the system. First, analysis of the asymptotic properties of the Wigner transform shows that solving the QCL yields a rst order approximation of full quantum dynamics. Second, we discuss the adiabatic limit of the QCL. This discussion shows that the QCL solutions may be interpretated as classical phase space densities, at least near the adiabatic limit. Third, it is demonstrated that the QCL yields good approximations of non-adia...
We consider a simple collinear collision of a "classical" particle with a harmonic oscillator within quantum-semiclassical model and full quantum dynamics model, in which the latter is solved analytically in squeezed state and exact diagonalization methods and acts as the exact solution of such a system. A comparison of these two models for different mass ratios between the "classical" particle and the quantum particle is done, which gives a criterion when using the quantum-semiclassical model.
The coupled Schrödinger equations that describe nonadiabatic dynamics are recast using the Bohm formulation of quantum mechanics. The resulting coupled Bohm equations are solved numerically for two scattering models, giving results that are essentially identical to wave-packet solution of the original coupled Schrödinger equations. The classical limit of the set of coupled Bohm equations is then described, producing a mixed quantum-classical theory incorporating classical-like motion on each potential energy surface accompanied by quantum transitions between the quantum states. Numerical tests of the mixed quantum-classical method are in excellent agreement with the accurate full-quantum results for the model problems. The method is contrasted with the related surface-hopping approach. It is shown that computing the dynamics of a distribution of classical particles is more consistent and more accurate than computing the motion of independent point particles as with surface hopping.
A classical limit of quantum dynamics can be defined by compensation of the quantum potential in the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. The quantum potential is a non-local quantity, defined in the trajectory-based form of the Schrödinger equation, due to Madelung, de Broglie, and Bohm, which formally generates the quantum-mechanical features in dynamics. Selective inclusion of the quantum potential for the degrees of freedom deemed "quantum," defines a hybrid quantum/classical dynamics, appropriate for molecular systems comprised of light and heavy nuclei. The wavefunction is associated with all of the nuclei, and the Ehrenfest, or mean-field, averaging of the force acting on the classical degrees of freedom, typical of the mixed quantum/classical methods, is avoided. The hybrid approach is used to examine evolution of light/heavy systems in the harmonic and double-well potentials, using conventional grid-based and approximate quantum-trajectory time propagation. The approximate quantum force is defined on spatial domains, which removes unphysical coupling of the wavefunction fragments corresponding to distinct classical channels or configurations. The quantum potential, associated with the quantum particle, generates forces acting on both quantum and classical particles to describe the backreaction.
In this paper we propose an ab initio method to solve quantum many-body problems of molecular dynamics where both electronic and nuclear degrees are represented by ensembles of trajectories and guiding waves in physical space. Both electrons and nuclei can be treated quantum mechanically where the guiding waves obey a set of coupled Schrodinger equations (quantum-quantum description) or, alternatively, coupled Schrodinger-Newtonian equations are solved for the quantum-classical approximation. The method takes into account local and nonlocal quantum correlation effects in a self-consistent manner. The general formalism is applied to one- and two-dimensional hydrogen molecules subjected to a strong ultrashort optical pulse. Comparison is made with the results from the "exact" Ehrenfest molecular dynamics for the molecular ionization and for the evolution of the internuclear distance as the molecule dissociates.
Ehrenfest, Born-Oppenheimer, Langevin and Smoluchowski dynamics are shown to be accurate approximations of time-independent Schrödinger observables for a molecular system avoiding caustics, in the limit of large ratio of nuclei and electron masses, without assuming that the nuclei are localized to vanishing domains. The derivation, based on a Hamiltonian system interpretation of the Schrödinger equation and stability of the corresponding Hamilton-Jacobi equation, bypasses the usual separation of nuclei and electron wave functions, includes crossing electron eigenvalues, and gives a different perspective on the Born-Oppenheimer approximation, Schrödinger Hamiltonian systems, stochastic electron equilibrium states and numerical simulation in molecular dynamics modeling.