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International Journal of Quantum Chemistry

Applicability criterion for semiclassical Bohmian dynamics

Sophya V. Garashchuk, Vitaly A. Rassolov

Published Aug 30, 2004• 2 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Abstract In this paper we develop a criterion of the applicability for the trajectory‐based semiclassical propagation methods that are exact for Gaussian wavepackets in locally quadratic potentials. The error estimate takes into account a deviation of the wavefunction from the Gaussian form due to the anharmonicity of a potential. The derivation is based on the time‐dependent noncoherent solutions of the Schrödinger equation for a general quadratic potential that form a complete orthonormal time‐dependent basis. The anharmonicity is treated as a time‐dependent cubic perturbation, which is further related to the nonlinearity of a force acting on trajectories. The criterion is expressed in terms of scalar products of the average force, its first moments, and dispersion of the wavefunction and is efficient in the context of dynamics with the Bohmian trajectories. We give an application for the Bohmian dynamics with the approximate quantum potential, for the Gaussian wavepacket dynamics and for the semiclassical initial value representation propagator. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2004

DOI
10.1002/qua.20169

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Abstract In this paper we develop a criterion of the applicability for the trajectory‐based semiclassical propagation methods that are exact for Gaussian wavepackets in locally quadratic potentials. The error estimate takes into account a deviation of the wavefunction from the Gaussian form due to the anharmonicity of a potential. The derivation is based on the time‐dependent noncoherent solutions of the Schrödinger equation for a general quadratic potential that form a complete orthonormal time‐dependent basis. The anharmonicity is treated as a time‐dependent cubic perturbation, which is further related to the nonlinearity of a force acting on trajectories. The criterion is expressed in terms of scalar products of the average force, its first moments, and dispersion of the wavefunction and is efficient in the context of dynamics with the Bohmian trajectories. We give an application for the Bohmian dynamics with the approximate quantum potential, for the Gaussian wavepacket dynamics and for the semiclassical initial value representation propagator. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2004
In the de Broglie-Bohm formulation of quantum mechanics the time-dependent Schrodinger equation is solved in terms of quantum trajectories evolving under the influence of quantum and classical potentials. For a practical implementation that scales favorably with system size and is accurate for semiclassical systems, we use approximate quantum potentials. Recently, we have shown that optimization of the nonclassical component of the momentum operator in terms of fitting functions leads to the energy-conserving approximate quantum potential. In particular, linear fitting functions give the exact time evolution of a Gaussian wave packet in a locally quadratic potential and can describe the dominant quantum-mechanical effects in the semiclassical scattering problems of nuclear dynamics. In this paper we formulate the Bohmian dynamics on subspaces and define the energy-conserving approximate quantum potential in terms of optimized nonclassical momentum, extended to include the domain boundary functions. This generalization allows a better description of the non-Gaussian wave packets and general potentials in terms of simple fitting functions. The optimization is performed independently for each domain and each dimension. For linear fitting functions optimal parameters are expressed in terms of the first and second moments of the trajectory distribution. Examples are given for one-dimensional anharmonic systems and for the collinear hydrogen exchange reaction.
The time-dependent WKB approximation for a coherent state is expanded to third order around a guiding real trajectory, allowing for the novel treatment of nonlinearity in its semiclassical dynamics, which is generally present in all physical systems far from the classical regime. The result is a closed-form solution consisting of a linear combination of Airy functions and their derivatives multiplied by an exponential. The expression's ability to capture nonlinearity is demonstrated by examining the autocorrelation of initial coherent states in anharmonic systems with few to many contributing periodic orbits. Its accuracy is compared to the quadratic expansion and found to be superior in regimes of ℏ where the curvature begins to be significant, as expected. Moreover, the expression is shown to be a real-trajectory uniformization over two coalescing saddle points that are emblematic of significant curvature. This extends real-trajectory time-dependent wave-packet semiclassical methods to highly anharmonic systems for the first time and establishes their regime of validity.
The semiclassical Herman–Kluk initial value approximation of the quantum-mechanical propagator, which is heavily used in dynamical studies of atomic and molecular systems, takes into account nonlinearity of the underlying classical dynamics by using multiple classical initial value solutions. In applications to the propagation of Gaussian wavepackets non-Gaussian distortions in the course of time and therefore a realistic description of the quantum dynamics are possible. This is in contrast to the single-trajectory approximations investigated in a recent paper by Baranger et al , one of which was erroneously termed Herman–Kluk approximation.
Solution of the Schrodinger equation within the de Broglie-Bohm formulation is based on propagation of trajectories in the presence of a nonlocal quantum potential. We present a new strategy for defining approximate quantum potentials within a restricted trial function by performing the optimal fit to the log-derivatives of the wave function density. This procedure results in the energy-conserving dynamics for a closed system. For one particular form of the trial function leading to the linear quantum force, the optimization problem is solved analytically in terms of the first and second moments of the weighted trajectory distribution. This approach gives exact time-evolution of a correlated Gaussian wave function in a locally quadratic potential. The method is computationally cheap in many dimensions, conserves total energy and satisfies the criterion on the average quantum force. Expectation values are readily found by summing over trajectory weights. Efficient extraction of the phase-dependent quantities is discussed. We illustrate the efficiency and accuracy of the linear quantum force approximation by examining a one-dimensional scattering problem and by computing the wavepacket reaction probability for the hydrogen exchange reaction and the photodissociation spectrum of ICN in two dimensions.
It is shown that the quantum force in the Bohmian formulation of quantum mechanics can be related to the stability properties of the given trajectory. In turn, the evolution of the stability properties is governed by higher order derivatives of the quantum potential, leading to an infinite hierarchy of coupled differential equations whose solution specifies completely all aspects of the dynamics. Neglecting derivatives of the quantum potential beyond a certain order allows truncation of the hierarchy, leading to approximate Bohmian trajectories. Use of the method in conjunction with Bohmian initial value formulations [ J. Chem. Phys. 2003, 119, 60] gives rise to simple position-space representations of observables or time correlation functions. These are analogous to approximate quasiclassical expressions based on the Wigner or Husimi phase space density but involve lower dimensional integrals with smoother integrands and avoid the costly evaluation of phase space transforms. The lowest-order version of the truncated hierarchy can capture large corrections to classical mechanical treatments and yields (with fewer trajectories) results that are somewhat more accurate than those based on quasiclassical phase space treatments.
In this paper we develop a new approach to semiclassical dynamics which exploits the fact that extended wavefunctions for heavy particles (or particles in harmonic potentials) may be decomposed into time−dependent wave packets, which spread minimally and which execute classical or nearly classical trajectories. A Gaussian form for the wave packets is assumed and equations of motion are derived for the parameters characterizing the Gaussians. If the potential (which may be nonseparable in many coordinates) is expanded in a Taylor series about the instantaneous center of the (many−particle) wave packet, and up to quadratic terms are kept, we find the classical parameters of the wave packet (positions, momenta) obey Hamilton’s equation of motion. Quantum parameters (wave packet spread, phase factor, correlation terms, etc.) obey similar first order quantum equations. The center of the wave packet is shown to acquire a phase equal to the action integral along the classical path. State−specific quantum information is obtained from the wave packet trajectories by use of the superposition principle and projection techniques. Successful numerical application is made to the collinear He + H2 system widely used as a test case. Classically forbidden transitions are accounted for and obtained in the same manner as the classically allowed transitions; turning points present no difficulties and flux is very nearly conserved.