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The Journal of Chemical Physics

Multidimensional wave packet dynamics within the fluid dynamical formulation of the Schrödinger equation

Bijoy K. Dey, Attila Aşkar, HERSCHEL A. RABITZ

Published Nov 22, 1998• 98 citations
Publisher

Abstract

This paper explores the quantum fluid dynamical (QFD) representation of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation for the motion of a wave packet in a high dimensional space. A novel alternating direction technique is utilized to single out each of the many dimensions in the QFD equations. This technique is used to solve the continuity equation for the density and the equation for the convection of the flux for the quantum particle. The ability of the present scheme to efficiently and accurately describe the dynamics of a quantum particle is demonstrated in four dimensions where analytical results are known. We also apply the technique to the photodissociation of NOCl and NO2 where the systems are reduced to two coordinates by freezing the angular variable at its equilibrium value.

DOI
10.1063/1.477547

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This paper explores the quantum fluid dynamical (QFD) representation of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation for the motion of a wave packet in a high dimensional space. A novel alternating direction technique is utilized to single out each of the many dimensions in the QFD equations. This technique is used to solve the continuity equation for the density and the equation for the convection of the flux for the quantum particle. The ability of the present scheme to efficiently and accurately describe the dynamics of a quantum particle is demonstrated in four dimensions where analytical results are known. We also apply the technique to the photodissociation of NOCl and NO2 where the systems are reduced to two coordinates by freezing the angular variable at its equilibrium value.
This paper considers the practical utility of quantum fluid dynamics (QFD) whereby the time-dependent Schrödinger’s equation is transformed to observing the dynamics of an equivalent “gas continuum.” The density and velocity of this equivalent gas continuum are respectively the probability density and the gradient of the phase of the wave function. The numerical implementation of the QFD equations is carried out within the Lagrangian approach, which transforms the solution of Schrödinger’s equation into following the trajectories of a set of mass points, i.e., subparticles, obtained by discretization of the continuum equations. The quantum dynamics of the subparticles which arise in the present formalism through numerical discretization are coupled by the density and the quantum potential. Numerical illustrations are performed for photodissociation of NOCl and NO2 treated as two-dimensional models. The dissociation cross sections σ(ω) are evaluated in the dramatically short CPU times of 33 s for NOCl and 40 s for NO2 on a Pentium-200 MHz PC machine. The computational efficiency comes from a combination of (a) the QFD representation dealing with the near monotonic amplitude and phase as dependent variables, (b) the Lagrangian description concentrating the computation effort at all times into regions of highest probability as an optimal adaptive grid, and (c) the use of an explicit time integrator whereby the computational effort grows only linearly with the number of discrete points.
A method for the solution of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation in two dimensions is presented which is based on the hydrodynamic analogy to quantum mechanics. The continuum introduced in that analogy is approximated by a finite number of particles, whose trajectories are computed. The procedure is applied here to the dynamics of a Gaussian wave packet on a two-dimensional quadratic potential surface containing a saddle point. Comparison with the known analytical solution indicates that the method is capable of accurate results with substantially less computer time required than in methods previously employed. This particular check problem was chosen because of its close relationship to the wave-packet dynamics of chemical reaction rates.
Abstract Two methods for the numerical integration of the time‐dependent Schrödinger equation with given initial conditions (initial wave packet) are presented. The first method (method A) is based on the Schrödinger representation of the quantum‐dynamical system while the second one (method B) is based upon the intermediate representation. In both cases the quantum dynamical equation is transformed into a system of Hamilton‐Jacobi type equations of motion as occurring in multi particle classical dynamics, i.e. standard molecular dynamics techniques can be applied for the integration. The dynamics of a minimum uncertainty Gaussian wave packet in a strongly anharmonic oscillator is taken as an example.
A method for the solution of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation in two dimensions is presented which is based on the hydrodynamic analogy to quantum mechanics. The continuum introduced in that analogy is approximated by a finite number of particles, whose trajectories are computed. The procedure is applied here to the dynamics of a Gaussian wave packet on a two-dimensional quadratic potential surface containing a saddle point. Comparison with the known analytical solution indicates that the method is capable of accurate results with substantially less computer time required than in methods previously employed.
The quantum trajectory method was recently developed to solve the hydrodynamic equations of motion in the Lagrangian, moving-with-the-fluid, picture. In this approach, trajectories are integrated for fluid elements (“particles”) moving under the influence of the combined force from the potential surface and the quantum potential. To accurately compute the quantum potential and the quantum force, it is necessary to obtain the derivatives of a function given only the values on the unstructured mesh defined by the particle locations. However, in some regions of space–time, the particle mesh shows compression and inflation associated with regions of large and small density, respectively. Inflation is especially severe near nodes in the wave function. In order to circumvent problems associated with highly nonuniform grids defined by the particle locations, adaptation of moving grids is introduced in this study. By changing the representation of the wave function in these local regions (which can be identified by diagnostic tools), propagation is possible to much longer times. These grid adaptation techniques are applied to the reflected portion of a wave packet scattering from an Eckart potential.