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arXiv:cond-mat/0610341 · The Journal of Chemical Physics

Time-dependent density-functional theory beyond the adiabatic approximation: Insights from a two-electron model system

Carsten A. Ullrich

Published Dec 21, 2006• 121 citations
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Abstract

Most applications of time-dependent density-functional theory (TDDFT) use the adiabatic local-density approximation (ALDA) for the dynamical exchange-correlation potential V(xc)(r,t). An exact (i.e., nonadiabatic) extension of the ground-state LDA into the dynamical regime leads to a V(xc)(r,t) with a memory, which causes the electron dynamics to become dissipative. To illustrate and explain this nonadiabatic behavior, this paper studies the dynamics of two interacting electrons on a two-dimensional quantum strip of finite size, comparing TDDFT within and beyond the ALDA with numerical solutions of the two-electron time-dependent Schrodinger equation. It is shown explicitly how dissipation arises through multiple particle-hole excitations, and how the nonadiabatic extension of the ALDA fails for finite systems but becomes correct in the thermodynamic limit.

DOI
10.1063/1.2406069

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Most applications of time-dependent density-functional theory (TDDFT) use the adiabatic local-density approximation (ALDA) for the dynamical exchange-correlation potential V(xc)(r,t). An exact (i.e., nonadiabatic) extension of the ground-state LDA into the dynamical regime leads to a V(xc)(r,t) with a memory, which causes the electron dynamics to become dissipative. To illustrate and explain this nonadiabatic behavior, this paper studies the dynamics of two interacting electrons on a two-dimensional quantum strip of finite size, comparing TDDFT within and beyond the ALDA with numerical solutions of the two-electron time-dependent Schrodinger equation. It is shown explicitly how dissipation arises through multiple particle-hole excitations, and how the nonadiabatic extension of the ALDA fails for finite systems but becomes correct in the thermodynamic limit.
Time-dependent density-functional theory (TDDFT) treats dynamical exchange and correlation (xc) via a single-particle potential, Vxc(r,t){V}_{\mathrm{xc}}(\mathbf{r},t)Vxc​(r,t), defined as a nonlocal functional of the density $n({\mathbf{r}}^{\ensuremath{'}},{t}^{\ensuremath{'}})$. The popular adiabatic local-density approximation (ALDA) for Vxc(r,t){V}_{\mathrm{xc}}(\mathbf{r},t)Vxc​(r,t) uses only densities at the same space-time point (r,t)(\mathbf{r},t)(r,t). To go beyond the ALDA, two local approximations have been proposed based on quantum hydrodynamics and elasticity theory: (a) using the current as the basic variable (C-TDDFT) [G. Vignale, C. A. Ullrich, and S. Conti, Phys. Rev. Lett. 79, 4847 (1997)], (b) working in a comoving Lagrangian reference frame (L-TDDFT) [I. V. Tokatly, Phys. Rev. B 71, 165105 (2005)]. In this paper we illustrate, compare, and analyze both nonadiabatic theories for simple time-dependent model densities in the linear and nonlinear regime, for a broad range of time and frequency scales. C- and L-TDDFT are identical in certain limits, but, in general, exhibit qualitative and quantitative differences in their respective treatment of elastic and dissipative electron dynamics. In situations where the electronic density rapidly undergoes large deformations, it is found that nonadiabatic effects can become significant, causing the ALDA to break down.
For the calculation of neutral excitations, time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) is an exact reformulation of the many-body time-dependent Schrödinger equation, based on knowledge of the density instead of the many-body wavefunction. The density can be determined in an efficient scheme by solving one-particle non-interacting Schrödinger equations—the Kohn–Sham equations. The complication of the problem is hidden in the—unknown—time-dependent exchange and correlation potential that appears in the Kohn–Sham equations and for which it is essential to find good approximations. Many approximations have been suggested and tested for finite systems, where even the very simple adiabatic local-density approximation (ALDA) has often proved to be successful. In the case of solids, ALDA fails to reproduce optical absorption spectra, which are instead well described by solving the Bethe–Salpeter equation of many-body perturbation theory (MBPT). On the other hand, ALDA can lead to excellent results for loss functions (at vanishing and finite momentum transfer). In view of this and thanks to recent successful developments of improved linear-response kernels derived from MBPT, TDDFT is today considered a promising alternative to MBPT for the calculation of electronic spectra, even for solids. After reviewing the fundamentals of TDDFT within linear response, we discuss different approaches and a variety of applications to extended systems.
We illustrate the scope of Time Dependent Density Functional Theory (TDDFT) for strongly correlated (lattice) models out of equilibrium. Using the exact many body time evolution, we reverse engineer the exact exchange correlation (xc) potential vxcv_{xc}vxc​ for small Hubbard chains exposed to time-dependent fields. We introduce an adiabatic local density approximation (ALDA) to vxcv_{xc}vxc​ for the 1D Hubbard model and compare it to exact results, to gain insight about approximate xc potentials. Finally, we provide some remarks on the v-representability for the 1D Hubbard model.
We address and quantify the role of nonadiabaticity (``memory effects'') in the exchange-correlation (xc) functional of time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) for describing nonlinear dynamics of many-body systems. Time-dependent resonant processes are particularly challenging for available TDDFT approximations, due to their strong nonlinear and nonadiabatic character. None of the known approximate density functionals are able to cope with this class of problems in a satisfactory manner. In this work we look at the prototypical example of the resonant processes by considering Rabi oscillations within the exactly soluble two-site Hubbard model. We construct the exact adiabatic xc functional and show that (i) it does not reproduce correctly resonant Rabi dynamics, and (ii) there is a sizable nonadiabatic contribution to the exact xc potential, which turns out to be small only at the beginning and at the end of the Rabi cycle when the ground-state population is dominant. We then propose a ``two-level'' approximation for the time-dependent xc potential which can capture Rabi dynamics in the two-site problem. It works well both for resonant and for detuned Rabi oscillations and becomes essentially exact in the linear response regime.
We illustrate the potential of Time Dependent Density Functional Theory (TDDFT) for describing the nonequilibrium behavior of strongly correlated (lattice) models. Starting from an exact time-evolution of the many-body wavefunction, we determine, via reverse engineering, the exact exchange correlation (xc) potential vxcv_{xc}vxc​ for small Hubbard chains of different lengths and electron fillings and exposed to time-dependent perturbations. We compare some of the exact results to those of adiabatic-like treatments, in order to extract some of the properties that approximate xc potentials should have. Finally, we provide details of work in progress and future directions.
This chapter is devoted to exact conditions in time-dependent density functional theory. Many conditions have been derived for the exact ground-state density functional, and several have played crucial roles in the construction of popular approximations. We believe that the reliability of the most fundamental approximation of any density functional theory, the local density approximation (LDA), is due to the exact conditions that it satisfies. Improved approximations should satisfy at least those conditions that LDA satisfies, plus others. (Which others is part of the art of functional approximation). In the time-dependent case, as we shall see, the adiabatic LDA (ALDA) plays the same role as LDA in the ground-state case, as it satisfies many exact conditions. But we do not have a generally applicable improvement beyond ALDA that includes nonlocality in time. For TDDFT, we have a surfeit of exact conditions, but that only makes finding those that are useful to impose an even more demanding task.