Electronic Structure Calculations for Solids and Molecules
Theory and Computational Methods

This 2006 graduate textbook describes the theoretical approaches and computational techniques for studying electronic structure problems.

Jorge Kohanoff (Author)

9780521815918, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 29 June 2006

372 pages, 26 b/w illus.
24.4 x 17 x 2.2 cm, 0.79 kg

Electronic structure problems are studied in condensed matter physics and theoretical chemistry to provide important insights into the properties of matter. This 2006 graduate textbook describes the main theoretical approaches and computational techniques, from the simplest approximations to the most sophisticated methods. It starts with a detailed description of the various theoretical approaches to calculating the electronic structure of solids and molecules, including density-functional theory and chemical methods based on Hartree-Fock theory. The basic approximations are thoroughly discussed, and an in-depth overview of recent advances and alternative approaches in DFT is given. The second part discusses the different practical methods used to solve the electronic structure problem computationally, for both DFT and Hartree-Fock approaches. Adopting a unique and open approach, this textbook is aimed at graduate students in physics and chemistry, and is intended to improve communication between these communities. It also serves as a reference for researchers entering the field.

Preface
List of symbols
List of acronyms
Part I. Theory: 1. The problem of the structure of matter
2. The electronic problem
3. Quantum many-body theory: chemical approaches
4. Density function theory
5. Exchange and correlation in DFT: approximation and their performance
Part II. Computational Methods: 6. Solving the electronic problem in practice
7. Atomic pseudopotentials
8. Basis sets
9. Electronic structure methods
10. Simplified approaches to the electronic problem
11. Diagonalization and electronic self-consistency
12. First-principles molecular dynamics (Car-Parrinello)
Index.

Subject Areas: Condensed matter physics [liquid state & solid state physics PHFC]