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We present a novel theoretical scheme for orbital optimization in configuration interaction singles (CIS) based on a perturbative treatment of its electronic Hessian, whose analytical derivation is also established in this work. The proposed method, which can be interpreted as a "CIS-then-CIS" scheme, variationally accounts for orbital relaxation in excited states, thus significantly reducing the overestimation of charge-transfer excitation energies commonly associated with standard CIS. Additionally, by incorporating de-excitation effects from CIS, we demonstrate that our approach effectively describes single bond dissociation. Notably, all these improvements are achieved at a mean-field cost, with the pre-factor further reduced with the efficient algorithm introduced here, while preserving the size-intensive property of CIS.

In this study, we utilize the many-body expansion (MBE) framework to decompose electronic structures into fragments by incrementing the virtual orbitals. Our work aims to accurately solve the ground and excited state energies of each fragment using the variational quantum eigensolver and deflation algorithms. Although our approach is primarily based on unitary coupled cluster singles and doubles (UCCSD) and a generalization thereof, we also introduce modifications and approximations to conserve quantum resources in MBE by partially generalizing the UCCSD operator and neglecting the relaxation of the reference states. As a proof of concept, we investigate the potential energy surfaces for the bond-breaking processes of the ground state of two molecules ($\rm H_2O$ and $\rm N_2$) and calculate the ground and excited state energies of three molecules (LiH, CH$^+$, and $\rm H_2O$). The results demonstrate that our approach can, in principle, provide reliable descriptions in all tests, including strongly correlated systems, when appropriate approximations are chosen. Additionally, we perform model simulations to investigate the impact of shot noise on the total MBE energy and show that precise energy estimation is crucial for lower-order MBE fragments.

We introduce the framework of model space into quantum imaginary time evolution (QITE) to enable stable estimation of ground and excited states using a quantum computer. Model-space QITE (MSQITE) propagates a model space to the exact one by retaining its orthogonality, and hence is able to describe multiple states simultaneously. The quantum Lanczos (QLanczos) algorithm is extended to MSQITE to accelerate the convergence. The present scheme is found to outperform both the standard QLanczos and the recently proposed folded-spectrum QITE in simulating excited states. Moreover, we demonstrate that spin contamination can be effectively removed by shifting the imaginary time propagator, and thus excited states with a particular spin quantum number are efficiently captured without falling into the different spin states that have lower energies. We also investigate how different levels of the unitary approximation employed in MSQITE can affect the results. The effectiveness of the algorithm over QITE is demonstrated by noise simulations for the H4 model system., Comment: 15 pages, 10 figures, 1 table. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:2205.01983

Quantum computing is a promising approach to harnessing strong correlation in molecular systems; however, current devices only allow for hybrid quantum-classical algorithms with a shallow circuit depth, such as the variational quantum eigensolver (VQE). In this study, we report the importance of the Hamiltonian symmetry in constructing VQE circuits adaptively. This treatment often violates symmetry, thereby deteriorating the convergence of fidelity to the exact solution, and ultimately resulting in deeper circuits. We demonstrate that symmetry-projection can provide a simple yet effective solution to this problem, by keeping the quantum state in the correct symmetry space, to reduce the overall gate operations. The scheme also reveals the significance of preserving symmetry in computing molecular properties, as demonstrated in our illustrative calculations.

Quantum imaginary time evolution (QITE) is a recently proposed quantum-classical hybrid algorithm that is guaranteed to reach the lowest state of system. In this study, we present several improvements on QITE, mainly focusing on molecular applications. We analyze the derivation of the underlying QITE equation order-by-order, and suggest a modification that is theoretically well founded. Our results clearly indicate the soundness of the here-derived equation, enabling a better approximation of the imaginary time propagation by a unitary. We also discuss how to accurately estimate the norm of an imaginary-time-evolved state, and applied it to excited state calculations using the quantum Lanczos algorithm. Finally, we propose the folded-spectrum QITE scheme as a straightforward extension of QITE for general excited state simulations. The effectiveness of all these developments is illustrated by noiseless simulations, offering the further insights into quantum algorithms for imaginary time evolution., Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, 1 table

Although spin is a core property in fermionic systems, its symmetry can be easily violated in a variational simulation, especially when strong correlation plays a vital role therein. In this study, we will demonstrate that the broken spin-symmetry can be restored exactly in a quantum computer, with little overhead in circuits, while delivering additional strong correlation energy with the desired spin quantum number. The proposed scheme permits drastic reduction of a potentially large number of measurements required to ensure spin-symmetry by employing a superposition of only a few rotated quantum states. Our implementation is universal, simple, and, most importantly, straightforwardly applicable to any ansatz proposed to date., Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures, 2 tables

We propose two different schemes for second-order perturbation theory with spin-projected Hartree-Fock. Both schemes employ the same ansatz for the first-order wave function, which is a linear combination of spin-projected configurations. The first scheme is based on the normal-ordered projected Hamiltonian, which is partitioned into the Fock-like component and the remaining two-particle-like contribution. In the second scheme, the generalized Fock operator is used to construct a spin-free zeroth-order Hamiltonian. To avoid the intruder state problem, we adopt the level-shift techniques frequently used in other multi-reference perturbation theories. We describe both real and imaginary shift schemes and compare their performances on small systems. Our results clearly demonstrate the superiority of the second perturbation scheme with an imaginary shift over other proposed approaches in various aspects, giving accurate potential energy curves, spectroscopic constants, and singlet-triplet splitting energies. We also apply these methods to the calculation of spin gaps of transition metal complexes as well as the potential energy curve of the chromium dimer., Comment: 15 pages, 8 figures, 5 tables

In electronic structure theory, the availability of analytical derivative is one of the desired features for a method to be useful in practical applications, as it allows for geometry optimization as well as computation of molecular properties. With the recent advances in the development of symmetry-projected Hartree-Fock (PHF) methods, we here aim at further extensions by devising the analytic gradients of post-PHF approaches with a special focus on spin-extended (spin-projected) configuration interaction with single and double substitutions (ECISD). Just like standard single-reference methods, the mean-field PHF part does not require the corresponding coupled-perturbed equation to be solved, while the correlation energy term needs the orbital relaxation effect to be accounted for, unless the underlying molecular orbitals are variationally optimized in the presence of the correlation energy. We present a general strategy for post-PHF analytical gradients, which closely parallels that for single-reference methods, yet addressing the major difference between them. The similarity between ECISD and multi-reference CI not only in the energy but also in the optimized geometry is clearly demonstrated by the numerical examples of ozone and cyclobutadiene., Comment: 15 pages, 4 figures, 2 tables

We propose a size-consistent generalization of the recently developed spin-extended configuration interaction with singles and doubles (ECISD), where a CI wave function is explicitly spin-projected. The size-consistent effect is effectively incorporated by treating quadruples within the formulation of coupled electron pair approximation. As in coupled-cluster theory, quadruple excitations are approximated by a disconnected product of double excitations. Despite its conceptual similarity to the standard single- and multireference analogues, such a generalization requires careful derivation, as the spin-projected CI space is non-orthogonal and overcomplete. Although our methods generally yield better results than ECISD, size-consistency is only approximately retained because the action of a symmetry-projection operator is size-inconsistent. In this work, we focus on simple models where exclusion-principle-violating terms, which eliminate undesired contributions to the correlation effects, are either completely neglected or averaged. These models possess an orbital-invariant energy functional that is to be minimized by diagonalizing an energy-shifted effective Hamiltonian within the singles and doubles manifold. This allows for a straightforward generalization of the ECISD analytical gradients needed to determine molecular properties and geometric optimization. Given the multireference nature of the spin-projected Hartree--Fock method, the proposed approaches are expected to handle static correlation, unlike single-reference analogues. We critically assess the performance of our methods using dissociation curves of molecules, singlet-triplet splitting gaps, hyperfine coupling constants, and the chromium dimer. The size-consistency and size-extensivity of the methods are also discussed., Comment: 15 pages, 4 figures, 4 tables

We introduce single and double particle-hole excitations in the recently revived spin-projected Hartree-Fock. Our motivation is to treat static correlation with spin-projection and recover the residual correlation, mostly dynamic in nature, with simple configuration interaction (CI). To this end, we present the Wick theorem for nonorhtogonal determinants, which enables an efficient implementation in conjunction with the direct CI scheme. The proposed approach, termed ECISD, achieves a balanced treatment between dynamic and static correlations. To approximately account for the quadruple excitations, we also modify the well-known Davidson correction. We report our approaches yield surprisingly accurate potential curves for HF, H2O, N2, and a hydrogen lattice, compared to traditional single reference wave function methods at the same computational scaling as regular CI., Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, 1 table, to appear in J. Chem. Phys

We present a novel method that appropriately handles both dynamical and static electron correlation in a balanced manner, using a perturbation theory on a spin-extended Hartree-Fock (EHF) wave function reference. While EHF is a suitable candidate for degenerate systems where static correlation is ubiquitous, it is known that most of dynamical correlation is neglected in EHF. In this work, we derive a perturbative correction to a fully spin-projected self-consistent wave function based on second-order M{\o}ller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2). The proposed method efficiently captures the ability of EHF to describe static correlation in degeneracy, combined with MP2's ability to treat dynamical correlation effects. We demonstrate drastic improvements on molecular ground state and excited state potential energy curves and singlet-triplet splitting energies over both EHF and MP2 with similar computational effort to the latter., Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, 2 tables

Projected Hartree-Fock theory (PHF) has a long history in quantum chemistry. PHF is here understood as the variational determination of an N-electron broken symmetry Slater determinant that minimizes the energy of a projected state with the correct quantum numbers. The method was actively pursued for several decades but seems to have been abandoned. We here derive and implement a "variation after projection" PHF theory using techniques different from those previously employed in quantum chemistry. Our PHF methodology has modest mean-field computational cost, yields relatively simple expressions, can be applied to both collinear and non-collinear spin cases, and can be used in conjunction with deliberate symmetry breaking and restoration of other molecular symmetries like complex conjugation and point group. We present several benchmark applications to dissociation curves and singlet-triplet energy splittings, showing that the resulting PHF wavefunctions are of high quality multireference character. We also provide numerical evidence that in the thermodynamic limit, the energy in PHF is not lower than that of broken-symmetry HF, a simple consequence of the lack of size consistency and extensivity of PHF.

Restricted open-shell Hartree-Fock (ROHF) theory is formulated as a projected self-consistent unrestricted HF (UHF) model by mathematically constraining spin density eigenvalues. The resulting constrained UHF (CUHF) wave function is identical to that obtained from Roothaan's effective Fock operator. Our $\alpha$ and $\beta$ CUHF Fock operators are parameter-free and have canonical orbitals and orbital energies that are physically meaningful as in UHF, except for eliminating spin contamination. The present approach removes ambiguities in ROHF orbital energies and the non-uniqueness of methods that build upon them. We present benchmarks to demonstrate CUHF physical correctness and good agreement with experimental results.

Our previously developed Constrained-Pairing Mean-Field Theory (CPMFT) is shown to map onto an Unrestricted Hartree-Fock (UHF) type method if one imposes a corresponding pair constraint to the correlation problem that forces occupation numbers to occur in pairs adding to 1. In this new version, CPMFT has all the advantages of standard independent particle models (orbitals and orbital energies, to mention a few), yet unlike UHF, it can dissociate polyatomic molecules to the correct ground-state restricted open-shell Hartree-Fock atoms or fragments.

We present a mean-field approach for accurately describing strong correlations via electron number fluctuations and pairings constrained to an active space. Electron number conservation is broken and correct only on average but both spin and spatial symmetries are preserved. Optimized natural orbitals and occupations are determined by diagonalization of a mean-field Hamiltonian. This constrained-pairing mean-field theory (CPMFT) yields a two-particle density matrix ansatz that exclusively describe strong correlations. We demonstrate CPMFT accuracy with applications to the metal-insulator transition of large hydrogen clusters and molecular dissociation curves., Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, revised version for resubmission