Hamiltonian spin-orbit coupling

Various approaches can be pursued to compute spin-orbit effects. Four-component ab initio methods automatically include scalar and magnetic relativistic corrections, but they put high demands on computer resources. (For reviews on this subject, see, e.g., Refs. 18,19,81,82.) The following discussion focuses on two-component methods treating SOC either perturbationally or variationally. Most of these procedures start off with orbitals optimized for a spin-free Hamiltonian. Spin-orbit coupling is added then at a later stage. The latter approaches can be divided again into so-called one-step or two-step procedures as explained below. 

The perturbations in this case are between a singlet and a triplet state. The perturbation Hamiltonian, H, of the second-order perturbation theory is spin-orbital coupling, which has the effect of mixing singlet and triplet states. 

The first theoretical handling of the weak R-T combined with the spin-orbit coupling was carried out by Pople [71]. It represents a generalization of the perturbative approaches by Renner and PL-H. The basis functions are assumed as products of (42) with the eigenfunctions of the spin operator conesponding to values E = 1/2. The spin-orbit contribution to the model Hamiltonian was taken in the phenomenological form (16). It was assumed that both interactions are small compared to the bending vibrational frequency and that both the... 

We introduce the dimensionless bending coordinates qr = t/XrPr anti qc = tAcPc ith Xt = (kT -r) = PrOir, Xc = sJ kcPc) = Pc nc. where cor and fOc are the harmonic frequencies for pure trans- and cis-bending vibrations, respectively. After integrating over 0, we obtain the effective Hamiltonian H = Ho + H, which is employed in the perturbative handling of the R-T effect and the spin-orbit coupling. Its zeroth-order pait is of the foim... 

As illustrated above, any p2 configuration gives rise to iD , and levels which contain nine, five, and one state respectively. The use of L and S angular momentum algebra tools allows one to identify the wavefunctions corresponding to these states. As shown in detail in Appendix G, in the event that spin-orbit coupling causes the Hamiltonian, H, not to commute with L or with S but only with their vector sum J= L +... 

When spin-orbit couplings are added to the electrostatic Hamiltonian considered in the text, additional terms arise in H. These terms have the form of a one-electron additive operator ... 

Let us return to the nonadiabatic chemical processes. When a PES has been built, a part of the total Hamiltonian may remain unaccounted for, and this part, acting as a perturbation, induces transitions from the initial to the final state. There are several types of such a perturbation, namely (i) an unaccounted part of the electronic interaction (ii) non-adiabaticity (iii) spin-orbit coupling. 

The complete Hamiltonian of the molecular system can be wrihen as H +H or H =H +H for the commutator being linear, where is the Hamiltonian corresponding to the spin contribution(s) such as, Fermi contact term, dipolar term, spin-orbit coupling, etc. (5). As a result, H ° would correspond to the spin free part of the Hamiltonian, which is usually employed in the electron propagator implementation. Accordingly, the k -th pole associated with the complete Hamiltonian H is , so that El is the A -th pole of the electron propagator for the spin free Hamiltonian H . 

However, there also exists a third possibility. By using a famous relation due to Dirac, the relativistic effects can be (in a nonunique way) divided into spin-independent and spin-dependent terms. The former are collectively called scalar relativistic effects and the latter are subsumed under the name spin-orbit coupling (SOC). The scalar relativistic effects can be straightforwardly included in the one-electron Hamiltonian operator h. Unless the investigated elements are very heavy, this recovers the major part of the distortion of the orbitals due to relativity. The SOC terms may be treated in a second step by perturbation theory. This is the preferred way of approaching molecular properties and only breaks down in the presence of very heavy elements or near degeneracy of the investigated electronic state. 

Thus, the total Hamiltonian operator H for a hydrogen atom including spin-orbit coupling is... 

While the Hamiltonian operator Hq for the hydrogen atom in the absence of the spin-orbit coupling term commutes with L and with S, the total Hamiltonian operator H in equation (7.33) does not commute with either L or S because of the presence of the scalar product L S. To illustrate this feature, we consider the commutators [L, L S] and [S, L S],... 

We will see that a Hamiltonian term identical in form also arises from spin-orbit coupling, but first we will pause to see the effect of this Hamiltonian on the energy levels and ESR spectrum of a triplet-state molecule. The spin triplet wave functions can be written in the notation S,ms) ... 

We now will show that spin-orbit coupling can give a spin Hamiltonian term identical to that we obtained from the electron dipolar interaction. Consider the... 

Magnetic Hamiltonians are defined for a desired group of N electronic states obtained in the ab initio calculation, to which a pseudospin S (it reduces to a true spin S in the absence of spin-orbit coupling) is subscribed according to the relation N = 2S + 1. For instance, the two wave functions of a I[Pg.161]

II electronic states, 638-640 vibronic coupling, 628-631 triatomic molecules, 594-598 Hamiltonian equations, 612-615 pragmatic models, 620-621 Kramers doublets, geometric phase theory linear Jahn-Teller effect, 20-22 spin-orbit coupling, 20-22 Kramers-Kronig reciprocity, wave function analycity, 201 -205 Kramers theorem ... 

---