Hartree Fock electron nuclear dynamics

In this minimal END approximation, the electronic basis functions are centered on the average nuclear positions, which are dynamical variables. In the limit of classical nuclei, these are conventional basis functions used in moleculai electronic structure theoiy, and they follow the dynamically changing nuclear positions. As can be seen from the equations of motion discussed above the evolution of the nuclear positions and momenta is governed by Newton-like equations with Hellman-Feynman forces, while the electronic dynamical variables are complex molecular orbital coefficients that follow equations that look like those of the time-dependent Hartree-Fock (TDHF) approximation [24]. The coupling terms in the dynamical metric are the well-known nonadiabatic terms due to the fact that the basis moves with the dynamically changing nuclear positions. 

To properly describe electronic rearrangement and its dependence on both nuclear positions and velocities, it is necessary to develop a time-dependent theory of the electronic dynamics in molecular systems. A very useful approximation in this regard is the time-dependent Hartree-Fock approximation (34). Its combination with the eikonal treatment has been called the Eik/TDHF approximation, and has been implemented for ion-atom collisions.(21, 35-37) Approximations can be systematically developed from time-dependent variational principles.(38-41) These can be stated for wavefunctions and lead to differential equations for time-dependent parameters present in trial wavefunctions. 

An approach briefly presented here is based on a combination of the eikonal (or short wavelength) approximation for nuclei, and time-dependent Hartree-Fock states for the many-electron system, in what we have called the Eikonal/ TDHF approach.[13] A similar description can be obtained with narrow wavepackets for the nuclear motions. Several other approaches have recently been proposed for doing first principles dynamics, a very active area of current research. [39, 11, 15]... 

Electron-hole pairs have already been treated on the Hartree-Fock level in otherwise classical high-dimensional molecular dynamics simulation using the molecular dynamics with electronic friction method [120]. In this approach, the energy transfer between nuclear degrees of freedom and the electron bath of the surface is also modelled with a position-dependent friction term, but additionally temperature-dependent fluctuating forces are included. 

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