Multi-reference function perturbation expansions

We are now in a position to obtain perturbation expansions by expanding the inverse operator in the effective Hamiltonian, the wave operator and the reaction operator. We begin, as we did in our discussion of the partitioning technique, by considering the case of a single-reference function and then turn our attention to the multi-reference function case. 

When the reference wave function contains substantial multi-reference character, a perturbation expansion based on a single determinant will display poor convergence. If the reference wave function suffers from symmetry breaking (Section 3.8.3), the... 

Abstract The Brillouin-Wigner many-body problem in atomic and molecular physics and in quantum chemistry is described. The use of coupled cluster expansions, configuration interaction and perturbation series is considered both for the single-reference function case and for those cases requiring the use of a multi-reference formalism. 

Just as single reference Cl can be extended to MRCI, it is also possible to use perturbation methods with a multi-detenninant reference wave function. Formulating MR-MBPT methods, however, is not straightforward. The main problem here is similar to that of ROMP methods, the choice of the unperturbed Hamilton operator. Several different choices are possible, which will give different answers when the tlieory is carried out only to low order. Nevertheless, there are now several different implementations of MP2 type expansions based on a CASSCF reference, denoted CASMP2 or CASPT2. Experience of their performance is still somewhat limited. 

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