Spectral moment quantum corrections

The approach to the evaluation of vibrational spectra described above is based on classical simulations for which quantum corrections are possible. The incorporation of quantum effects directly in simulations of large molecular systems is one of the most challenging areas in theoretical chemistry today. The development of quantum simulation methods is particularly important in the area of molecular spectroscopy for which quantum effects can be important and where the goal is to use simulations to help understand the structural and dynamical origins of changes in spectral lineshapes with environmental variables such as the temperature. The direct evaluation of quantum time- correlation functions for anharmonic systems is extremely difficult. Our initial approach to the evaluation of finite temperature anharmonic effects on vibrational lineshapes is derived from the fact that the moments of the vibrational lineshape spectrum can be expressed as functions of expectation values of positional and momentum operators. These expectation values can be evaluated using extremely efficient quantum Monte-Carlo techniques. The main points are summarized below. 

Induced dipole autocorrelation functions of three-body systems have not yet been computed from first principles. Such work involves the solution of Schrodinger s equation of three interacting atoms. However, classical and semi-classical methods, especially molecular dynamics calculations, exist which offer some insight into three-body dynamics and interactions. Very useful expressions exist for the three-body spectral moments, with the lowest-order Wigner-Kirkwood quantum corrections which were discussed above. 

Classical and semiclassical moment expressions. The expressions for the spectral moments can be made classical by substituting the classical distribution function, g(R) = exp (— V(R)/kT), for the quantum expressions. Wigner-Kirkwood corrections are known which account to lowest order for the static quantum corrections, Eq. 5.44 [177, 292]. For the second and higher moments, dynamic quantum corrections must also be made [177]. As was mentioned in the previous Chapter, such semiclassical corrections are useful in supplementing quantum computations of the spectral moments at large separations where the quantum effects are small the computational effort of quantum calculations, which is substantial at large separations, may thus be avoided. 

Higher-order classical moments have also been reported. We mention the classical expressions for the translational spectral moments M , with n = 0, 2, 4, and 6, for pairs of linear molecules given in an appendix of [204]. Spectral moments of spherical top molecules have been similarly considered [163, 205], We note that for n > 1, spectral moments show dynamic as well as static quantum correction, which become more important as the order n of the spectral moments is increased. The discussions on pp. 219, and Table 5.1, suggest that, even for the near-classical systems, quantum corrections may be substantial and can rarely be ignored. 

Spectral moments can also be computed from classical expressions with Wigner-Kirkwood quantum corrections [177, 189, 317] of the order lV(H2). For the quadrupole-induced 0223 and 2023 components of H2-H2, at the temperature of 40 K, such results differ from the exact zeroth, first and second moments by -10%, -10%, and +30% respectively. For the leading overlap-induced 0221 and 2021 components, we get similarly +14%, +12%, and -56%. These numbers illustrate the significance of a quantum treatment of the hydrogen pair at low temperatures. At room temperature, the semiclassical and quantum moments of low order differ by a few percent at most. Quantum calculations of higher-order moments differ, however, more strongly from their classical counterparts. 

The approach does not aim to satisfy the condition Eq. 6.73 exactly. The model functions consist of a sum of three functions whose parameters are related to three -independent and three -dependent terms of the quantum spectral moments, Eqs. 6.31 through 6.34 v is the vibrational quantum number of the final states which differs from v, the initial vibrational state. As a result, the line profile consists of a core which is the same as for rototranslational spectra, and a i/-dependent correction . It converges to the standard solution for potentials that do not depend on the vibrational excitation. The models are six parameter functions which are defined by the lowest three spectral moments [48, 65],... 

Lineshape calculations have a reputation of being involved, and the required computer codes are not widely available. It has, therefore, always been thought worthwhile to consider sum formulas (spectral moments) that are mueh more straightforward to compute, especially the elassical expressions, which can be readily corrected to the order for quantum effects. Expressions for the even spectral moments n = 0, 2, 4, and 6 are known. 

F. Barocchi, M. Zoppi, and M. Neumann. First-order quantum corrections to depolarized interaction induced light scattering spectral moments Molecular dynamics calculation. Phys. Rev. A, 27 1587-1593 (1983). 

---