Wavepackets time-dependent method

This section is divided into two sections the first concerned with time-dependent methods for describing the evolution of wavepackets and the second concerned with time-independent methods for solving the time independent Sclirodinger equation. The methods described are designed to be representative of what is in use. 

Other examples of wavepacket calculations applied to photofragmentation may be found in Refs. [34], [57] and [58]. Most recently, time-dependent methods have been used to compute vector correlations and alignment parameters [59, 60]. 

Abstract. This paper presents an overview of the time-dependent quantum wavepacket approach to chemical reaction dynamics. After a brief review of some early works, the paper gives an up-to-date account of the recent development of computational methodologies in time-dependent quantum dynamics. The presentation of the paper focuses on the development of accurate or numerically exact time-dependent methods and their specific applications to tetraatomic reactions. After summarizing the current state-of-the-art time-dependent wavepacket approach, a perspective on future (development is provided. 

If the PES are known, the time-dependent Schrbdinger equation, Eq. (1), can in principle be solved directly using what are termed wavepacket dynamics [15-18]. Here, a time-independent basis set expansion is used to represent the wavepacket and the Hamiltonian. The evolution is then carried by the expansion coefficients. While providing a complete description of the system dynamics, these methods are restricted to the study of typically 3-6 degrees of freedom. Even the highly efficient multiconfiguration time-dependent Hartree (MCTDH) method [19,20], which uses a time-dependent basis set expansion, can handle no more than 30 degrees of freedom. 

The fundamental method [22,24] represents a multidimensional nuclear wavepacket by a multivariate Gaussian with time-dependent width niaUix, A center position vector, R, momentum vector, p and phase, y,... 

In Chapter VI, Ohm and Deumens present their electron nuclear dynamics (END) time-dependent, nonadiabatic, theoretical, and computational approach to the study of molecular processes. This approach stresses the analysis of such processes in terms of dynamical, time-evolving states rather than stationary molecular states. Thus, rovibrational and scattering states are reduced to less prominent roles as is the case in most modem wavepacket treatments of molecular reaction dynamics. Unlike most theoretical methods, END also relegates electronic stationary states, potential energy surfaces, adiabatic and diabatic descriptions, and nonadiabatic coupling terms to the background in favor of a dynamic, time-evolving description of all electrons. 

To uniquely associate the unusual behavior of the collision observables with the existence of a reactive resonance, it is necessary to theoretically characterize the quantum state that gives rise to the Lorentzian profile in the partial cross-sections. Using the method of spectral quantization (SQ), it is possible to extract a Seigert state wavefunction from time-dependent quantum wavepackets using the Fourier relation Eq. (21). The state obtained in this way for J = 0 is shown in Fig. 7 this state is localized in the collinear F — H — D arrangement with 3-quanta of excitation in the asymmetric stretch mode, and 0-quanta of excitation in the bend and symmetric stretch modes. If the state pictured in Fig. 7 is used as an initial (prepared) state in a wavepacket calculation, one observes pure... 

Our main concern in this section is with the actual propagation forward in time of the wavepacket. The standard ways of solving the time-dependent Schrodinger equation are the Chebyshev expansion method proposed and popularised by Kossloff [16,18,20,37 0] and the split-operator method of Feit and Fleck [19,163,164]. I will not discuss these methods here as they have been amply reviewed in the references just quoted. Comparative studies [17-19] show conclusively that the Chebyshev expansion method is the most accurate and stable but the split-operator method allows for explicit time dependence in the Hamiltonian operator and is often faster when ultimate accuracy is not required. All methods for solving the time propagation of the wavepacket require the repeated operation of the Hamiltonian operator on the wavepacket. It is this aspect of the propagation that I will discuss in this section. 

The initial wavepacket, described in Section III.B is intrinsically complex (in the mathematical sense). Furthermore, the solution of the time-dependent Schrodinger equation [Eq. (4.23)] also involves an intrinsically complex time evolution operator, exp(—/Ht/ ). It therefore seems reasonable to assume that aU the numerical operations involved with generating and analyzing the time-dependent wavefunction will involve complex arithmetic. It therefore comes as a surprise to realize that this is in fact not the case and that nearly all aspects of the calculation can be performed using entirely real wavefunctions and real arithmetic. The theory of the real wavepacket method described in this section has been developed by S. K. Gray and the author [133]. 

When two or more normal coordinates are coupled, the wavepacket dynamics depends on all of the coupled coordinates simultaneously. Thus, the (t) s for each coordinate computed individually and Eq. (3) cannot be used. Instead, the multidimensional wavepacket must be calculated by using the time dependent Schrodinger equation. In this section we show how to calculate the wavepacket for two coupled coordinates. The computational method discussed here removes all of the restrictive assumptions used in deriving Eq. (4). Any potential, including numerical potentials, can be used. 

The time-dependence of the wavepacket evolving on any potential surface can be numerically determined by using the split operator technique of Feit and Fleck [10-15]. A good introductory overview of the method is given in Ref. [12]. We will discuss a potential in two coordinates because this example is relevant to the experimental spectra. The time-dependent Schrodinger equation in two coordinates Qx and Qy is... 

In Section 4.1 we will use the time-independent continuum basis 4//(Q E,0), defined in Section 2.5, to construct the wavepacket in the excited state and to derive (4.2). Numerical methods are discussed in Section 4.2 and quantum mechanical and semiclassical approximations based on the time-dependent theory are the topic of Section 4.3. Finally, a critical comparison of the time-dependent and the time-independent approaches concludes this chapter. 

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