Discontinuity of the exchange-correlation potential and the functional derivative of the noninteracting kinetic energy as the number of electrons crosses integer boundaries in Li, Be, and B.

Accurate densities were determined from configuration interaction wave functions for atoms and ions of Li, Be, and B with up to four electrons. Exchange-correlation potentials, Vxc(r), and functional derivatives of the noninteracting kinetic energy, δK[ρ]/δρ(r), obtained from these densities were used to examine their discontinuities as the number of electrons N increases across integer boundaries for N = 1, N = 2, and N = 3. These numerical results are consistent with conclusions that the discontinuities are characterized by a jump in the chemical potential while the shape of Vxc(r) varies continuously as an integer boundary is crossed. The discontinuity of the Vxc(r) is positive, depends on the ionization potential, electron affinity, and orbital energy differences, and the discontinuity in δK[ρ]/δρ(r) depends on the difference between the energies of the highest occupied and lowest unoccupied orbitals. The noninteracting kinetic energy and the exchange correlation energy have been computed for integer and noninteger values of N between 1 and 4.

Exact ionization potentials from wavefunction asymptotics: the extended Koopmans' theorem, revisited.

A simple explanation is given for the exactness of the extended Koopmans' theorem, (EKT) for computing the removal energy of any many-electron system to the lowest-energy ground state ion of a given symmetry. In particular, by removing the electron from a "removal orbital" of appropriate symmetry that is concentrated in the asymptotic region, one obtains the exact ionization potential and the exact Dyson orbital for the corresponding state of the ion. It is argued that the EKT is not restricted to many-electron systems but holds for any finite many-body system, provided that the interaction vanishes for increasing interparticle distance. A necessary and sufficient condition for the validity of the EKT for any state (not just the lowest-energy states of a given symmetry) in terms of the third-order reduced density matrix is stated and derived.

Density scaling and relaxation of the Pauli principle.

The relaxation of the Pauli principle associated with density scaling is examined. Scaling the density has been investigated in the development of density functional computational methods with higher accuracy. Scaling the density by rho(r)(zeta)=rho(r)zeta reduces the number of electrons to M=Nzeta when zeta>1. The minimum kinetic energy of the scaled density, T(s)[rhozeta], can be scaled back to the N-electron system by multiplying the M-electron Kohn-Sham-type occupation numbers by zeta to produce T(zeta)[rho]. This relaxes the Pauli principle when the orbital occupation numbers are greater than 1 in the N-electron system. The effects of antisymmetry on solutions to the Kohn-Sham equations are examined for Ne and the Be isoelectronic series. The changes in T(zeta)[rho] and the exchange energy E(xzeta)[rho] when zeta is varied show that these two quantities are inextricably linked.

Approximate scaling properties of the density functional theory Tc for atoms.

Revealed are scaling properties for T(c)[rho], the kinetic-energy component of the correlation energy density functional for atoms, in terms of the total number of electrons N, the nuclear charge Z, and the total electron density at the nucleus rho(0). T(c) scales well as Nrho(0)/Z(8/3) for both neutral atoms up to Z=18 and the four-electron Be-like cationic species. A model is given that describes these findings, involving a density encoding the cusp information and an effective potential going like r(-4/3).

A "flip-flop" rotation stage for routine dual-axis electron cryotomography.

Electron cryotomography can be used to solve the three-dimensional structures of individual large macromolecules, assemblies, and even small intact cells to medium (approximately 4-8 nm) resolution in a near-native state, but restrictions in the range of accessible views are a major limitation. Here we report on the design, characterization, and demonstration of a new "flip-flop" rotation stage that allows facile and routine collection of two orthogonal tilt-series of cryosamples. Single- and dual-axis tomograms of a variety of samples are compared to illustrate qualitatively the improvement produced by inclusion of the second tilt-series. Exact quantitative expressions are derived for the volume of the remaining "missing pyramid" in reciprocal space. When orthogonal tilt-series are recorded to +/-65 degrees in each direction, as this new cryostage permits, only 11% of reciprocal space is left unmeasured. The tomograms suggest that further improvement could be realized, however, through better software to align and merge dual-axis tilt-series of cryosamples.

Exchange-correlation potentials for high-electron-density ions in the Be isoelectronic series.

Accurate reference wave functions and their densities have been used to obtain accurate exchange-correlation potentials for the beryllium isoelectronic sequence Be, Ne(+6), Ar(+14), and Kr(+32). The exchange-correlation potentials for the four-electron cations with high Z in this sequence exhibit structure prior to the intershell peak that is not present in neutral atoms. The kinetic energy contribution to the exchange-correlation potential contributes to the early structure as well as to the intershell peak. The near degeneracy in this four-electron sequence plays a significant role in the structure prior to the intershell peak. Several of the quantities on which the Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhoff and Tao-Perdew-Staroverov-Scuseria functionals are dependent are examined. The generalized gradient approximations appear not to account for the near degeneracy in this series.