Restricted open-shell Hartree–Fock-based many-body perturbation theory: Theory and application of energy and gradient calculations

Abstract

A new approach for many-body perturbation theory (MBPT) built upon a restricted open-shell Hartree–Fock (ROHF) reference function is presented. ROHF-MBPT is shown to give much improved results compared to unrestricted Hartree–Fock (UHF) MBPT in cases where there is large spin contamination of the UHF reference function, and to converge much more rapidly to the infinite-order coupled-cluster result. Equations for analytical gradients at the MBPT(2) level are described and implemented. ROHF-MBPT and restricted open-shell Hartree–Fock single- and double-excitation coupled cluster (ROHF-CCSD) applications are presented for several difficult cases. These include the structure and electron affinity of the CN radical; structure, binding energy, and vibrational frequencies of Li3; the structure and vibrational frequencies for the unobserved FCS molecule; and the multiplet structure of the Ni atom.