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Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 153004 (2004) [4 pages]

Optimization of Effective Atom Centered Potentials for London Dispersion Forces in Density Functional Theory

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O. Anatole von Lilienfeld, Ivano Tavernelli, and Ursula Rothlisberger*
Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Institut des Sciences et Ingénierie Chimiques, EPFL-BCH, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland

Daniel Sebastiani
Max-Planck-Institut für Polymerforschung, Ackermannweg 10, D-55128 Mainz, Germany

Received 16 June 2004; published 7 October 2004

We add an effective atom-centered nonlocal term to the exchange-correlation potential in order to cure the lack of London dispersion forces in standard density functional theory. Calibration of this long-range correction is performed using density functional perturbation theory and an arbitrary reference. Without any prior assignment of types and structures of molecular fragments, our corrected generalized gradient approximation density functional theory calculations yield correct equilibrium geometries and dissociation energies of argon-argon, benzene-benzene, graphite-graphite, and argon-benzene complexes.

© 2004 The American Physical Society

URL:
http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.93.153004
DOI:
10.1103/PhysRevLett.93.153004
PACS:
31.15.Md, 71.15.Mb

*Electronic addresses: ursula.roethlisberger@epfl.ch

http://lcbcpc21.epfl.ch