Cubic scaling algorithm for the random phase approximation: Self-interstitials and vacancies in Si

Author(s)
Merzuk Kaltak, Jiri Klimes, Georg Kresse
Abstract

The random phase approximation (RPA) to the correlation energy is among the most promising methods to obtain accurate correlation energy differences from diagrammatic perturbation theory at modest computational cost. We show here that a cubic system size scaling can be readily obtained, which dramatically reduces the computation time by one to two orders of magnitude for large systems. Furthermore, the scaling with respect to the number of k points used to sample the Brillouin zone can be reduced to linear order. In combination, this allows accurate and very well-converged single-point RPA calculations, with a time complexity that is roughly on par or better than for self-consistent Hartree-Fock and hybrid-functional calculations. The present implementation enables new applications. Here, we apply the RPA to determine the energy difference between diamond Si and β-tin Si, the energetics of the Si self-interstitial defect and the Si vacancy, the latter with up to 256 atom supercells. We show that the RPA predicts Si interstitial and vacancy energies in excellent agreement with experiment. Si self-interstitial diffusion barriers are also in good agreement with experiment, as opposed to previous calculations based on hybrid functionals or range-separated RPA variants.

Organisation(s)
Computational Materials Physics
Journal
Physical Review B
Volume
90
No. of pages
11
ISSN
1098-0121
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.90.054115
Publication date
08-2014
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
103009 Solid state physics, 103015 Condensed matter, 103025 Quantum mechanics, 103036 Theoretical physics
Keywords
Portal url
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/cubic-scaling-algorithm-for-the-random-phase-approximation-selfinterstitials-and-vacancies-in-si(ffaadb6d-c2e1-4df5-be4b-e09a6ed7c68a).html