Fourth order gradient symplectic integrator methods for solving the time-dependent Schrödinger equation

We show that the method of splitting the operator eε(T+V) to fourth order with purely positive coefficients produces excellent algorithms for solving the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. These algorithms require knowing the potential and the gradient of the potential. One fourth order algorithm only requires four fast Fourier transformations per iteration. In a one dimensional scattering problem, the fourth order error coefficients of these new algorithms are roughly 500 times smaller than fourth order algorithms with negative coefficient, such as those based on the traditional Forest–Ruth symplectic integrator. These algorithms can produce converged results of conventional second or fourth order algorithms using time steps 5 to 10 times as large. Iterating these positive coefficient algorithms to sixth order also produced better converged algorithms than iterating the Forest–Ruth algorithm to sixth order or using Yoshida’s sixth order algorithm A directly.