Electron correlation in extended systems: Fourth-order many-body perturbation theory and density-functional methods applied to an infinite chain of hydrogen atoms

Linear equidistant and bond-alternating infinite chains of hydrogen atoms have been investigated by the ab initio crystal-orbital method at the Hartree-Fock (HF) level, by including electron correlation up to the complete fourth order of the Mo/ller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP4-PT), and by using different versions of density-functional theory (DFT). The Bloch functions have been expanded in all cases in a series of high-quality atomic-orbital basis sets and complemented by extended sets of polarization functions up to 6s3p2d1f per H atom. In order to compare the performance of the PT and DFT methods, several physical properties have been computed at all theoretical levels including lattice geometry, cohesive energy, mechanisms of bond alternation (Peierls instability), and energetic features of nonequilibrium configurations (dissociation). For these latter quantities, both spin-restricted (RHF) and unrestricted (UHF) wave functions have been employed in all orders of PT. The methods described have been used parallel to infinite chains and to the H₂ molecule, to be able to check their accuracy on experiments. In the case of the DFT, six different functionals (combining Slater and Becke exchange with local and gradient-corrected correlation potentials) have been utilized to test their accuracy in comparison with the MP4 results.