Efficient Spin-Adapted Implementation of Multireference Algebraic Diagrammatic Construction Theory. I. Core-Ionized States and X-Ray Photoelectron Spectra

TL;DR

This paper introduces an efficient, spin-adapted implementation of multireference algebraic diagrammatic construction theory (MR-ADC) for simulating core-ionized states and X-ray photoelectron spectra, capable of handling large molecules and complex electronic states.

Contribution

The authors develop a scalable, spin-adapted MR-ADC implementation with automatic code generation and density fitting, enabling accurate simulations of core-ionized states in large molecules.

Findings

MR-ADC(2)-X spectra agree well with experimental data

Method can simulate spectra of molecules with over 1500 orbitals

MR-ADC can interpret time-resolved XPS measurements

Abstract

We present an efficient implementation of multireference algebraic diagrammatic construction theory (MR-ADC) for simulating core-ionized states and X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS). Taking advantage of spin adaptation, automatic code generation, and density fitting, our implementation can perform calculations for molecules with more than 1500 molecular orbitals, incorporating static and dynamic correlation in the ground and excited electronic states. We demonstrate the capabilities of MR-ADC methods by simulating the XPS spectra of substituted ferrocene complexes and azobenzene isomers. For the ground electronic states of these molecules, the XPS spectra computed using the extended second-order MR-ADC method (MR-ADC(2)-X) are in a very good agreement with available experimental results. We further show that MR-ADC can be used as a tool for interpreting or predicting the results of time-resolved XPS measurements by simulating the core ionization spectra of azobenzene along its photoisomerization, including the XPS signatures of excited states and the minimum energy conical intersection. This work is the first in a series of publications reporting the efficient implementations of MR-ADC methods.