SOS1-RSX-QIDH: A spin-opposite-scaled range-separated-exchange quadratic-integrand double-hybrid density functional

Abstract

We develop and validate the SOS1-RSX-QIDH density functional, a one-parameter spin-opposite-scaled variant of the range-separated-exchange quadratic-integrand double-hybrid (RSX-QIDH) model. By entering into the family of spin-biased double hybrids, this new density functional benefits from an improved computational scaling that rivals with the one of hybrids, still conserving the accuracy of its RSX-QIDH version. As part of the latter family, this density functional is well-adapted to treat molecular systems that are particularly prone to self-interaction errors in their ground and excited states. In particular, we show that the SOS1-RSX-QIDH model is a good compromise to treat ground-state problems dealing with kinetics and has a real added value when applied to the evaluation of the excited-state properties of equilibrium and out-of-equilibrium molecular complexes. Even if spin-biased double hybrids are recognized to strongly underestimate noncovalent interactions, we notice and recommend coupling SOS1-RSX-QIDH with a nonlocal van der Waals potential, a combination that is here proved to compete with the best density-functional approximations currently in use.