First step toward a parameter-free, nonlocal kinetic energy density functional for semiconductors and simple metals

Abstract

The accuracy of orbital-free density functional theory depends on the approximations made for a Kinetic Energy (KE) functional. Until now, the most accurate KEDFs are based on non-local kernels constructed from the linear response theory of homogeneous electron gas. In this work, we explore beyond the HEG by employing a more general kernel based on the jellium-with-gap model (JGM). The proposed functional incorporates several new features, such as (i) having the correct low momentum(q) limit of the response function for metals and semiconductors without any modeling term, (ii) the underlying kernel is density-independent, and most importantly, (iii) parameter-free. The accuracy and efficiency of the proposed JGM NL-KEDF have been demonstrated for several semiconductors and metals. The encouraging results indicate the utility and predictive power of the JGM kernel for NL KEDF developments. This approach is also physically appealing and practically useful as we have presented a general formalism to incorporate the gap kernel in all existing Lindhard-based functionals.