Quantum propagation scheme using Hagedorn wave packets : numerical developments

Abstract: In this study, we provide a novel wave packet propagation method that generalizes the Hagedorn approach by introducing alternative primitive basis sets that are better suited to describe different physical processes. More precisely, in our propagation scheme, we can mix basis sets with time-dependent parameters (the Hagedorn basis set) and time-independent ones, such as Fourier series, particle-in-a-box, or harmonic oscillator basis sets. Furthermore, our implementation can handle models with several electronic states, so that non-adiabatic processes can be studied. Instead of the time-dependent variational principle, our propagation scheme uses a three-step procedure (standard propagation, time-dependent parameter evaluation, and projection). It relies on multidimensional integrations, which are performed numerically with Gaussian quadrature, so that we have no constraints on the for of the Hamiltonian operator. This numerical algorithm has been implemented in a modern Fortran code available on GitHub (https://github.com/asodoga/TD_Schrod_Rabiou). The code has been tested and validated by comparisons with standard propagation schemes on 2D-models with harmonic and anharmonic potentials (modified H\'enon-Heiles). More precisely, our benchmark tests show that the wave packets obtained with our propagation scheme are able to converge to exact wave packets (obtained from standard propagation techniques). Finally, we have applied our method to compute the vibrational spectrum of the 6D-modified H\'enon-Heiles model and we show that our scheme reproduces well the results obtained with the standard approach and with smaller basis functions. As a perspective, we show that with the generalized Hagedorn wave packet method, we are able to study the non-adiabtic dynamics of the cis-trans retinal isomerization in a reduced 2D-model with two coupled electronic surfaces.