A complete active space SCF method (CASSCF) using a density matrix formulated super-CI approach

A density matrix formulation of the super-CI MCSCF method is presented. The MC expansion is assumed to be complete in an active subset of the orbital space, and the corresponding CI secular problem is solved by a direct scheme using the unitary group approach. With a density matrix formulation the orbital optimization step becomes independent of the size of the CI expansion. It is possible to formulate the super-CI in terms of density matrices defined only in the small active subspace; the doubly occupied orbitals (the inactive subspace) do not enter. Further, in the unitary group formalism it is straightforward and simple to obtain the necessary density matrices from the symbolic formula list. It then becomes possible to treat very long MC expansions, the largest so far comprising 726 configurations. The method is demonstrated in a calculation of the potential curves for the three lowest states (1Σ+g, 3Σ+u and 3Πg) of the N2 molecule, using a medium-sized gaussian basis set. Seven active orbitals were used yielding the following results: De: 8.76 (9.90), 2.43 (3.68) and 3.39 (4.90) eV; re: 1.108 (1.098), 1.309 (1.287) and 1.230 (1.213) Å; ωe: 2333 (2359), 1385 (1461) and 1680 (1733) cm−1, for the three states (experimental values within parentheses). The results of these calculations indicate that it is important to consider not only the dissociation limit but also the united atom limit in partitioning the occupied orbital space into an active and an inactive part.