Local-density approximations (LDA) are a class of approximations to the exchange–correlation (XC) energy functional in density functional theory (DFT) that depend solely upon the value of the electronic density at each point in space (and not, for example, derivatives of the density or the Kohn–Sham orbitals). Many approaches can yield local approximations to the XC energy. However, overwhelmingly successful local approximations are those that have been derived from the homogeneous electron gas (HEG) model. In this regard, LDA is generally synonymous with functionals based on the HEG approximation, which are then applied to realistic systems (molecules and solids). In general, for a spin-unpolarized system, a local-density approximation for the exchange-correlation energy is written as
E x c L D A [ ρ ] = ∫ ρ ( r ) ϵ x c ( ρ ( r ) ) d r , {\displaystyle E_{\rm {xc}}^{\mathrm {LDA} }[\rho ]=\int \rho (\mathbf {r} )\epsilon _{\rm {xc}}(\rho (\mathbf {r} ))\ \mathrm {d} \mathbf {r} \ ,}
where ρ is the electronic density and єxc is the exchange-correlation energy per particle of a homogeneous electron gas of charge density ρ. The exchange-correlation energy is decomposed into exchange and correlation terms linearly,
E x c = E x + E c , {\displaystyle E_{\rm {xc}}=E_{\rm {x}}+E_{\rm {c}}\ ,}
so that separate expressions for Ex and Ec are sought. The exchange term takes on a simple analytic form for the HEG. Only limiting expressions for the correlation density are known exactly, leading to numerous different approximations for єc. Local-density approximations are important in the construction of more sophisticated approximations to the exchange-correlation energy, such as generalized gradient approximations (GGA) or hybrid functionals, as a desirable property of any approximate exchange-correlation functional is that it reproduce the exact results of the HEG for non-varying densities. As such, LDA's are often an explicit component of such functionals. The local-density approximation was first introduced by Walter Kohn and Lu Jeu Sham in 1965.
Applications Local density approximations, as with GGAs are employed extensively by solid state physicists in ab-initio DFT studies to interpret electronic and magnetic interactions in semiconductor materials including semiconducting oxides and spintronics. The importance of these computational studies stems from the system complexities which bring about high sensitivity to synthesis parameters necessitating first-principles based analysis. The prediction of Fermi level and band structure in doped semiconducting oxides is often carried out using LDA incorporated into simulation packages such as CASTEP and DMol3. However an underestimation in Band gap values often associated with LDA and GGA approximations may lead to false predictions of impurity mediated conductivity and/or carrier mediated magnetism in such systems. Starting in 1998, the application of the Rayleigh theorem for eigenvalues has led to mostly accurate, calculated band gaps of materials, using LDA potentials. A misunderstanding of the second theorem of DFT appears to explain most of the underestimation of band gap by LDA and GGA calculations, as explained in the description of density functional theory, in connection with the statements of the two theorems of DFT.
Homogeneous electron gas Approximation for єxc depending only upon the density can be developed in numerous ways. The most successful approach is based on the homogeneous electron gas. This is constructed by placing N interacting electrons in to a volume, V, with a positive background charge keeping the system neutral. N and V are then taken to infinity in the manner that keeps the density (ρ = N / V) finite. This is a useful approximation, as the total energy consists of contributions only from the kinetic energy, electrostatic interaction energy and exchange-correlation energy, and that the wavefunction is expressible in terms of plane waves. In particular, for a constant density ρ, the exchange energy density is proportional to ρ⅓.
Exchange functional The exchange-energy density of a HEG is known analytically. The LDA for exchange employs this expression under the approximation that the exchange-energy in a system where the density is not homogeneous, is obtained by applying the HEG results pointwise, yielding the expression
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