Determination of reduced density matrices in the doubly occupied configuration interaction space: A Hellmann–Feynman theorem approach

Abstract

In this work, the Hellmann–Feynman theorem is extended within the doubly occupied configuration interaction space to enable practical calculations of reduced density matrices and expected values. This approach is straightforward, employing finite energy differences, yet remains reliable and accurate even with approximate energies from successive approximation methods. The method’s validity is rigorously tested against the Richardson–Gaudin–Kitaev and reduced Bardeen–Cooper–Schrieffer models using approximate excitation energies procured from the Hermitian operator method within the same space, effectively proving the approach’s reliability with median error rates for reduced density matrix calculations around 0.1%. These results highlight the procedure’s potential as a practical tool for computing reduced density matrices and expected values, particularly valuable as an ad hoc method in scenarios where only system energies are easily available.