Comparison of two genres for linear scaling in density functional theory: purification and density matrix...

Two classes of linear-scaling methods to replace diagonalization of the one-particle Hamiltonian matrix in density functional theory are compared to each other. Purification takes a density matrix with the correct eigenfunctions and corrects the occupation numbers; density matrix minimization takes a density matrix with correct occupation numbers and corrects the eigenfunctions by rotating the orbitals. Computational comparisons are performed through modification of the MondoSCF program on water clusters and the protein endothelin. A purification scheme and a density matrix minimization scheme, based on the 1,2-contracted Schrodinger equation [D. A. Mazziotti, J. Chem. Phys. 115, 8305 (2001)] are implemented in large systems.