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The Many-Body Exchange-Correlation Hole at Metal Surfaces
Lucian A Constantin1, J M Pitarke1
1Department of Physics and Quantum Theory Group, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana 70118, CIC nanoGUNE Consolider, Tolosa Hiribidea 76, E-20018 Donostia, San Sebastian, Basque Country, and Materia Kondentsatuaren Fisika Saila (UPV/EHU), DIPC, and Centro Física Materiales (CSIC-UPV/EHU), 644 Posta kutxatila, E-48080 Bilbao, Basque Country.
Abstract:
We present a detailed study of the coupling-constant-averaged exchange-correlation hole density at a jellium surface, which we obtain in the random-phase approximation of many-body theory. We report contour plots of the exchange-only and exchange-correlation hole densities, the integration of the exchange-correlation hole density over the surface plane, the on-top correlation hole, and the energy density. We find that the on-top correlation hole is accurately described by local and semilocal density-functional approximations. We also find that for electrons that are localized far outside the surface the main part of the corresponding exchange-correlation hole is localized at the image plane.
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