Finite basis representations with nondirect product basis functions having structure similar to that of spherical harmonics.

The currently most efficient finite basis representation (FBR) method [Corey et al., in Numerical Grid Methods and Their Applications to Schrodinger Equation, NATO ASI Series C, edited by C. Cerjan (Kluwer Academic, New York, 1993), Vol. 412, p. 1; Bramley et al., J. Chem. Phys. 100, 6175 (1994)] designed specifically to deal with nondirect product bases of structures phi(n) (l)(s)f(l)(u), chi(m) (l)(t)phi(n) (l)(s)f(l)(u), etc., employs very special l-independent grids and results in a symmetric FBR. While highly efficient, this method is not general enough. For instance, it cannot deal with nondirect product bases of the above structure efficiently if the functions phi(n) (l)(s) [and/or chi(m) (l)(t)] are discrete variable representation (DVR) functions of the infinite type. The optimal-generalized FBR(DVR) method [V. Szalay, J. Chem. Phys. 105, 6940 (1996)] is designed to deal with general, i.e., direct and/or nondirect product, bases and grids. This robust method, however, is too general, and its direct application can result in inefficient computer codes [Czako et al., J. Chem. Phys. 122, 024101 (2005)]. It is shown here how the optimal-generalized FBR method can be simplified in the case of nondirect product bases of structures phi(n) (l)(s)f(l)(u), chi(m) (l)(t)phi(n) (l)(s)f(l)(u), etc. As a result the commonly used symmetric FBR is recovered and simplified nonsymmetric FBRs utilizing very special l-dependent grids are obtained. The nonsymmetric FBRs are more general than the symmetric FBR in that they can be employed efficiently even when the functions phi(n) (l)(s) [and/or chi(m) (l)(t)] are DVR functions of the infinite type. Arithmetic operation counts and a simple numerical example presented show unambiguously that setting up the Hamiltonian matrix requires significantly less computer time when using one of the proposed nonsymmetric FBRs than that in the symmetric FBR. Therefore, application of this nonsymmetric FBR is more efficient than that of the symmetric FBR when one wants to diagonalize the Hamiltonian matrix either by a direct or via a basis-set contraction method. Enormous decrease of computer time can be achieved, with respect to a direct application of the optimal-generalized FBR, by employing one of the simplified nonsymmetric FBRs as is demonstrated in noniterative calculations of the low-lying vibrational energy levels of the H3+ molecular ion. The arithmetic operation counts of the Hamiltonian matrix vector products and the properties of a recently developed diagonalization method [Andreozzi et al., J. Phys. A Math. Gen. 35, L61 (2002)] suggest that the nonsymmetric FBR applied along with this particular diagonalization method is suitable to large scale iterative calculations. Whether or not the nonsymmetric FBR is competitive with the symmetric FBR in large-scale iterative calculations still has to be investigated numerically.