Skip to content

Author

Timothy C. Berkelbach

2 papers indexed here

We haven’t gathered this author’s papers yet. Follow them and we’ll fetch their work.

Not the right person? Other researchers publish under this name.

Review Jul 2026

Wavefunction-based periodic quantum chemistry

High-accuracy molecular quantum chemistry offers a promising toolbox for applications to condensed-phase systems, but this field is difficult to enter due to its combination of topics from molecular quantum chemistry, solid-state physics, and numerical methods. Aiming to ease this transition, we present a comprehensive, pedagogical tutorial on periodic quantum chemistry calculations, using both mean-field and correlated theories. The subtleties of periodic Coulomb interactions are discussed in detail, focusing on the Ewald summation approach. We describe the two most popular periodic, one-electron basis functions---plane waves and periodic linear combinations of atomic orbitals---and we give formulas for all Hamiltonian integrals. Next, we explain the use of $k$-point sampling as a symmetry adaptation of supercell basis functions and the associated savings in computational costs as well as the use of density fitting and related approximations to further reduce costs. We present the working equations of a few example periodic quantum chemistry methods, including Hartree-Fock theory, perturbation theory, and coupled-cluster theory, and we discuss their finite-size errors and convergence to the physically relevant thermodynamic limit. Finally, we briefly discuss local correlation and quantum embedding theories, which are especially appropriate for periodic systems due to their lattice translational symmetries.

H. Ye, Timothy C. Berkelbach · 1 citation
Preprint Sep 2026

Molecular spin qubits in a van der Waals bottle

Advancing quantum information technologies requires qubits whose coherence can be precisely engineered. Among the qubit platforms in development, molecular spin qubits (MSQs) stand out for their atomic scale tunability and chemical specificity, making them powerful candidates for sensing, simulation, and information processing. However, integrating MSQs into solid-state architectures without degrading their coherence remains a central challenge. Here, we introduce van der Waals (vdW) confinement within two-dimensional materials as a strategy for stabilizing quantum states in MSQs by engineering their local electronic, vibrational, and symmetry environments. Using cobaltocene as a model system, we show that confinement within vdW SnS2 and CdPS3 single crystals reorganizes the single-ion energy landscape and slows spin-lattice relaxation by over two orders of magnitude relative to unconfined cobaltocene. The confined MSQs adopt deterministic orientations and self-assemble into ordered, atomically precise superlattices, establishing vdW confinement as a pathway for integrating MSQs into functional quantum devices.

Anna Champ, Eleanor E. Mackintosh, A. Liston et al. · 0 citations

We use cookies to run the site and, with your consent, for analytics and to show ads. See our Cookie Policy.