Fermionic neural network with effective core potential

Abstract

Deep learning techniques have opened a new venue for electronic structure theory in recent years. In contrast to traditional methods, deep neural networks provide much more expressive and flexible wave function Ansätze, resulting in better accuracy and timescale behavior. In order to study larger systems while retaining sufficient accuracy, we integrate a powerful neural-network-based model (FermiNet) with the effective core potential method, which helps to reduce the complexity of the problem by replacing inner core electrons with additional semilocal potential terms in the Hamiltonian. In this work, we calculate the ground-state energy of 3d transition metal atoms and their monoxides, which is quite challenging for the original FermiNet work, and the results are consistent with both experimental data and other state-of-the-art computational methods. Our work is an important step for a broader application of deep learning in the electronic structure calculation of molecules and materials.