Long-range and short-range Coulomb correlation effects as simulated by Hartree–Fock, local density approximation, and generalized gradient approximation exchange functionals

 Exchange functionals used in density functional theory (DFT) are generally considered to simulate long-range electron correlation effects. It is shown that these effects can be traced back to the self-interaction error (SIE) of approximate exchange functionals. An analysis of the SIE with the help of the exchange hole reveals that both short-range (dynamic) and long-range (nondynamic) electron correlation effects are simulated by DFT exchange where the local density approximation (LDA) accounts for stronger effects than the generalized gradient expansion (GGA). This is a result of the fact that the GGA exchange hole describes the exact exchange hole close to the reference electron more accurately than the LDA hole does. The LDA hole is more diffuse, thus leading to an underestimation of exchange and stronger SIE effects, where the magnitude of the SIE energy is primarily due to the contribution of the core orbitals. The GGA exchange hole is more compact, which leads to an exaggeration of exchange in the bond and the nonbonding region and negative SIE contributions. Partitioning of the SIE into intra-/interelectronic and individual orbital contributions makes it possible to test the performance of a given exchange functional in different regions of the molecule. It is shown that Hartree–Fock exchange always covers some long-range effects via interelectronic exchange while self-interaction-corrected DFT is lacking these effects.