The modified point charge plus continuum (mPC) model [
Constantin
L. A.
Constantin
L. A.
085117
Phys. Rev. B
2019
99
] solves
the important failures of the original counterpart, namely, the divergences
when the reduced gradient of the density is large, such as in the
tail of the density and in quasi-dimensional density regimes. The
mPC allows us to define a modified interaction-strength interpolation
(mISI) method inheriting these good features, which are important
steps toward the full self-consistent treatment. Here, we provide
an assessment of mISI for molecular systems (
i.e
.,
considering thermochemistry properties, correlation energies, vertical
ionization potentials, and several noncovalent interactions), harmonium
atoms, and functional derivatives in the strong-interaction limit.
For all our tests, mISI provides a systematic improvement over the
original ISI method. Semilocal approximations of the second-order
Görling–Levy (GL2) perturbation theory are also considered
in the mISI method, showing considerable worsening of the results.
Possible further development of mISI is briefly discussed.