Trends in the electronic and vibrational contributions to the dipole moment, polarizabilities, and first and second hyperpolarizabilities of the hydrides of Li, Na and K

The dipole moments mu, polarizabilities alpha, and first and second hyperpolarizabilities, beta and gamma of LiH, NaH and KH (MeH) have been computed using Hartree-Fock, MP2 and CCSD( T) theories. The static electronic and vibrational contributions to these properties are presented. The vibrational properties have been analysed into contributions due to zero-point vibrational averaging and pure vibrational terms. An alternative dissection of the vibrational properties into nuclear relaxation and curvature terms has also been considered. KH has been selected as a model system to study how the number of electrons, which are correlated (2, 10 and 20) affect both electronic and vibrational properties. The 10 electron approximation gives results that are practically the same as those computed by taking into account all 20 electrons of KH. The double-harmonic approximation has been shown to give satisfactory results for the pure vibrational contributions to the polarizability and the first hyperpolarizability, while this approximation is useful for demonstrating, qualitatively, the significance of the pure vibrational contributions to the second hyperpolarizability. In many cases the vibrational contributions are rather small percentages of the corresponding electronic contribution. However, several exceptions to the above observation have been noted. In all the cases considered the vibrational properties should be computed if reasonably accurate property values are sought. Electron correlation is important for both electronic and vibrational contributions to the electrical properties of the hydrides considered. The results are in satisfactory agreement with most of the best theoretical and experimental data concerning bond lengths, vibrational frequencies and electrical properties.