Spin-flip, tensor equation-of-motion configuration interaction with a density-functional correction: A spin-complete method for exploring excited-state potential energy surfaces.

We revisit the formalism of the spin-adapted, spin-flip (SA-SF) configuration-interaction singles (CIS) method based on a tensor equation-of-motion formalism that affords proper spin eigenstates without sacrificing single-reference simplicity. Matrix elements for SA-SF-CIS are then modified in a manner similar to collinear spin-flip time-dependent density functional theory (SF-TDDFT), to include a DFT exchange-correlation correction. The performance of this method, which we call SA-SF-DFT, is evaluated numerically and we find that it systematically improves the energies of electronic states that exhibit significant spin contamination within the conventional SF-TDDFT approach. The new method cures the state assignment problem that plagues geometry optimizations and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations using traditional SF-TDDFT, without sacrificing computational efficiency, and furthermore provides correct topology at conical intersections, including those that involve the ground state, unlike conventional TDDFT. As such, SA-SF-DFT appears to be a promising method for generating excited-state potential energy surfaces at DFT cost.