Ionization potentials in the limit of large atomic number

Abstract

By extrapolating the energies of non-relativistic atoms and their ions with up to 3000 electrons within Kohn-Sham density functional theory, we find that the ionization potential remains finite and increases across a row, even as $Z\rightarrow\infty$. The local density approximation becomes chemically accurate (and possibly exact) in some cases. Extended Thomas-Fermi theory matches the shell-average of both the ionization potential and density change. Exact results are given in the limit of weak electron-electron repulsion.