Quantum dissection of a covalent bond with the entanglement spectrum

Abstract

We propose that spatial density matrices, which are singularly important in the study of quantum entanglement, encode the electronic fluctuations and correlations responsible for covalent bonding. From these density matrices, we develop tools that allow us to analyse how many body wave functions can be broken up into real space pieces. We apply these tools to the first row dimers, and in particular, we address the conflicting evidence in the literature about the presence of an inverted fourth bond and anti-ferromagnetic correlations in the $\text{C}_2$ molecule. Our results show that many body effects enhance anti-ferromagnetic fluctuations but are not related to the formation of an inverted fourth bond. We identify two inverted bonds in the $\text{C}_2$ molecule and establish their correspondence to the bonds in the $\text{Be}_2$ molecule. Additionally, we provide a new interpretation of the Mayer index, introduce partial bonds to fix deficiencies in molecular orbital theory, and prove the Hartree-Fock wave function for C$_{2}$ is not a triple bond. Our results suggest that entanglement-based methods can lead to a more realistic treatment of molecular and extended systems than possible before.