Polarizabilities as a test of localized approximations to the self-interaction correction

We present applications of the recently introduced ‘Generalized SIC-Slater’ scheme which provides a simple self-interaction correction approximation in the framework of the optimized effective potential. We focus on the computation of static polarizabilities which are known to constitute stringent tests for density-functional theory. We apply the new method to model H chains, but also to more realistic systems such as C4 (organic) chains, and less symmetrical systems such as a Na5 (metallic) cluster. Comparison is made with other SIC schemes, especially with the standard SIC-Slater one.