OpenAI reports a uniform excess-charge bound for Coulomb molecules

For any fixed nuclei at distinct positions with real charges at least one, total nuclear charge Z and M nuclei, the full two-spin nonrelativistic Coulomb Hamiltonian can strictly bind no more than Z+CM electrons, where C is universal and independent of the nuclear positions and charges.

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OpenAI reports a uniform excess-charge bound for Coulomb molecules

  • Mathematics
  • Theoretical Physics

For any fixed nuclei at distinct positions with real charges at least one, total nuclear charge Z and M nuclei, the full two-spin nonrelativistic Coulomb Hamiltonian can strictly bind no more than Z+CM electrons, where C is universal and independent of the nuclear positions and charges.

AI involvementAI-led
ImportanceMajor
Technical verificationReported
Human understandingFew

Understanding the problem

Read the background

For any fixed nuclei at distinct positions with real charges at least one, total nuclear charge Z and M nuclei, the full two-spin nonrelativistic Coulomb Hamiltonian can strictly bind no more than Z+CM electrons, where C is universal and independent of the nuclear positions and charges.

Why it matters

If correct, resolves the strict-binding excess-charge form of the molecular ionization conjecture.

What counts as progress

Can full Coulomb molecules strictly bind more than a universal number of excess electrons per nucleus?

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