'''Local-density approximations''' ('''LDA''') are a class of approximations to the [[Exchange interaction|exchange]]-–[[Electron correlation|correlation]] (XC) energy [[Functional (mathematics)|functional]] in [[density functional theory]] (DFT) that depend solely upon the value of the [[electronic density]] at each point in space (and not, for example, derivatives of the density or the [[Kohn-ShamKohn–Sham equations|Kohn-ShamKohn–Sham orbitals]]). Many approaches can yield local approximations to the XC energy. However, overwhelmingly successful local approximations are those that have been derived from the [[homogeneous electron gas]] (HEG) model. In this regard, LDA is generally synonymous with functionals based on the HEG approximation, which are then applied to realistic systems (molecules and solids).
In general, for a spin-unpolarized system, a local-density approximation for the exchange-correlation energy is written as
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* Perdew-Wang (PW92) <ref name=pw92>{{cite journal | title = Accurate and simple analytic representation of the electron-gas correlation energy | author = John P. Perdew and Yue Wang | journal = Phys. Rev. B | volume = 45 | pages = 13244–13249 | year = 1992 | doi = 10.1103/PhysRevB.45.13244 |bibcode = 1992PhRvB..4513244P | issue = 23 }}</ref>
Predating these, and even the formal foundations of DFT itself, is the Wigner correlation functional obtained [[Møller-PlessetMøller–Plesset perturbation theory#Rayleigh-Schr.C3.B6dinger perturbation theory|perturbatively]] from the HEG model.<ref name=wigner>{{cite journal | title = On the Interaction of Electrons in Metals | author = E. Wigner | journal = Phys. Rev. | volume = 46 | pages = 1002–1011 | year = 1934 | url = http://link.aps.org/abstract/PR/v46/p1002 | doi = 10.1103/PhysRev.46.1002 | format = abstract |bibcode = 1934PhRv...46.1002W | issue = 11 }}</ref>
In finite systems, the LDA potential decays asymptotically with an exponential form. This is in error; the true exchange-correlation potential decays much slower in a Coulombic manner. The artificially rapid decay manifests itself in the number of Kohn-ShamKohn–Sham orbitals the potential can bind (that is, how many orbitals have energy less than zero). The LDA potential can not support a Rydberg series and those states it does bind are too high in energy. This results in the [[HOMO]] energy being too high in energy, so that any predictions for the [[ionization potential]] based on [[Koopman's theorem]] are poor. Further, the LDA provides a poor description of electron-rich species such as [[anion]]s where it is often unable to bind an additional electron, erroneously predicating species to be unstable.<ref name="pz81"/><ref>{{cite book|last=Fiolhais|first=Carlos|coauthors=Nogueira, Fernando; Marques Miguel|title=A Primer in Density Functional Theory|publisher=Springer|year=2003|isbn=978-3-540-03083-6|page=60}}</ref>
