We present a self-interaction-free relativistic density-functional theory (DFT). The theory is based on the extension of our recent nonrelativistic DFT treatment with optimized effective potential (OEP) and self-interaction correction (SIC) [Phys. Rev. A 55, 3406 (1997)] to the relativistic domain. Such a relativistic OEP-SIC procedure yields an orbital-independent single-particle local potential with proper long-range Coulombic $(-1/r)$ behavior. The method is applied to the ground-state energy calculations for atoms with $Z=2\mathrm{}$–106. A comparison with the corresponding nonrelativistic OEP-SIC calculations and other relativistic calculations is made. It is shown that the ionization potentials (obtained from the highest occupied orbital energies) and individual orbital binding energies determined by the present relativistic OEP-SIC method agree well with the experimental data across the Periodic Table.

• Received 30 July 1997

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.57.855