Reconsidering Power Functional Theory

Abstract

The original derivation of Power Functional Theory, Schmidt and Brader, JCP 138, 214101 (2013), is reworked in some detail with a view to clarifying and simplifying the logic and making explicit the various functional dependencies. We note various issues with the original development and suggest a modification that allows us to avoid them. In the process we also suggest an alternative interpretation of our results that bears surprising similarities to classical Density Functional Theory.

Second author added; completely rewritten