Using finite element method to tackle the hartree-fock equations

It is well know that the Schroedinger equation cannot be solved exactly, except maybe for very simple cases, as it represents a many-body interaction problem. However, it is possible to derive approximations of the Schroedinger equation from variational principles. The Hartree-Fock equations are then generally solved thanks to a set of basis functions, e.g. Gaussians, Slater-type orbitals or plane waves. To avoid to impose a general form to the approximate wave function, we use localized trial functions. We consider here the Finite Element Method as a new approach to solve these Hartree-Fock equations. We shall present the main properties of our computations with the different advantages and drawbacks involved by this strategy. We present numerical results about different electronic systems: such as atoms or molecules (LiH, BeH2).