Specification of the Pauli formalism means that the first order relativistic corrections (the Pauli Hamiltonian) will be used [51-60]. In a scalar relativistic run ADF employs the single point group symmetry and only the so-called scalar relativistic corrections, Darwin and Mass-Velocity. The treatment is not strictly first-order, but is quasi-relativistic, in the sense that the first-order scalar relativistic Pauli Hamiltonian is diagonalized in the space of the non-relativistic solutions, i.e. in the non-relativistic basis set.
The quasi-relativistic approach improves results considerably over a first-order treatment. There are, however, theoretical deficiencies due to the singular behavior of the Pauli Hamiltonian at the nucleus. This would become manifest in a complete basis set but results are reasonable with the normally employed basis sets. However, this aspect implies that it is not recommended to apply this approach with an all-electron basis set for the heavy atoms, and for very heavy elements even a frozen core basis set often fails to give acceptable results. The problems with the quasi relativistic approach of the Pauli Hamiltonian are discussed for example in Ref.[61].
