  The variational cluster approach (VCA) is applied to the one-dimensional
Hubbard model at zero temperature using clusters (chains) of up to ten sites
with full diagonalization and the Lanczos method as cluster solver. Within the
framework of the self-energy-functional theory (SFT), different cluster
reference systems with and without bath degrees of freedom, in different
topologies and with different sets of variational parameters are considered.
Static and one-particle dynamical quantities are calculated for half-filling as
a function of U as well as for fixed U as a function of the chemical potential
to study the interaction- and filling-dependent metal-insulator (Mott)
transition. The recently developed Q-matrix technique is used to compute the
SFT grand potential. For benchmarking purposes we compare the VCA results with
exact results available from the Bethe ansatz, with essentially exact dynamical
DMRG data, with (cellular) dynamical mean-field theory and full diagonalization
of isolated Hubbard chains. Several issues are discussed including convergence
of the results with cluster size, the ability of cluster approaches to access
the critical regime of the Mott transition, efficiency in the optimization of
correlated-site vs. bath-site parameters and of multi-dimensional parameter
optimization. We also study the role of bath sites for the description of
excitation properties and as charge reservoirs for the description of filling
dependencies. The VCA turns out to be a computationally cheap method which is
competitive with established cluster approaches.
