Optimization of Trial Wave Functions for Hamiltonian Lattice Models

We present a simple and efficient method to optimize within energy minimization the determinantal component of the many-body wave functions commonly used in quantum Monte Carlo calculations. The approach obtains the optimal wave function as an approximate perturbative solution of an effective Hamiltonian iteratively constructed via Monte Carlo sampling. The effectiveness of the method as well as its ability to substantially improve the accuracy of quantum Monte Carlo calculat...

We apply a recently proposed Green Function Monte Carlo to the study of Hamiltonian lattice gauge theories. This class of algorithms computes quantum vacuum expectation values by averaging over a set of suitable weighted random walkers. By means of a procedure called Stochastic Reconfiguration the long standing problem of keeping fixed the walker population without a priori knowledge on the ground state is completely solved. In the $U(1)_2$ model, which we choose as our theor...

We introduce a new Monte Carlo method for pure gauge theories. It is not intended for use with dynamical fermions. It belongs to the class of Local Hybrid Monte Carlo (LHMC) algorithms, which make use of the locality of the action by updating individual sites or links by following a classical mechanics trajectory in fictitious time. We choose to update a one-parameter subgroup of the gauge field on each link of the lattice, and the classical trajectory can be found in closed ...

We solve a variety of sign problems for models in lattice field theory using the Hamiltonian formulation, including Yukawa models and simple lattice gauge theories. The solutions emerge naturally in continuous time and use the dual representation for the bosonic fields. These solutions allow us to construct quantum Monte Carlo methods for these problems. The methods could provide an alternative approach to understanding non-perturbative dynamics of some lattice field theories...

Global changes of states are of crucial importance in optimization algorithms. We review some heuristic algorithms in which global updates are realized by a sort of real-space renormalization group transformation. Emphasis is on the relationship between the structure of low-energy excitations and ``block-spins'' appearing in the algorithms. We also discuss the implication of existence of a finite-temperature phase transition on the computational complexity of the ground-state...

We discuss an algorithm for the approximate solution of Schrodinger's equation for lattice gauge theory, using lattice SU(3) as an example. A basis is generated by repeatedly applying an effective Hamiltonian to a ``starting state.'' The resulting basis has a cluster decomposition and long-range correlations. One such basis has about 10^4 states on a 10X10X10 lattice. The Hamiltonian matrix on the basis is sparse, and the elements can be calculated rapidly. The lowest eigenst...

We suggest a new method to compute the spectrum and wave functions of excited states. We construct a stochastic basis of Bargmann link states, drawn from a physical probability density distribution and compute transition amplitudes between stochastic basis states. From such transition matrix we extract wave functions and the energy spectrum. We apply this method to $U(1)_{2+1}$ lattice gauge theory. As a test we compute the energy spectrum, wave functions and thermodynamical ...

We introduce a method to investigate the static and dynamic properties of both Abelian and non-Abelian lattice gauge models in 1+1 dimensions. Specifically, we identify a set of transformations that disentangle different degrees of freedom, and apply a simple Gaussian variational ansatz to the resulting Hamiltonian. To demonstrate the suitability of the method, we analyze both static and dynamic aspects of string breaking for the U(1) and SU(2) gauge models. We benchmark our ...

In order to solve quantum field theory in a non-perturbative way, Lagrangian lattice simulations have been very successful. Here we discuss a recently proposed alternative Hamiltonian lattice formulation - the Monte Carlo Hamiltonian. In order to show its working in the case of the scalar $\Phi^{4}_{1+1}$ model, we have computed thermodynamic functions like free energy, average energy, entropy and specific heat. We find good agreement between the results from the Monte Carlo ...

Monte Carlo simulations of the 4-dimensional compact U(1) lattice gauge theory in the neighborhood of the transition point are made difficult by the suppression of tunneling between the phases, which becomes very strong as soon as the volume of the lattice grows to any appreciable size. This problem can be avoided by making the monopole coupling a dynamical variable. In this manner one can circumvent the tunneling barrier by effectively riding on top of the peaks in the energ...