Solving the fermion sign problem in quantum Monte Carlo simulations by Majorana representation
Abstract
We discover a quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) method to solve the fermion sign problem in interacting fermion models by employing a Majorana representation of complex fermions. We call it the "Majorana QMC" (MQMC). MQMC simulations can be performed efficiently both at finite and zero temperatures. Especially, MQMC is fermion sign free in simulating a class of spinless fermion models on bipartite lattices at half filling and with an arbitrary range of (unfrustrated) interactions. Moreover, we find a class of S U (N ) fermionic models with odd N , which are sign free in MQMC but whose sign problem cannot be in solved in other QMC methods, such as continuous-time QMC. To the best of our knowledge, MQMC is the first auxiliary field QMC method to solve the fermion sign problem in spinless (more generally, an odd number of species) fermion models. We conjecture that MQMC could be applied to solve the fermion sign problem in more generic fermionic models.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review B
- Pub Date:
- June 2015
- DOI:
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1408.2269
- Bibcode:
- 2015PhRvB..91x1117L
- Keywords:
-
- 05.30.Fk;
- 02.70.Ss;
- 71.27.+a;
- Fermion systems and electron gas;
- Quantum Monte Carlo methods;
- Strongly correlated electron systems;
- heavy fermions;
- Condensed Matter - Strongly Correlated Electrons;
- Condensed Matter - Quantum Gases;
- High Energy Physics - Lattice
- E-Print:
- Selected as an Editors' Suggestion in PRB Rapid Communication, published version with updated reference