Document Type
Article
Department/Program
Physics
Journal Title
Physical Review Letters
Pub Date
2016
Volume
116
Issue
25
Abstract
The sign problem is a major obstacle in quantum Monte Carlo simulations for many-body fermion systems. We examine this problem with a new perspective based on the Majorana reflection positivity and Majorana Kramers positivity. Two sufficient conditions are proven for the absence of the fermion sign problem. Our proof provides a unified description for all the interacting lattice fermion models previously known to be free of the sign problem based on the auxiliary field quantum Monte Carlo method. It also allows us to identify a number of new sign-problem-free interacting fermion models including, but not limited to, lattice fermion models with repulsive interactions but without particle-hole symmetry, and interacting topological insulators with spin-flip terms.
Recommended Citation
Wei, Z. C.; Xiang, T.; Wu, Congjun; and Zhang, Shiwei, Majorana Positivity and the Fermion Sign Problem of Quantum Monte Carlo Simulations (2016). Physical Review Letters, 116(25).
10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.250601
DOI
10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.250601
