Applications of quantum Monte Carlo methods in condensed systems

Abstract: The quantum Monte Carlo methods represent a powerful and broadly applicable computational tool for finding very accurate solutions of the stationary Schroedinger equation for atoms, molecules, solids and a variety of model systems. The algorithms are intrinsically parallel and are able to take full advantage of the present-day high-performance computing systems. This review article concentrates on the fixed-node/fixed-phase diffusion Monte Carlo method with emphasis on its applications to electronic structure of solids and other extended many-particle systems.