The Early Years of Quantum Monte Carlo (2): Finite Temperature Simulations

TL;DR

This paper reviews the development of finite temperature quantum Monte Carlo methods using path-integral formulation, emphasizing their application to superfluidity in Helium 4, and highlights historical progress in the field.

Contribution

It provides a historical overview of finite temperature quantum Monte Carlo methods and details their application to superfluid Helium 4.

Findings

Finite temperature QMC methods effectively simulate superfluid transitions.

Path-integral formulation is central to these simulations.

Historical insights into the evolution of quantum Monte Carlo techniques.

Abstract

In this article we present the second part of our historical survey on quantum Monte Carlo methods. IWe focus on the simulations performed at a finite temperature and based on the path-integral formulation of quantum mechanics. We introduce the method and insist on the central role played by the description of the transition to superfluidity for Helium 4.