Issues and Observations on Applications of the Constrained-Path Monte Carlo Method to Many-Fermion Systems

We report several important observations that underscore the distinctions between the constrained-path Monte Carlo method and the continuum and lattice versions of the fixed-node method. The main distinctions stem from the differences in the state space in which the random walk occurs and in the manner in which the random walkers are constrained. One consequence is that in the constrained-path method the so-called mixed estimator for the energy is not an upper bound to the exact energy, as previously claimed. Several ways of producing an energy upper bound are given, and relevant methodological aspects are illustrated with simple examples.Comment: 28 pages, REVTEX, 5 ps figure

Phase Separation Based on U(1) Slave-boson Functional Integral Approach to the t-J Model

We investigate the phase diagram of phase separation for the hole-doped two dimensional system of antiferromagnetically correlated electrons based on the U(1) slave-boson functional integral approach to the t-J model. We show that the phase separation occurs for all values of J/t, that is, whether $0 < J/t < 1$ or $J/t \geq 1$ with J, the Heisenberg coupling constant and t, the hopping strength. This is consistent with other numerical studies of hole-doped two dimensional antiferromagnets. The phase separation in the physically interesting J region, $0 < J/t \lesssim 0.4$ is examined by introducing hole-hole (holon-holon) repulsive interaction. We find from this study that with high repulsive interaction between holes the phase separation boundary tends to remain robust in this low $J$ region, while in the high J region, J/t > 0.4, the phase separation boundary tends to disappear.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.