The Travelling Cluster Approximation for Strong Correlation Models of Lattice Fermions Coupled to Classical Fields

Abstract

We suggest and implement a new Monte Carlo strategy for correlated models involving fermions strongly coupled to classical degrees of freedom, with accurate handling of quenched disorder as well. Current methods iteratively diagonalise the full Hamiltonian for a system of N sites with computation time tau_N proportional to N^4. This limits achievable sizes to N \sim 100. In our method the energy cost of a Monte Carlo update is computed from the Hamiltonian of a cluster, of size N_c, constructed around the reference site, and embedded in the larger system. As MC steps sweep over the system, the cluster Hamiltonian also moves, being reconstructed at each site where an update is attempted. In this method tau_{N,N_c} is proportional to NN_c^3. Our results are obviously exact when N_c=N, and converge quickly to this asymptote with increasing N_c. The accuracy improves in systems where the effective disorder seen by the fermions is large. We provide results of preliminary calculations on the Holstein model and the Double Exchange model. The `locality' of the energy cost, as evidenced by our results, suggests that several important but inaccessible problems can now be handled with control.