Molecular dynamics algorithms for quantum Monte Carlo methods

In the present Letter, novel molecular dynamics methods compatible with corresponding quantum Monte Carlo methods are developed. One is a variational molecular dynamics method that is a molecular dynamics analog of quantum variational Monte Carlo method. The other is a variational path integral molecular dynamics method, which is based on the path integral molecular dynamics method for finite temperature systems by Tuckerman et al. [M. Tuckerman, B.J. Berne, G.J. Martyna, M.L. Klein, J. Chem. Phys. 99 (1993) 2796]. These methods are applied to model systems including the liquid helium-4, demonstrated to work satisfactorily for the tested ground state calculations.