An efficient sampling algorithm for variational Monte Carlo

We propose a new algorithm for sampling the N-body density |Φ(R)| ² / ∫ _R3N|Φ|² in the variational Monte Carlo framework. This algorithm is based upon a modified Ricci-Ciccotti discretization of the Langevin dynamics in the phase space (R,P) improved by a Metropolis-Hastings accept/reject step. We show through some representative numerical examples (lithium, fluorine, and copper atoms and phenol molecule) that this algorithm is superior to the standard sampling algorithm based on the biased random walk (importance sampling).