Applications of quantum Monte Carlo methods in condensed systems

Quantum Monte Carlo methods represent a powerful and broadly applicable computational tool for finding very accurate solutions of the stationary Schrequation for atoms, molecules, solids and a variety of model systems. The algorithms are intrinsically parallel and are able to take full advantage of present-day high-performance computing systems. This review paper concentrates on the fixed-node/fixed-phase diffusion Monte Carlo method with emphasis on its applications to the electronic structure of solids and other extended many-particle systems. (Some figures in this article are in colour only in the electronic version) This article was invited by M-Y Chou.