A simulation method for the calculation of properties of lattice field theories is studied. This method involves the numerical evaluation of projection operators onto low-lying quantum states. It is an alternative to the standard Monte Carlo evaluation of path integrals or the trace of the partition function and has many advantages. As an illustration, it is applied to a one-dimensional many-fermion system.

• Received 10 September 1982

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.27.1304