Schwinger action principle via linear quantum canonical transformations

We have applied the Schwinger action principle to general one-dimensional (1D), time-dependent quadratic systems via linear quantum canonical transformations, which allowed us to simplify the problems to be solved by this method. We show that while using a suitable linear canonical transformation, we can considerably simplify the evaluation of the propagator of the studied system to that for a free particle. The efficiency and exactness of this method is verified in the case of the simple harmonic oscillator. This technique enables us to evaluate easily and immediately the propagator in some particular cases such as the damped harmonic oscillator, the harmonic oscillator with a time-dependent frequency, and the harmonic oscillator with time-dependent mass and frequency, and in this way the propagator of the forced damped harmonic oscillator is easily calculated without any approach. PACS 02.30.Xx, 03.65.-w, 03.65.Ca     

Power Series Expansion of Propagator for Path Integral and Its Applications

In this paper we obtain a propagator of path integral for a harmonic oscillator and a driven harmonic oscillator by using the power series expansion. It is shown that our result for the harmonic oscillator is more exact than the previous one obtained with other approximation methods. By using the same method, we obtain a propagator of path integral for the driven harmonic oscillator, which does not have any exact expansion. The more exact propagators may improve the path integral results for these systems.     

Generalized path-integral solution and coherent states of the harmonic oscillator in D-dimensions

We construct a general form of propagator in arbitrary dimensions and give an exact wavefunction of a time- dependent forced harmonic oscillator in D（D ≥ 1） dimensions. The coherent states, defined as the eigenstates of annihilation operator, of the D-dimensional harmonic oscillator are derived. These coherent states correspond to the minimum uncertainty states and the relation between them is investigated.     

The driven oscillator in the photon-number probability representation of quantum mechanics

We study the evolution of the driven harmonic oscillator in the probability representation of quantum mechanics. We use the photon-number tomographic-probability-distribution function to describe the quantum states of the system. We give a general review of the photon-number tomographic framework, including a discussion on the connection with other representations of quantum mechanics. We find tomograms of coherent states as well as excited states of the harmonic oscillator in an explicit form. We discuss the time evolution of the photon-number tomograms and transforms of the propagators for different representations of quantum mechanics. We obtain the propagator for the photon-number tomographic-distribution function for the case of the driven oscillator in an explicit form.     

Exact propagator of the harmonic oscillator with a time-dependent mass

By finding a space and time transformation, the exact evaluation of the propagator for the harmonic oscillator with a time-dependent mass by the path integral method becomes possible. We then derive the wavefunctions from the propagator obtained. Finally, the propagator beyond and at caustics is evaluated by using its modified semi-group property and is confirmed by investigating the classical paths with two fixed end-positions.     

Variable Frequency Harmonic Oscillator in an Electromagnetic Field

The invariant, propagator, and wavefunction for a variable frequency harmonic oscillator in an electromagnetic field are obtained by making a specific coordinate transformation and by using the method of phase space path integral method. The probability amplitudes for a dissipative harmonic oscillator in the time varying electric field E(t) = E0 sin(Ωt) are obtained.     

Fresnel Operator for Deriving the Propagator of 2D Harmonic Oscillator with Cross Coupling

Using the identity of operator decomposition we obtain a normal ordered form of the time-evolution operator for cross coupling quantum harmonic oscillator Hamiltonian system in two dimensions, which is just a special two-mode Fresnel operator. The Feynman propagator for the Hamiltonian system is found by a direct calculation by means of the method deriving the matrix element of two-mode Fresnel operator in the entangled state representation. The technique of integration within an ordered product (IWOP) of operators is employed to derive the matrix elements of the operator in the coherent state and the entangled state representations.     

阻尼谐振子的严格波函数

对与速度成正比的阻尼谐振子，通过正则变换，采用路径积分方法，得出了阻尼谐振子的严格波函数，还讨论了阻尼谐振子的坐标、动量的零点涨落. 关键词：     

Extended feynman formula for forced harmonic oscillator

Horváthy's modification of Feynman's original method is generalized to the path integral formula of a forced harmonic oscillator. With this new formula the propagator of a harmonic oscillator with memory is evaluated exactly beyond and at caustics.Work supported in part by the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnólogico (CNPq), Brazil.     

Space–time transformation for the propagator in de Broglie–Bohm theory

A linear space–time transformation proposed to calculate the propagator in the de Broglie–Bohm theory, viewed as an expansion of the guiding wave function over the velocity space. It is shown that the quantum evolution is preserved in its semiclassical scheme through this change. The case of variable-frequency harmonic oscillator is presented as an example.     

Propagator for a Time-Dependent Damped Harmonic Oscillator with a Force Quadratic in Velocity

The propagator for a time-dependent damped harmonic oscillator with a force quadratic in velocity isobtained by making a specific coordinate transformation and by using the method of time-dependent invariant.     

Quantum Dynamics of Systems Connected by a Canonical Transformation

Quantum Hamiltonian systems corresponding to classical systems related by a general canonical transformation are considered. The differential equation to find the unitary operator, which corresponds to the canonical transformation and connects quantum states of the original and transformed systems, is obtained. The propagator associated with their wave functions is found by the unitary operator. Quantum systems related by a linear canonical point transformation are analyzed. The results are tested by finding the wave functions of the under-, critical-, and over-damped harmonic oscillator from the wave functions of the harmonic oscillator, free-particle system, and negative harmonic potential system, using the unitary operator to connect them, respectively.     

Propagator for the anisotropic three-dimensional charged harmonic oscillator in a constant magnetic field using the Schwinger action principle

The propagator for the anisotropic three-dimensional charged harmonic oscillator in the presence of a constant external magnetic field is calculated using the Schwinger action principle.     

Calculations of the propagator within the tomographic-probability framework

We show that the ambiguity in choosing the tomographic propagator for an evolving linear quantum system is related to the homogeneity properties of the system symplectic tomogram. We study in detail an example of the driven harmonic oscillator. We prove that two formally different propagators of the quantum kinetic equation for the oscillator are identical on the domain of homogeneous tomographic probability distributions.     

含时阻尼谐振子的传播子与严格波函数

通过正则化变换技巧,寻找到一种对阻尼系数随时间变化的阻尼谐振子直接量子化方案,进而采用高斯型传播子和费曼路径积分方法求出了含时阻尼谐振子的严格波函数,并对波函数的普遍意义,坐标和动量的零点涨落以及两者的不确定关系作了讨论 关键词： 含时阻尼 传播子 费曼路径积分     

Path integration of the harmonic oscillator with a two-time quadratic action

Path integration of the harmonic oscillator with a two-time quadratic action characterizing memory effects is given in terms of the solutions of some integrodifferential equations. The exact propagator in closed form is then obtained for the specific kernel introduced by Feynman in the polaron problem.     

Tunneling in a “breathing” double well: Adiabatic and antiadiabatic limits and tunneling suppression

Tunneling in a piecewise harmonic potential coupled to a harmonic oscillator is considered by means of the path integral technique. The reduced propagator for the tunneling particle is calculated explicitly and the tunneling splitting is found in semiclassical approximation. The result holds for arbitrary values of the parameters of the system. From this the adiabatic and antiadiabatic approximations are obtained as particular cases and compared with the results obtained differently. The limit of a strong interaction is also considered. It is found that for strong interaction or equivalently for the harmonic frequency tending to zero the preexponential factor in the tunneling splitting tends to zero which results in a suppression of tunneling. Implications of this result for tunneling in a more general potential are discussed.     

Time step bias improvement in diffusion monte carlo simulations

A Makri-Miller approximation to the exact propagator and the improved split-operator propagator proposed by Drozdov are implemented within the diffusion Monte Carlo method for the simulation of boson systems, and confronted with the Trotter formula and with the importance sampling technique. As a preliminary approach, we compute analytically the time step bias of the mean energy for the different propagators in the simple case of the harmonic oscillator. These results indicate the improved split-operator propagator as the most accurate. Simulations on one- and three-dimensional model systems confirm the analytical results showing that this propagator is very efficient in reducing the time step bias, therefore improving the efficiency of the algorithm.     

Path integration of a quadratic action with a generalized memory

Path integration of an action representing a harmonic oscillator with a generalized memory is carried out within the framework of Feynman's polygonal approach. The exact propagator obtained is in the form of an exponential integral over a single variable. Closed analytical results are available for special cases of the memory function.     

Extended Feynman formula for time-dependent forced harmonic oscillator

Horváthy's modification of Feynman's path integral formula is generalized to the time-dependent forced harmonic oscillator. The propagator at caustics is then obtained by using its modified semi-group property. Finally, with our new formula, the propagator for a charged particle in a time-dependent electromagnetic field is evaluated exactly beyond and at caustics.