Perturbation series at large orders in quantum mechanics and field theories: Application to the problem of resummation

In this review I present a method to estimate the large order behavior of perturbation theory in quantum mechanics and field theory. The basic idea, due to Lipatov, is to relate the large order behavior to (in general complex) instanton contributions to the path integral representation of Green's functions. I explain the method first in the case of a simple integral and of the anharmonic oscillator and recover the results of Bender and Wu. I apply it then to the φ⁴ field theory. I study general potentials and boson field theories. I show, following Parisi, how the method can be generalized to theories with fermions. Finally I outline the implications of these results for the summability of the series. In particular I explain a method to sum divergent series based on a Borel transformation. In a last section I compare the larger order behavior predictions to actual series calculation. I present also some numerical examples of series summation.     

Multi-instantons and exact results IV: Path integral formalism

This is the fourth paper in a series devoted to the large-order properties of anharmonic oscillators. We attempt to draw a connection of anharmonic oscillators to field theory, by investigating the partition function in the path integral representation around both the Gaussian saddle point, which determines the perturbative expansion of the eigenvalues, as well as the nontrivial instanton saddle point. The value of the classical action at the saddle point is the instanton action which determines the large-order properties of perturbation theory by a dispersion relation. In order to treat the perturbations about the instanton, one has to take into account the continuous symmetries broken by the instanton solution because they lead to zero-modes of the fluctuation operator of the instanton configuration. The problem is solved by changing variables in the path integral, taking the instanton parameters as integration variables (collective coordinates). The functional determinant (Faddeev–Popov determinant) of the change of variables implies nontrivial modifications of the one-loop and higher-loop corrections about the instanton configuration. These are evaluated and compared to exact WKB calculations. A specific cancellation mechanism for the first perturbation about the instanton, which has been conjectured for the sextic oscillator based on a nonperturbative generalized Bohr–Sommerfeld quantization condition, is verified by an analytic Feynman diagram calculation.     

Multi-instantons and exact results II: specific cases, higher-order effects, and numerical calculations

In this second part of the treatment of instantons in quantum mechanics, the focus is on specific calculations related to a number of quantum mechanical potentials with degenerate minima. We calculate the leading multi-instanton contributions to the partition function, using the formalism introduced in the first part of the treatise [Ann. Phys. (N. Y.) (previous issue) (2004)]. The following potentials are considered: (i) asymmetric potentials with degenerate minima, (ii) the periodic cosine potential, (iii) anharmonic oscillators with radial symmetry, and (iv) a specific potential which bears an analogy with the Fokker-Planck equation. The latter potential has the peculiar property that the perturbation series for the ground-state energy vanishes to all orders and is thus formally convergent (the ground-state energy, however, is non-zero and positive). For the potentials (ii), (iii), and (iv), we calculate the perturbative B-function as well as the instanton A-function to fourth order in g. We also consider the double-well potential in detail, and present some higher-order analytic as well as numerical calculations to verify explicitly the related conjectures up to the order of three instantons. Strategies analogous to those outlined here could result in new conjectures for problems where our present understanding is more limited.     

Instanton Calculus for the Self-Avoiding Manifold Model

We compute the normalisation factor for the large order asymptotics of perturbation theory for the self-avoiding manifold (SAM) model describing flexible tethered (D-dimensional) membranes in d-dimensional space, and the ε-expansion for this problem. For that purpose, we develop the methods inspired from instanton calculus, that we introduced in a previous publication (Nucl. Phys. B 534 (1998) 555), and we compute the functional determinant of the fluctuations around the instanton configuration. This determinant has UV divergences and we show that the renormalized action used to make perturbation theory finite also renders the contribution of the instanton UV-finite. To compute this determinant, we develop a systematic large-d expansion. For the renormalized theory, we point out problems in the interplay between the limits ε→ 0 and d→∞, as well as IR divergences when ε=0. We show that many cancellations between IR divergences occur, and argue that the remaining IR-singular term is associated to amenable non-analytic contributions in the large-d limit when ε=0. The consistency with the standard instanton-calculus results for the self-avoiding walk is checked for D=1.     

Instanton Expansion of Noncommutative Gauge Theory in Two Dimensions

We show that noncommutative gauge theory in two dimensions is an exactly solvable model. A cohomological formulation of gauge theory defined on the noncommutative torus is used to show that its quantum partition function can be written as a sum over contributions from classical solutions. We derive an explicit formula for the partition function of Yang-Mills theory defined on a projective module for an arbitrary noncommutativity parameter which is manifestly invariant under gauge Morita equivalence. The energy observables are shown to be smooth functions of . The construction of noncommutative instanton contributions to the path integral is described in some detail. In general, there are infinitely many gauge inequivalent contributions of fixed topological charge, along with a finite number of quantum fluctuations about each instanton. The associated moduli spaces are combinations of symmetric products of an ordinary two-torus whose orbifold singularities are not resolved by noncommutativity. In particular, the weak coupling limit of the gauge theory is independent of and computes the symplectic volume of the moduli space of constant curvature connections on the noncommutative torus.     

Fourier path integral Monte Carlo study of a two-dimensional model quantum monolayer

Adsorption isotherms have been constructed for a 2-dimensional ²⁰Ne fluid that represents a quantum monolayer. A quantum distribution function theory is presented and implemented in the computation of the chemical potential as a function of the density of the adsorbed material. The quantum partition function in the canonical ensemble is written in its path integral representation with paths expanded in a Fourier series (Fourier path integral). The multidimensional integrals obtained in this representation are solved using the j-walking Monte Carlo integration technique. The results obtained suggest that as the quantum contributions increase the amount of adsorbed material decreases, compared with classical results. An increment in internal and kinetic energies due to quantum effects is responsible for the reduction in the amount of adsorbed material. As expected, quantum effects are much larger at low temperatures.     

Feynman integral and perturbation theory in quantum tomography

We present a definition for tomographic Feynman path integral as representation for quantum tomograms via Feynman path integral in the phase space. The proposed representation is the potential basis for investigation of Path Integral Monte Carlo numerical methods with quantum tomograms. Tomographic Feynman path integral is a representation of solution of initial problem for evolution equation for tomograms. The perturbation theory for quantum tomograms is constructed.     

θ renormalization, electron-electron interactions and super universality in the quantum Hall regime

The renormalization theory of the quantum Hall effect relies primarily on the non-perturbative concept of θ renormalization by instantons. Within the generalized non-linear σ model approach initiated by Finkelstein we obtain the physical observables of the interacting electron gas, formulate the general (topological) principles by which the Hall conductance is robustly quantized and derive—for the first time—explicit expressions for the non-perturbative (instanton) contributions to the renormalization group β and γ functions. Our results are in complete agreement with the recently proposed idea of super universality which says that the fundamental aspects of the quantum Hall effect are all generic features the instanton vacuum concept in asymptotically free field theory.     

Quantum wave packet revival in two-dimensional circular quantum wells with position-dependent mass

We study quantum wave packet revivals on two-dimensional infinite circular quantum wells (CQWs) and circular quantum dots with position-dependent mass (PDM) envisaging a possible experimental realization. We consider CQWs with radially varying mass, addressing particularly the cases where M(r)∝rw with w=1,2, or −2. The two PDM Hamiltonians currently allowed by theory were analyzed and we were able to construct a strong theoretical argument favoring one of them.     

Relativistic Calogero-Moser model as gauged WZW theory

Integrable deformation of the Calogero-Moser system is examined in the framework of the topological G/G Wess-Zumino-Witten model. It is shown that in the Hamiltonian approach the gauged WZW theory has a Hilbert space, which contains the one of the Ruijsenaars model. The latter can be described with the help of Verlinde algebra. Moreover, the evolution operator in the quantum mechanical problem has an interpretation in terms of the path integral in G/G theory with inserted Wilson line. We compute a partition function of the model using techniques from Chem-Simons theory, in particular, some surgeries of simple threefolds.     

The Feynman-Schwinger Representation in QCD

The proper time path integral representation is derived explicitly for Green's functions in QCD. After an introductory analysis of perturbative properties, the total gluonic field is separated in a rigorous way into a nonperturbative background and valence gluon part. For nonperturbative contributions the background perturbation theory is used systematically, yielding two types of expansions, illustrated by direct physical applications. As an application, we discuss the collinear singularities in the Feynman-Schwinger representation formalism. Moreover, the generalization to nonzero temperature is made and expressions for partition functions in perturbation theory and nonperturbative background are explicitly written down.     

N identical particles under quantum confinement: a many-body dimensional perturbation theory approach

Systems that involve N identical interacting particles under quantum confinement appear throughout many areas of physics, including chemical, condensed matter, and atomic physics. In this paper, we present the methods of dimensional perturbation theory, a powerful set of tools that uses symmetry to yield simple results for studying such many-body systems. We present a detailed discussion of the dimensional continuation of the N-particle Schrödinger equation, the spatial dimension D→∞ equilibrium (D⁰) structure, and the normal-mode (D⁻¹) structure. We use the FG matrix method to derive general, analytical expressions for the many-body normal-mode vibrational frequencies, and we give specific analytical results for three confined N-body quantum systems: the N-electron atom, N-electron quantum dot, and N-atom inhomogeneous Bose-Einstein condensate with a repulsive hard-core potential.     

Electron capture and scaling anomaly in polar molecules

We present a new analysis of the electron capture mechanism in polar molecules, based on von Neumann's theory of self-adjoint extensions. Our analysis suggests that it is theoretically possible for polar molecules to form bound states with electrons, even with dipole moments smaller than the critical value D₀=1.63×¹⁰⁻¹⁸ esu cm. We argue that the quantum mechanical scaling anomaly is responsible for the formation of these bound states.     

Instanton effects in quark form factor and quark-quark scattering at high energy

The nonperturbative effects in the high-energy processes involving strongly interacting particles are studied within the instanton liquid model of the QCD vacuum (ILM) by using the Wilson integral framework. The detailed analysis of nonperturbative contributions to the electromagnetic quark form factor is presented considering the structure of the instanton-induced effects in the evolution equation describing the high energy behavior of the form factor. It is shown that the instantons yield in high energy limit the logarithmic corrections to the amplitudes which are exponentiated in small instanton density parameter. By using the Gaussian interpolation of the constrained instanton solution, we show that the all-order multi-instanton contribution is well approximated by the weak field limit result. The role of the instantons in high energy diffractive quark-quark scattering, in particular, in formation of the soft Pomeron, is also considered. We show that within the ILM the C-odd diffractive amplitude is suppressed as 1/s compared to the C-even one. The further applications of the developed approach in studying the nonperturbative effects in high energy hadronic processes are briefly discussed.     

Electron self-trapping at quantum and classical critical points

Using Feynman path integral technique estimations of the ground state energy have been found for a conduction electron interacting with order parameter fluctuations near quantum critical points. In some cases only singular perturbation theory in the coupling constant emerges for the electron ground state energy. It is shown that an autolocalized state (quantum fluctuon) can be formed and its characteristics have been calculated depending on critical exponents for both weak and strong coupling regimes. The concept of fluctuon is considered also for the classical critical point (at finite temperatures) and the difference between quantum and classical cases has been investigated. It is shown that, whereas the quantum fluctuon energy is connected with a true boundary of the energy spectrum, for classical fluctuon it is just a saddle-point solution for the chemical potential in the exponential density of states fluctuation tail.     

Instanton interpolating current for σ-tetraquark

We perform a QCD sum rule analysis for the light scalar meson σ   (f₀(600)$f_0(600)$) with a tetraquark current related to the instanton picture for QCD vacuum. We demonstrate that instanton current, including equal weights of scalar and pseudoscalar diquark–antidiquarks, leads to a strong cancelation between the contributions of high dimension operators in the operator product expansion (OPE). Furthermore, in the case of this current direct instanton contributions do not spoil the sum rules. Our calculation, obtained from the OPE up to dimension 10 operators, gives the mass of σ-meson around 780 MeV.     

Wave-function transformations by general SU(1, 1) single-mode squeezing and analogy to Fresnel transformations in wave optics

Following Dirac’s assertion: “… for a quantum dynamic system that has a classical analogue, unitary transformation in the quantum theory is the analogue of contact transformation in the classical theory”, we find that the general SU(1, 1) single-mode squeezing operator F just corresponds to the generalized Fresnel transform (GFT) in wave optics. We derive the normal product form and canonical coherent state representation of F, whose matrix element in the coordinate representation is just the GFT. It is shown that F is a faithful representation of symplectic group which indicates that two successive GFTs is still a GFT. Applications of F in some other optical transforms, such as the Fresnel-wavelet transform, are presented.     

Luminescence studies on nitride quaternary alloys double quantum wells

We present theoretical photoluminescence (PL) spectra of undoped and p-doped Al_xIn_1−x−yGa_yN/Al_XIn_1−X−YGa_YN double quantum wells (DQWs). The calculations were performed within the k.p method by means of solving a full eight-band Kane Hamiltonian together with the Poisson equation in a plane wave representation, including exchange-correlation effects within the local density approximation. Strain effects due to the lattice mismatch are also taken into account. We show the calculated PL spectra, analyzing the blue and red-shifts in energy as one varies the spike and the well widths, as well as the acceptor doping concentration. We found a transition between a regime of isolated quantum wells and that of interacting DQWs. Since there are few studies of optical properties of quantum wells based on nitride quaternary alloys, the results reported here will provide guidelines for the interpretation of forthcoming experiments.     

Semi-classical dynamical triangulations

For non-critical string theory the partition function reduces to an integral over moduli space after integrating over matter fields. The moduli integrand is known analytically for genus one surfaces. The formalism of dynamical triangulations provides us with a regularization of non-critical string theory and we show that even for very small triangulations it reproduces very well the continuum integrand when the central charge c   of the matter fields is large negative, thus providing a striking example of how the quantum fluctuations of geometry disappear when c→−∞$c\to -\infty$.     

Path integration on Darboux spaces

In this paper, the Feynman path integral technique is applied to two-dimensional spaces of nonconstant curvature: these spaces are called Darboux spaces D _I-D _IV. We start each consideration in terms of the metric and then analyze the quantum theory in the separable coordinate systems. The path integral in each case is formulated and then solved in the majority of cases; the exceptions being the quartic oscillators where no closed solution is known. The required ingredients are the path integral solutions of the linear potential, the harmonic oscillator, the radial harmonic oscillator, the modified Pöschl-Teller potential, and the spheroidal wave functions. The basic path integral solutions, which appear here in a complicated way, have been developed in recent work and are known. The final solutions are represented in terms of the corresponding Green’s functions and the expansions into the wave functions. We also sketch some limiting cases of the Darboux spaces, where spaces of constant negative and zero curvature emerge.