Quantum and classical dissipation of charged particles

A Hamiltonian approach is presented to study the two dimensional motion of damped electric charges in time dependent electromagnetic fields. The classical and the corresponding quantum mechanical problems are solved for particular cases using canonical transformations applied to Hamiltonians for a particle with variable mass. Green’s function is constructed and, from it, the motion of a Gaussian wave packet is studied in detail.     

Modeling quantum mechanical double slit interference via anomalous diffusion: Independently variable slit widths

Based on a re-formulation of the classical explanation of quantum mechanical Gaussian dispersion (Grössing et al. (2010) [1]) as well as interference of two Gaussians (Grössing et al. (2012) [6]), we present a new and more practical way of their simulation. The quantum mechanical “decay of the wave packet” can be described by anomalous sub-quantum diffusion with a specific diffusivity varying in time due to a particle’s changing thermal environment. In a simulation of the double-slit experiment with different slit widths, the phase with this new approach can be implemented as a local quantity. We describe the conditions of the diffusivity and, by connecting to wave mechanics, we compute the exact quantum mechanical intensity distributions, as well as the corresponding trajectory distributions according to the velocity field of two Gaussian wave packets emerging from a double-slit. We also calculate probability density current distributions, including situations where phase shifters affect a single slit’s current, and provide computer simulations thereof.     

矩形弹子球中的量子波包分析(英文)

利用波包分析量子力学体系的动力学行为在研究经典和量子的对应关系方面越来越成为一个非常重要的方法.利用高斯波包分析方法,我们计算了矩形弹子球体系的自关联函数,自关联函数的峰和经典周期轨道的周期符合的很好,这表明经典周期轨道的周期可以通过含时的量子波包方法产生.我们还讨论了矩形弹子球的波包回归和波包的部分回归,计算结果表明在每一个回归时间,波包出现精确的回归.对于动量为零的波包,初始位置在弹子球内部的特殊对称点处,出现一些时间比较短的附加的回归.     

The Quantum-Classical Comparison of the Arrival-Time Distribution Through the Probability Current

We consider the arrival time distribution defined through the quantum probability current for a Gaussian wave packet representing free particles in quantum mechanics in order to explore the issue of the classical limit of arrival time. We formulate the classical analogue of the arrival time distribution for an ensemble of free particles represented by a phase space distribution function evolving under the classical Liouville's equation. The classical probability current so constructed matches with the quantum probability current in the limit of minimum uncertainty. Further, it is possible to show in general that smooth transitions from the quantum mechanical probability current and the mean arrival time to their respective classical values are obtained in the limit of large mass of the particles.     

一维谐振子量子运动中的经典特性

利用量子力学的态叠加原理和算符劈裂法,对处于一维谐振子势中的初始态为高斯波包的中心位置的量子运动进行了研究.结果表明:其中心位置的量子运动呈现出经典谐振子的运动特性;波包的初始位置和初始时刻所加动量对波包中心位置量子动力学的影响与经典谐振子类似条件对运动的影响有相同的性质.本结果对理解复杂量子运动中的高斯波方法有一定的启示作用.     

On the thermodynamic origin of the quantum potential

In a new thermodynamic interpretation, the quantum potential is shown to result from the presence of a subtle thermal vacuum energy distributed across the whole domain of an experimental setup. Explicitly, its form is demonstrated to be exactly identical to the heat distribution derived from the defining equation for classical diffusion wave fields. For a single free particle path, this thermal energy does not significantly affect particle motion. However, in between different paths, or at interfaces, the accumulation-depletion law for diffusion waves provides an immediate new understanding of the quantum potential’s main features.     

一维受迫谐振子量子运动的经典特性

对经典一维受迫谐振子量子化,求解量子化后体系的时间演化算符.应用相空间准概率分布函数,研究了体系的量子特性.研究结果表明,初始为真空态,经过时间演化,系统波函数是一个二维高斯波包;波包中心的振幅和相位受到作用力的调制,成为调幅、调相波,波包中心的运动与经典受迫谐振子的运动形式相同.     

Schrödinger Equation for An Extended Electron

A new quantum mechanical wave equation describing the dynamics of an extended electron is derived via Bohmian mechanics. The solution to this equation is found through a wave packet approach which establishes a direct correlation between a classical variable with a quantum variable describing the dynamics of the center of mass and the width of the electron wave packet. The approach presented in this paper gives a comparatively clearer picture than approaches using elaborative manipulation of infinite series of operators. It is shown that the new Schrödinger equation is free of any runaway solutions or any acausal responses.     

Bohmian trajectories of Airy packets

The discovery of Berry and Balazs in 1979 that the free-particle Schrödinger equation allows a non-dispersive and accelerating Airy-packet solution has taken the folklore of quantum mechanics by surprise. Over the years, this intriguing class of wave packets has sparked enormous theoretical and experimental activities in related areas of optics and atom physics. Within the Bohmian mechanics framework, we present new features of Airy wave packet solutions to Schrödinger equation with time-dependent quadratic potentials. In particular, we provide some insights to the problem by calculating the corresponding Bohmian trajectories. It is shown that by using general space–time transformations, these trajectories can display a unique variety of cases depending upon the initial position of the individual particle in the Airy wave packet. Further, we report here a myriad of nontrivial Bohmian trajectories associated to the Airy wave packet. These new features are worth introducing to the subject’s theoretical folklore in light of the fact that the evolution of a quantum mechanical Airy wave packet governed by the Schrödinger equation is analogous to the propagation of a finite energy Airy beam satisfying the paraxial equation. Numerous experimental configurations of optics and atom physics have shown that the dynamics of Airy beams depends significantly on initial parameters and configurations of the experimental set-up.     

Tomographic Description of a Quantum Wave Packet in an Accelerated Frame

The tomography of a single quantum particle (i.e., a quantum wave packet) in an accelerated frame is studied. We write the Schrödinger equation in a moving reference frame in which acceleration is uniform in space and an arbitrary function of time. Then, we reduce such a problem to the study of spatiotemporal evolution of the wave packet in an inertial frame in the presence of a homogeneous force field but with an arbitrary time dependence. We demonstrate the existence of a Gaussian wave packet solution, for which the position and momentum uncertainties are unaffected by the uniform force field. This implies that, similar to in the case of a force-free motion, the uncertainty product is unaffected by acceleration. In addition, according to the Ehrenfest theorem, the wave packet centroid moves according to classic Newton’s law of a particle experiencing the effects of uniform acceleration. Furthermore, as in free motion, the wave packet exhibits a diffraction spread in the configuration space but not in momentum space. Then, using Radon transform, we determine the quantum tomogram of the Gaussian state evolution in the accelerated frame. Finally, we characterize the wave packet evolution in the accelerated frame in terms of optical and simplectic tomogram evolution in the related tomographic space.     

Wave Packets in a Magnetic Field

A Gaussian wave packet confined to move on a plane perpendicular to a magnetic field remains a Gaussian wave packet in its time evolution. The average position and momentum follow the Ehrenfest equations which are identical to the classical Hamilton equations. A set of nonlinear equations decoupled from the Ehrenfest equation is derived for the parameters describing the time evolution of the density distribution and phases of a wave packet. Explicit solutions are then obtained when the "internal" angular momentum of the wave packet vanishes. In this case it is shown that the motion of the wave packet is a superposition of a translational motion, a rotation and a vibration.     

等权波包与一维简谐振子

以第n个定态波函数为中心，将其附近的从第（n-N）个到（n N）个共2N 1个定态波函数以等权重1/√2N 1叠加起来，就构成了所谓的等权波包，波包上任一力学量f的平均值f^-在经典极限下有严格的经典对应，这一结果可用来考察以往用波包讨论量子力学经典极限的得失之处，本较系统地研究了一维简谐振子体系，给出了若干新结果，并澄清了现行教科书中若干不甚正确的说法。     

On the quantum motion of a generalized time-dependent forced harmonic oscillator

In this work, we use linear invariants and the dynamical invariant method to obtain exact solutions of the Schrödinger equation for the generalized time-dependent forced harmonic oscillator in terms of solutions of a second order ordinary differential equation that describes the amplitude of the classical unforced damped oscillator. In addition, we construct Gaussian wave packet solutions and calculate the fluctuations in coordinate and momentum as well as the quantum correlations between coordinate and momentum. It is shown that the width of the Gaussian packet, fluctuations and correlations do not depend on the external force. As a particular case, we consider the forced Caldirola-Kanai oscillator.     

Transmission time of a particle in the reflectionless Sech-squared potential: Quantum clock approach

We investigate the time for a particle to pass through the reflectionless Sech-squared potential. Using the Salecker-Wigner and Peres quantum clock an average transmission time of a Gaussian wave packet representing the particle is explicitly evaluated in terms of average momentum and travel distance. The average transmission time is shown to be shorter than the time of free-particle motion and very close to the classical time for wave packets with well-localized momentum states. Since the clock measures the duration of scattering process the average transmission time can be interpreted as the average dwell time.     

Semiclassical propagation of Gaussian wave packets

We analyze the semiclassical evolution of Gaussian wave packets in chaotic systems. We show that after some short time a Gaussian wave packet becomes a primitive WKB state. From then on, the state can be propagated using the standard time-dependent WKB scheme. Complex trajectories are not necessary to account for the long-time propagation. The Wigner function of the evolving state develops the structure of a classical filament plus quantum oscillations, with phase and amplitude being determined by geometric properties of a classical manifold.     

Fisher information,nonclassicality and quantum revivals

Wave packet revivals and fractional revivals are studied by means of a measure of nonclassicality based on the Fisher information. In particular, we show that the spreading and the regeneration of initially Gaussian wave packets in a quantum bouncer and in the infinite square-well correspond, respectively, to high and low nonclassicality values. This result is in accordance with the physical expectations that at a quantum revival wave packets almost recover their initial shape and the classical motion revives temporarily afterward.     

Relativistic quantum correlations in bipartite fermionic states

The influences of relative motion, the size of the wave packet and the average momentum of the particles on different types of correlations present in bipartite quantum states are investigated. In particular, the dynamics of the quantum mutual information, the classical correlation and the quantum discord on the spin correlations of entangled fermions are studied. In the limit of small average momentum, regardless of the size of the wave packet and the rapidity, the classical and the quantum correlations are equally weighted. On the other hand, in the limit of large average momentum, the only correlations that exist in the system are the quantum correlations. For every value of the average momentum, the quantum correlations maximize at an optimal size of the wave packet. It is shown that after reaching a minimum value, the revival of quantum discord occurs with increasing rapidity.     

Time-dependent formulation of the linear unitary transformation and the time evolution of general time-dependent quadratic Hamiltonian systems

A time-dependent closed-form formulation of the linear unitary transformation for harmonic-oscillator annihilation and creation operators is presented in the Schrödinger picture using the Lie algebraic approach. The time evolution of the quantum mechanical system described by a general time-dependent quadratic Hamiltonian is investigated by combining this formulation with the time evolution equation of the system. The analytic expressions of the evolution operator and propagator are found. The motion of a charged particle with variable mass in the time-dependent electric field is considered as an illustrative example of the formalism. The exact time evolution wave function starting from a Gaussian wave packet and the operator expectation values with respect to the complicated evolution wave function are obtained readily.