Solutions of nonrelativistic Schrödinger equation from relativistic Klein-Gordon equation

The relativistic one-dimensional Klein-Gordon equation can be exactly solved for a certain class of potentials. But the nonrelativistic Schrödinger equation is not necessarily solvable for the same potentials. It may be possible to obtain approximate solutions for the inexact nonrelativistic potential from the relativistic exact solutions by systematically removing relativistic portion. We search for the possibility with the harmonic oscillator potential and the Coulomb potential, both of which can be exactly solvable nonrelativistically and relativistically. Though a rigorous algebraic approach is not deduced yet, it is found that the relativistic exact solutions can be a good starting point for obtaining the nonrelativistic solutions.     

Quantum-classical correspondence of the relativistic equations

According to the Heisenberg correspondence principle, in the classical limit, quantum matrix element of a Hermitian operator reduces to the coefficient of the Fourier expansion of the corresponding classical quantity. In this article, such a quantum-classical connection is generalized to the relativistic regime. For the relativistic free particle or the charged particle moving in a constant magnetic field, it is shown that matrix elements of quantum operators go to quantities in Einstein’s special relativity in the classical limit. Especially, matrix element of the standard velocity operator in the Dirac theory reduces to the classical velocity. Meanwhile, it is shown that the classical limit of quantum expectation value is the time average of the classical variable.     

Perturbative symplectic field theory and Wigner function

We study relativistic quantum field theories in phase space, based on representations of the Poincaré group, using the Moyal product. We develop a perturbative theory for quantizing fields, with functional methods in phase space. The two-point function is related to relativistic Wigner functions for bosons and fermions. As an example we analyze the complex scalar field with quartic self-interaction.     

Relativistic quantum particle in a homogeneous external field

The model of the relativistic quantum particle in a homogeneous external field is proposed. This model is realized in the one-dimensional relativistic configurational x-space and is described by the finite-difference equation. The momentum p-space in our case is the one-dimensional Lobachevsky space. We have found the wave functions and propagator for the model under study in both x- and p-representations.     

Extension of PT-symmetric quantum mechanics to the Dirac theory with position-dependent mass

We present a new method to construct the exactly solvable PT-symmetric potentials within the framework of the position-dependent effective mass Dirac equation with the vector potential coupling scheme in 1 + 1 dimensions. In order to illustrate the procedure, we produce three PT-symmetric potentials as examples, which are PT-symmetric harmonic oscillator-like potential, PT-symmetric potential with the form of a linear potential plus an inversely linear potential, and PT-symmetric kink-like potential, respectively. The real relativistic energy levels and corresponding spinor components for the bound states are obtained by using the basic concepts of the supersymmetric quantum mechanics formalism and function analysis method.     

Oscillator model for the relativistic fermion-boson system

The solvable quantum mechanical model for the relativistic two-body system composed of spin-1/2 and spin-0 particles is constructed. The model includes the oscillator-type interaction through a combination of Lorentz-vector and Lorentz-tensor potentials. The analytical expressions for the wave functions and the order of the energy levels are discussed.     

Bounded solutions of neutral fermions with a screened Coulomb potential

The intrinsically relativistic problem of a fermion subject to a pseudoscalar screened Coulomb plus a uniform background potential in two-dimensional space-time is mapped into a Sturm-Liouville. This mapping gives rise to an effective Morse-like potential and exact bounded solutions are found. It is shown that the uniform background potential determinates the number of bound-state solutions. The behaviour of the eigenenergies as well as of the upper and lower components of the Dirac spinor corresponding to bounded solutions is discussed in detail and some unusual results are revealed. An apparent paradox concerning the uncertainty principle is solved by recurring to the concepts of effective mass and effective Compton wavelength.     

A Search on Dirac Equation

The solutions, in terms of orthogonal polynomials, of Dirac equation with analytically solvable potentials are investigated within a novel formalism by transforming the relativistic equation into a Schrodinger-like one. Earlier results are discussed in a unified framework, and some solutions of a large class of potentials are given.     

Stochastic quantization for spinless particle subjected to the field of a plane wave: Case of local gauge

The Green’s function for a spinless relativistic particle subjected to the action of an electromagnetic plane wave, with local gauge, is determined according to the stochastic quantum mechanics of G. Parisi and Wu. The evaluation was done in two steps: first the classical action is extracted and next the fluctuation factor is calculated. The treatment has been carried out in the phase and configuration spaces.     

Stationary phase method and delay times for relativistic and non-relativistic tunneling particles

The stationary phase method is frequently adopted for calculating tunneling phase times of analytically-continuous Gaussian or infinite-bandwidth step pulses which collide with a potential barrier. This report deals with the basic concepts on deducing transit times for quantum scattering: the stationary phase method and its relation with delay times for relativistic and non-relativistic tunneling particles. After reexamining the above-barrier diffusion problem, we notice that the applicability of this method is constrained by several subtleties in deriving the phase time that describes the localization of scattered wave packets. Using a recently developed procedure - multiple wave packet decomposition - for some specifical colliding configurations, we demonstrate that the analytical difficulties arising when the stationary phase method is applied for obtaining phase (traversal) times are all overcome. In this case, we also investigate the general relation between phase times and dwell times for quantum tunneling/scattering. Considering a symmetrical collision of two identical wave packets with an one-dimensional barrier, we demonstrate that these two distinct transit time definitions are explicitly connected. The traversal times are obtained for a symmetrized (two identical bosons) and an antisymmetrized (two identical fermions) quantum colliding configuration. Multiple wave packet decomposition shows us that the phase time (group delay) describes the exact position of the scattered particles and, in addition to the exact relation with the dwell time, leads to correct conceptual understanding of both transit time definitions. At last, we extend the non-relativistic formalism to the solutions for the tunneling zone of a one-dimensional electrostatic potential in the relativistic (Dirac to Klein-Gordon) wave equation where the incoming wave packet exhibits the possibility of being almost totally transmitted through the potential barrier. The conditions for the occurrence of accelerated and, eventually, superluminal tunneling transmission probabilities are all quantified and the problematic superluminal interpretation based on the non-relativistic tunneling dynamics is revisited. Lessons concerning the dynamics of relativistic tunneling and the mathematical structure of its solutions suggest revealing insights into mathematically analogous condensed-matter experiments using electrostatic barriers in single- and bi-layer graphene, for which the accelerated tunneling effect deserves a more careful investigation.     

Spacetime path formalism for massive particles of any spin

Earlier work presented spacetime path formalism for relativistic quantum mechanics arising naturally from the fundamental principles of the Born probability rule, superposition, and spacetime translation invariance. The resulting formalism can be seen as a foundation for a number of previous parametrized approaches to relativistic quantum mechanics in the literature. Because time is treated similarly to the three-space coordinates, rather than as an evolution parameter, such approaches have proved particularly useful in the study of quantum gravity and cosmology. The present paper extends the foundational spacetime path formalism to include massive, non-scalar particles of any (integer or half-integer) spin. This is done by generalizing the principle of translational invariance used in the scalar case to the principle of full Poincaré invariance, leading to a formulation for the non-scalar propagator in terms of a path integral over the Poincaré group. Once the difficulty of the non-compactness of the component Lorentz group is dealt with, the subsequent development is remarkably parallel to the scalar case. This allows the formalism to retain a clear probabilistic interpretation throughout, with a natural reduction to non-relativistic quantum mechanics closely related to the well-known generalized Foldy-Wouthuysen transformation.     

Trapping neutral fermions with a PT-symmetric trigonometric potential in the presence of position-dependent mass

The relativistic problem of neutral fermions subject to PT-symmetric trigonometric potential (∼iαtanαx)$(\sim \mathrm{i}\alpha \tan \alpha x)$ in 1+1$1+1$ dimensions is investigated. By using the basic concepts of the supersymmetric quantum mechanics formalism and the functional analysis method, we solve exactly the position-dependent effective mass Dirac equation with the vector coupling scheme and obtain the bound state solutions in closed form. The behavior of the energy spectra is discussed in detail.     

Cliffordization, spin, and fermionic star products

Deformation quantization is a powerful tool for quantizing theories with bosonic and fermionic degrees of freedom. The star products involved generate the mathematical structures which have recently been used in attempts to analyze the algebraic properties of quantum field theory. In the context of quantum mechanics they provide a quantization procedure for systems with either bosonic or fermionic degrees of freedom. We illustrate this procedure for a number of physical examples, including bosonic, fermionic, and supersymmetric oscillators. We show how non-relativistic and relativistic particles with spin can be naturally described in this framework.     

Relativistic wave equation for a boson-fermion system

We present a two-body relativistic wave equation for a system composed of a boson and a fermion. One-body equations such as the Dirac and the Klein-Gordon equations are often used as an approximate equation for relativistic two-body systems. However, when the masses of two particles are not very different, the use of one-body equations comes into question. We use the Feshbach-Villars formalism for the boson so that the wave equation can be given in the form of an eigenvalue equation for the Hamiltonian. Differences between our equation and the one-body equations are examined and illustrated in a numerical example of a two-body system with scalar and vector potentials.Communicated by: W. Weise     

Main effects of the Earth's rotation on the stationary states of ultra-cold neutrons

The relativistic corrections in the Hamiltonian for a particle in a uniformly rotating frame are discussed. They are shown to be negligible in the case of ultra-cold neutrons (UCN) in the Earth's gravity. The effect, on the energy levels of UCN, of the main term due to the Earth's rotation, i.e. the angular-momentum term, is calculated. The energy shift is found proportional to the energy level itself.     

Relativistic aberrations in quantum phase space

A phase space treatment of special relativity of quantum systems is developed. In this approach a quantum particle remains localized if subject to inertial transformations, the localization occurring in a finite phase space area. Unlike in the non-relativistic case, relativistic transformations generally distort the phase space distribution function, being equivalent to aberrations in optics. The relativistic aberrations of massive particles are in general different from those of optical images.     

Quantum strategies in moving frames

We investigate quantum strategies in moving frames by considering Prisoners' Dilemma and propose four thresholds of γ for two players to determine their Nash Equilibria. We find that the relativistic operations could enhance or diminish the quantum features of the game for different players who move in different directions relative to the arbiter.     

Relativistic effects in quantum walks: Klein's paradox and zitterbewegung

Quantum walks are not only algorithmic tools for quantum computation but also non-trivial models describing various physical processes. The Letter compares one-dimensional version of the free particle Dirac equation with the discrete time quantum walk (DTQW). It is shown that two relativistic effects associated with the Dirac equation, namely zitterbewegung (quivering motion) and Klein's paradox, are manifested in DTQW. A special case of DTQW for Lorentz invariance not satisfied in the corresponding continuous limit is considered. The effects are examined.     

Solutions of Dirac equations with the Pöschl-Teller potential

By using the basic concepts of the supersymmetric quantum mechanics formalism and the function analysis method, we solve the Dirac equation with vector and scalar potentials and obtain the bound-state solutions for the nuclei in the relativistic P?schl-Teller potential. All of the analyses are prepared under the conditions of the exact spin symmetry and pseudospin symmetry. The exact energy equation and corresponding two-component spinor wave functions for s -wave bound states are obtained analytically.     

Covariant Hamiltonian dynamics with negative-energy states

A relativistic quantum mechanics is studied for bound hadronic systems in the framework of the point form relativistic Hamiltonian dynamics. Negative-energy states are introduced taking into account the restrictions imposed by a correct definition of the Poincaré group generators. We obtain nonpathological, manifestly covariant wave equations that dynamically contain the contributions of the negative-energy states. Auxiliary negative-energy states are also introduced, specially for studying the interactions of the hadronic systems with external probes.