Principles of maximally classical and maximally realistic quantum mechanics

Recently Auberson, Mahoux, Roy and Singh have proved a long standing conjecture of Roy and Singh: In 2N-dimensional phase space, a maximally realistic quantum mechanics can have quantum probabilities of no more than N+1 complete commuting cets (CCS) of observables coexisting as marginals of one positive phase space density. Here I formulate a stationary principle which gives a nonperturbative definition of a maximally classical as well as maximally realistic phase space density. I show that the maximally classical trajectories are in fact exactly classical in the simple examples of coherent states and bound states of an oscillator and Gaussian free particle states. In contrast, it is known that the de Broglie-Bohm realistic theory gives highly nonclassical trajectories.     

Epistemic Entanglement due to Non-generating Partitions of Classical Dynamical Systems

Quantum entanglement relies on the fact that pure quantum states are dispersive and often inseparable. Since pure classical states are dispersion-free they are always separable and cannot be entangled. However, entanglement is possible for epistemic, dispersive classical states. We show how such epistemic entanglement arises for epistemic states of classical dynamical systems based on phase space partitions that are not generating. We compute epistemically entangled states for two coupled harmonic oscillators.     

A Generalization of Entanglement to Convex Operational Theories: Entanglement Relative to a Subspace of Observables

We define what it means for a state in a convex cone of states on a space of observables to be generalized-entangled relative to a subspace of the observables, in a general ordered linear spaces framework for operational theories. This extends the notion of ordinary entanglement in quantum information theory to a much more general framework. Some important special cases are described, in which the distinguished observables are subspaces of the observables of a quantum system, leading to results like the identification of generalized unentangled states with Lie-group-theoretic coherent states when the special observables form an irreducibly represented Lie algebra. Some open problems, including that of generalizing the semigroup of local operations with classical communication to the convex cones case, are discussed. PACS: 03.65.Ud.     

On nonlinear coherent states properties for electron-phonon dynamics

This work addresses a construction of a dual pair of nonlinear coherent states (NCS) in the context of changes of bases in the underlying Hilbert space for a model pertaining to an electron-phonon model in the condensed matter physics, obeying a f-deformed Heisenberg algebra. The existence and properties of reproducing kernel in the NCS Hilbert space are studied and discussed; the probability density and its dynamics in the basis of constructed coherent states are provided. A Glauber-Sudarshan P-representation of the density matrix and relevant issues related to the reproducing kernel properties are presented. Moreover, a NCS quantization of classical phase space observables is performed and illustrated in a concrete example of q-deformed coherent states. Finally, an exposition of quantum optical properties is given.     

Global C*-Dynamics and Its KMS States of Weakly Inhomogeneous Bipolaronic Superconductors

We establish the limiting dynamics of a class of inhomogeneous bipolaronic models for superconductivity which incorporate deviations from the homogeneous models strong enough to require disjoint representations. The models are of the Hubbard type and the thermodynamics of their homogeneous part has been already elaborated by the authors. Now the dynamics of the systems is evaluated in terms of a generalized perturbation theory and leads to a C*-dynamical system over a classically extended algebra of observables. The classical part of the dynamical system, expressed by a set of 15 nonlinear differential equations, is observed to be independent from the perturbations. The KMS states of the C*-dynamical system are determined on the state space of the extended algebra of observables. The subsimplices of KMS states with unbroken symmetries are investigated and used to define the type of a phase. The KMS phase diagrams are worked out explicitly and compared with the thermodynamic phase structures obtained in the preceding works.     

Physical uniformities on the state space of nonrelativisitic quantum mechanics

Uniformities describing the distinguishability of states and of observables are discussed in the context of general statistical theories and are shown to be related to distinguished subspaces of continuous observables and states, respectively. The usual formalism of quantum mechanics contains no such physical uniformity for states. Using recently developed tools of quantum harmonic analysis, a natural one-to-one correspondence between continuous subspaces of nonrelativistic quantum and classical mechanics is established, thus exhibiting a close interrelation between physical uniformities for quantum states and compactifications of phase space. General properties of the completions of the quantum state space with respect to these uniformities are discussed.     

Zwitters: Particles between quantum and classical

We describe both quantum particles and classical particles in terms of a classical statistical ensemble, with a probability distribution in phase space. By use of a wave function in phase space both can be treated in the same quantum formalism. Quantum particles are characterized by a specific choice of observables and time evolution of the probability density. Then interference and tunneling are found within classical statistics. Zwitters are (effective) one-particle states for which the time evolution interpolates between quantum and classical particles. Experimental bounds on a small parameter can test quantum mechanics.     

A Wigner-function formulation of finite-state quantum mechanics

For a non-relativistic system with only continous degrees of freedom (no spin, for example), the original Wigner function can be used as an alternative to the density matrix to represent an arbitrary quantum state. Indeed, the quantum mechanics of such systems can be formulated entirely in terms of the Wigner function and other functions on phase space, with no mention of state vectors or operators. In the present paper this Wigner-function formulation is extended to systems having only a finite number of orthogonal states. The “phase space” for such a system is taken to be not continuous but discrete. In the simplest cases it can be pictured as an N×N array of points, where N is the number of orthogonal states. The Wigner function is a real function on this phase space, defined so that its properties are closely analogous to those of the original Wigner function. In this formulation, observables, like states, are represented by real functions on the discrete phase space. The complex numbers still play an important role: they appear in an essential way in the rule for forming composite systems.     

Classical and Quantum Coherent States

p-Mechanics is a consistent physical theory which describes both quantum and classical mechanics simultaneously (V. V. Kisil, p-Mechanics as a physical theory. An Introduction, E-print:arXiv:quant-ph/0212101, 2002; International Journal of Theoretical Physics 41(1), 63–77, 2002). We continue the development of p-mechanics by introducing the concept of states. The set of coherent states we introduce allows us to evaluate classical observables at any point of phase space and simultaneously to evaluate quantum probability amplitudes. The example of the forced harmonic oscillator is used to demonstrate these concepts.     

A quantum model of collective motion in nuclei and its dequantization

Collective coherent states of Perelomov type are denned by acting with unitary operators from a representation of the symplectic group on the ground state of closed-shell nuclei. A dequantization scheme associates with quantum observables classical ones, and with the state space a phase space and a generalized classical dynamics. Applications to the nuclei ⁴He, ¹⁶O and ⁴⁰Ca are derived from microscopic interactions.     

Constitution of objects in classical mechanics and in quantum mechanics

The constitution of objects is discussed in classical mechanics and in quantum mechanics. The requirement of objectivity and the Galilei invariance of classical and quantum mechanics leads to the postulate of covariance which must be fulfilled by observable quantities. Objects are then considered as carriers of these covariant observables and turn out to be representations of the Galilei group. Individual systems can be defined in classical mechanics by their trajectories in phase space. However, in quantum mechanics the characterization of individuals can only be achieved approximately by means of unsharp observables.     

The Phase Space Model of Nonrelativistic Quantum Mechanics

We focus on several questions arising during the modelling of quantum systems on a phase space. First, we discuss the choice of phase space and its structure. We include an interesting case of discrete phase space. Then, we introduce the respective algebras of functions containing quantum observables. We also consider the possibility of performing strict calculations and indicate cases where only formal considerations can be performed. We analyse alternative realisations of strict and formal calculi, which are determined by different kernels. Finally, two classes of Wigner functions as representations of states are investigated.     

Quantum Ergodicity for Graphs Related to Interval Maps

We prove quantum ergodicity for a family of graphs that are obtained from ergodic one-dimensional maps of an interval using a procedure introduced by Pakónski et al (J. Phys. A, 34, 9303-9317 (2001)). As observables we take the L ² functions on the interval. The proof is based on the periodic orbit expansion of a majorant of the quantum variance. Specifically, given a one-dimensional, Lebesgue-measure-preserving map of an interval, we consider an increasingly refined sequence of partitions of the interval. To this sequence we associate a sequence of graphs, whose directed edges correspond to elements of the partitions and on which the classical dynamics approximates the Perron-Frobenius operator corresponding to the map. We show that, except possibly for subsequences of density 0, the eigenstates of the quantum graphs equidistribute in the limit of large graphs. For a smaller class of observables we also show that the Egorov property, a correspondence between classical and quantum evolution in the semiclassical limit, holds for the quantum graphs in question.     

Pairwise correlations in a three-partite quantum system from a prequantum random field

Prequantum classical statistical field theory (PCSFT) is a model that provides the possibility to represent the averages of quantum observables (including correlations of observables on subsystems of a composite system) as averages with respect to fluctuations of classical random fields. In view of the PCSFT terminology, quantum states are classical random fields. The aim of our approach is to represent all quantum probabilistic quantities by means of classical random fields. We obtain the classical-random-field representation for pairwise correlations in three-partite quantum systems. The three-partite case (surprisingly) differs substantially from the bipartite case. As an important first step, we generalized the theory developed for pure quantum states of bipartite systems to the states given by density operators.     

Entropy production, fractals, and relaxation to equilibrium

The theory of entropy production in nonequilibrium, Hamiltonian systems, previously described for steady states using partitions of phase space, is here extended to time dependent systems relaxing to equilibrium. We illustrate the main ideas by using a simple multibaker model, with some nonequilibrium initial state, and we study its progress toward equilibrium. The central results are (i) the entropy production is governed by an underlying, exponentially decaying fractal structure in phase space, (ii) the rate of entropy production is largely independent of the scale of resolution used in the partitions, and (iii) the rate of entropy production is in agreement with the predictions of nonequilibrium thermodynamics.     

Amplitude phase-space model for quantum mechanics

We show that there is a close relationship between quantum mechanics and ordinary probability theory. The main difference is that in quantum mechanics the probability is computed in terms of an amplitude function, while in probability theory a probability distribution is used. Applying this idea, we then construct an amplitude model for quantum mechanics on phase space. In this model, states are represented by amplitude functions and observables are represented by functions on phase space. If we now postulate a conjugation condition, the model provides the same predictions as conventional quantum mechanics. In particular, we obtain the usual quantum marginal probabilities, conditional probabilities and expectations. The commutation relations and uncertainty principle also follow. Moreover Schrödinger's equation is shown to be an averaged version of Hamilton's equation in classical mechanics.     

Quantum Theory Without Hilbert Spaces

Quantum theory does not only predict probabilities, but also relative phases for any experiment, that involves measurements of an ensemble of systems at different moments of time. We argue, that any operational formulation of quantum theory needs an algebra of observables and an object that incorporates the information about relative phases and probabilities. The latter is the (de)coherence functional, introduced by the consistent histories approach to quantum theory. The acceptance of relative phases as a primitive ingredient of any quantum theory, liberates us from the need to use a Hilbert space and non-commutative observables. It is shown, that quantum phenomena are adequately described by a theory of relative phases and non-additive probabilities on the classical phase space. The only difference lies on the type of observables that correspond to sharp measurements. This class of theories does not suffer from the consequences of Bell's theorem (it is not a theory of Kolmogorov probabilities) and Kochen–Specker's theorem (it has distributive logic). We discuss its predictability properties, the meaning of the classical limit and attempt to see if it can be experimentally distinguished from standard quantum theory. Our construction is operational and statistical, in the spirit of Copenhagen, but makes plausible the existence of a realist, geometric theory for individual quantum systems.     

Infinite quantum well: A coherent state approach

A new family of 2-component vector-valued coherent states for the quantum particle motion in an infinite square well potential is presented. They allow a consistent quantization of the classical phase space and observables for a particle in this potential. We then study the resulting position and (well-defined) momentum operators. We also consider their mean values in coherent states and their quantum dispersions.     

Universal local symmetries and nonsuperposition in classical mechanics

In the Hilbert space formulation of classical mechanics, pioneered by Koopman and von Neumann, there are potentially more observables than in the standard approach to classical mechanics. In this Letter, we show that actually many of those extra observables are not invariant under a set of universal local symmetries which appear once the Koopman and von Neumann formulation is extended to include the evolution of differential forms. Because of their noninvariance, those extra observables have to be removed. This removal makes the superposition of states in the Koopman and von Neumann formulation, and as a consequence also in classical mechanics, impossible.     

Symmetry of quantum phase space in a degenerate Hamiltonian system

The structure of the global "quantum phase space" is analyzed for the harmonic oscillator perturbed by a monochromatic wave in the limit when the perturbation amplitude is small. Usually, the phenomenon of quantum resonance was studied in nondegenerate [G. M. Zaslavsky, Chaos in Dynamic Systems (Harwood Academic, Chur, 1985)] and degenerate [Demikhovskii, Kamenev, and Luna-Acosta, Phys. Rev. E 52, 3351 (1995)] classically chaotic systems only in the particular regions of the classical phase space, such as the center of the resonance or near the separatrix. The system under consideration is degenerate, and even an infinitely small perturbation generates in the classical phase space an infinite number of the resonant cells which are arranged in the pattern with the axial symmetry of the order 2&mgr; (where &mgr; is the resonance number). We show analytically that the Husimi functions of all Floquet states (the quantum phase space) have the same symmetry as the classical phase space. This correspondence is demonstrated numerically for the Husimi functions of the Floquet states corresponding to the motion near the elliptic stable points (centers of the classical resonance cells). The derived results are valid in the resonance approximation when the perturbation amplitude is small enough, and the stochastic layers in the classical phase space are exponentially thin. The developed approach can be used for studying a global symmetry of more complicated quantum systems with chaotic behavior. (c) 2000 American Institute of Physics.