It is shown that in the complex trajectory representation of quantum mechanics, the Born's Psi^{\star}Ψprobability density can be obtained from the imaginary part of the velocity field of particles on the real axis. Extending this probability axiom to the complex plane, we first attempt to find a probability density by solving an appropriate conservation equation. The characteristic curves of this conservation equation are found to be the same as the complex paths of particles in the new representation. The boundary condition in this case is that the extended probability density should agree with the quantum probability rule along the real line. For the simple, time-independent, one-dimensional problems worked out here, we find that a conserved probability density can be derived from the velocity field of particles, except in regions where the trajectories were previously suspected to be nonviable. An alternative method to find this probability density in terms of a trajectory integral, which is easier to implement on a computer and useful for single particle solutions, is also presented. Most importantly, we show, by using the complex extension of Schrodinger equation, that the desired conservation equation can be derived from this definition of probability density.
Complex quantum trajectories, which were first obtained from a modified de Broglie-Bohm quantum mechanics, demonstrate that Born's probability axiom in quantum mechanics originates from dynamics itself. We show that a normalisable probability density can be defined for the entire complex plane, though there may be regions where the probability is not locally conserved. Examining this for some simple examples such as the harmonic oscillator, we also find why there is no appreciable complex extended motion in the classical regime.
It is shown that a normalisable probability density can be defined for the entire complex plane in the modified de Broglie-Bohm quantum mechanics, which gives complex quantum trajectories. This work is in continuation of a previous one that defined a conserved probability for most of the regions in the complex space in terms of a trajectory integral, indicating a dynamical origin of quantum probability. There it was also shown that the quantum trajectories obtained are the same characteristic curves that propagate information about the conserved probability density. Though the probability dens…
Maintaining the position that the wave function $ψ$ provides a complete description of state, the traditional formalism of quantum mechanics is augmented by introducing continuous trajectories for particles which are sample paths of a stochastic process determined (including the underlying probability space) by $ψ$. In the resulting formalism, problems relating to measurements and objective reality are solved as in Bohmian mechanics (without sharing its weak points). The pitfalls of Nelson's stochastic mechanics are also avoided.
This paper examines the nature of classical correspondence in the case of coherent states at the level of quantum trajectories. We first show that for a harmonic oscillator, the coherent state complex quantum trajectories and the complex classical trajectories are identical to each other. This congruence in the complex plane, not restricted to high quantum numbers alone, illustrates that the harmonic oscillator in a coherent state executes classical motion. The quantum trajectories are those conceived in a modified de Broglie-Bohm scheme and we note that identical classical and quantum traject…
We show that one-dimensional Bohmian mechanics is unique, in that, the Bohm trajectories are the only solutions that conserve total left (or right) probability. In Brandt et al., Phys. Lett. A, 249 (1998) 265--270, they define quantile motion--unique trajectories are solved by assuming that the total probability on each side of the particle is conserved. They argue that the quantile trajectories are identical to the Bohm trajectories. Their argument, however, fails to notice the gauge freedom in the definition of the quantum probability current. Our paper sidesteps this under-determinedness of…
This paper examines the complex trajectories of a classical particle in the potential V(x)=-cos(x). Almost all the trajectories describe a particle that hops from one well to another in an erratic fashion. However, it is shown analytically that there are two special classes of trajectories x(t) determined only by the energy of the particle and not by the initial position of the particle. The first class consists of periodic trajectories; that is, trajectories that return to their initial position x(0) after some real time T. The second class consists of trajectories for which there exists a re…
Within Bohm`s interpretation of quantum mechanics particles follow classical trajectories that are determined by the full solution of the time dependent Schroedinger equation. If this interpretation is consistent it must be possible to determine the probability distribution at time t from the probability distribution at time t=0 by using these trajectories. In this paper it is shown that this is the case indeed.
Recent years have seen increased interest in complexified Bohmian mechanical trajectory calculations for quantum systems, both as a pedagogical and computational tool. In the latter context, it is essential that trajectories satisfy probability conservation, to ensure they are always guided to where they are most needed. In this paper, probability conservation for complexified Bohmian trajectories is considered. The analysis relies on time-reversal symmetry considerations, leading to a generalized expression for the conjugation of wavefunctions of complexified variables. This in turn enables m…
We consider the classical limit of quantum mechanics in terms of Bohmian trajectories. For wave packets as defined by Hagedorn we show that the Bohmian trajectories converge to Newtonian trajectories in probability.
It was found recently that processes of multidimensional tunneling are generally described at high energies by unstable semiclassical trajectories. We study two observational signatures related to the instability of trajectories. First, we find an additional power-law dependence of the tunneling probability on the semiclassical parameter as compared to the standard case of potential tunneling. The second signature is substantial widening of the probability distribution over final-state quantum numbers. These effects are studied using modified semiclassical technique which incorporates stabiliz…
The Bohmian interpretation of quantum mechanics adds particle trajectories to the wave function and ensures that the probability distribution of the particle positions agrees with quantum mechanics at any time. This is not sufficient to avoid contradictions with quantum mechanics. There are correlations between particle positions at different times which cannot be reproduced with real particle trajectories. A simple rearrangement of an experimental test of the Bell-CHSH inequality demonstrates this.
Complex quantum trajectory approach, which arose from a modified de Broglie-Bohm interpretation of quantum mechanics, has attracted much attention in recent years. The exact complex trajectories for the Eckart potential barrier and the soft potential step, plotted in a previous work, show that more trajectories link the left and right regions of the barrier, when the energy is increased. In this paper, we evaluate the reflection probability using a new ansatz based on these observations, as the ratio between the total probabilities of reflected and incident trajectories. While doing this, we a…
We present an Initial Value Representation for the semiclassical coherent state propagator based on complex trajectories. We map the complex phase space into a real phase space with twice as many dimensions and use a simple procedure to automatically eliminate non-contributing trajectories. The resulting semiclassical formulas do not show divergences due to caustics and provide accurate results.
We develop the semiclassical method of complex trajectories in application to chaotic dynamical tunneling. First, we suggest a systematic numerical technique for obtaining complex tunneling trajectories by the gradual deformation of the classical ones. This provides a natural classification of the tunneling solutions. Second, we present a heuristic procedure for sorting out the least suppressed trajectory. As an illustration, we apply our technique to the process of chaotic tunneling in a quantum mechanical model with two degrees of freedom. Our analysis reveals rich dynamics of the system. At…
If the time evolution of an open quantum system approaches equilibrium in the time mean, then on any single trajectory of any of its unravelings the time averaged state approaches the same equilibrium state with probability 1. In the case of multiple equilibrium states the quantum trajectory converges in the mean to a random choice from these states.
We propose a formulation of an absorbing boundary for a quantum particle. The formulation is based on a Feynman-type integral over trajectories that are confined by the absorbing boundary. Trajectories that reach the absorbing wall are instantaneously terminated and their probability is discounted from the population of the surviving trajectories. This gives rise to a unidirectional absorption current at the boundary. We calculate the survival probability as a function of time. Several modes of absorption are derived from our formalism: total absorption, absorption that depends on energy level…
We consider a semiclassical approximation for the time evolution of an originally gaussian wave packet in terms of complex trajectories. We also derive additional approximations replacing the complex trajectories by real ones. These yield three different semiclassical formulae involving different real trajectories. One of these formulae is Heller's thawed gaussian approximation. The other approximations are non-gaussian and may involve several trajectories determined by mixed initial-final conditions. These different formulae are tested for the cases of scattering by a hard wall, scattering by…
We find that real and complex Bohmian quantum trajectories resulting from well-localized Klauder coherent states in the quasi-Poissonian regime possess qualitatively the same type of trajectories as those obtained from a purely classical analysis of the corresponding Hamilton-Jacobi equation. In the complex cases treated the quantum potential results to a constant, such that the agreement is exact. For the real cases we provide conjectures for analytical solutions for the trajectories as well as the corresponding quantum potentials. The overall qualitative behaviour is governed by the Mandel p…
We extend quantum trajectory theory to encompass the evolution of a large class of open quantum systems interacting with an environment at {arbitrary coupling strength}. Specifically, we prove that general time-local quantum master equations admit an unraveling described by ordinary jump-stochastic differential equations. The sufficient condition is to weigh the state vector Monte Carlo averages by a probability pseudo-measure which we call the "influence martingale". The influence martingale satisfies a $ 1d $ stochastic differential equation enslaved to the ones governing the quantum traject…
We present a new trajectory formulation of high harmonic generation that treats classically allowed and classically forbidden processes within a single dynamical framework. Complex trajectories orbit the nucleus, producing the stationary Coulomb ground state. When the field is turned on, these complex trajectories continue their motion in the field-dressed Coulomb potential and therefore tunnel ionization, unbound evolution and recollision are described within a single, seamless framework. The new formulation can bring mechanistic understanding to a broad range of strong field physics effects.
Searching for infrastructure of the quantum mechanical system, we study trajectories of the s-wave poles of the S-matrix element with respect to a real phase $α$ in the complex momentum plane for a complex extension of real potentials by a phase factor $e^{iα}$. This complex extension relates the pole spectrum of the physical system with a potential to the spectrum of another system with the potential of the same shape but of opposite sign. There appear trajectories with the periodicity of $2π$, $4π$, and $\infty$. The appearance of non-recurrent behavior of the trajectory for the change of ph…
Bohmian mechanics can be generalized to a relativistic theory without preferred foliation, with a price of introducing a puzzling concept of spacetime probability conserved in a scalar time. We explain how analogous concept appears naturally in classical statistical mechanics of relativistic particles, with scalar time being identified with the proper time along particle trajectories. The conceptual understanding of relativistic Bohmian mechanics is significantly enriched by this classical insight. In particular, the analogy between classical and Bohmian mechanics suggests the interpretation o…
Scattering cold particles on an $N$-slit grating is shown to reproduce an interference pattern, that manifests itself in the near-field region as the fractal Talbot carpet. In the far-field region the pattern is transformed to an ordinary diffraction, where principal beams are partitioned from each other by ($N-2$) weak ones. A probability density plot of the wave function, to be represented by a gaussian wavepacket, is calculated both in the near-field region and in the far-field one. Bohmian (geodesic) trajectories, to be calculated by a guidance equation, are superimposed on the probability…
We study a class of Markov chains that model the evolution of a quantum system subject to repeated measurements. Each Markov chain in this class is defined by a measure on the space of matrices. It is then given by a random product of correlated matrices taken from the support of the defining measure. We give natural conditions on this support that imply that the Markov chain admits a unique invariant probability measure. We moreover prove the geometric convergence towards this invariant measure in the Wasserstein metric. Standard techniques from the theory of products of random matrices canno…
We report on a Monte Carlo method that generates one-dimensional trajectories for Bohm's formulation of quantum mechanics that doesn't involve differentiation or integration of any equations of motion. At each time, t=nδt (n=1,2,3,...), N particle positions are randomly sampled from the quantum probability density. Trajectories are built from the sorted N sampled positions at each time. These trajectories become the exact Bohm solutions in the limits N->\infty and δt -> 0. Higher dimensional problems can be solved by this method for separable wave functions. Several examples are given, includi…
The problem of inter-band tunneling in a semiconductor (Zener breakdown) in a nonstationary and homogeneous electric field is solved exactly. Using the exact analytical solution, the approximation based on classical trajectories is studied. A new mechanism of enhanced tunneling through static non-one-dimensional barriers is proposed in addition to well known normal tunneling solely described by a trajectory in imaginary time. Under certain conditions on the barrier shape and the particle energy, the probability of enhanced tunneling is not exponentially small even for non-transparent barriers,…
We define a measuring device (detector) of the coordinate of quantum particle as an absorbing wall that cuts off the particle's wave function. The wave function in the presence of such detector vanishes on the detector. The trace the absorbed particles leave on the detector is identifies as the absorption current density on the detector. This density is calculated from the solution of Schrödinger's equation with a reflecting boundary at the detector. This current density is not the usual Schrödinger current density. We define the probability distribution of the time of arrival to a detector in…
In the last few years the hydrodynamic formulation of quantum mechanics, equivalent to the Bohmian equations of motion, has been used to obtain numerical solutions of the Schrodinger equation. Problems, however, have been experienced near wave function nodes (or low probability regions). Here we attempt to compute wave functions and Bohmian trajectories for the interference of one particle or of two identical particles. It turns out that the large number of nodes (i.e. interference minima) makes the hydrodynamic equations impractical, whereas a more straightforward solution of the Schrodinger …
Saddle point approximations, extremely important in a wide variety of physical contexts, require the analytical continuation of canonically conjugate quantities to complex variables in quantum mechanics. An important component of this approximation's implementation is arriving at the phase correction attributable to caustics, which involves determinantal prefactors. The common prescription of using the inverse of half a certain determinant's total accumulated phase sometimes leads to sign errors. The root of this problem is traced to the zeros of the determinants at complex times crossing the …
At non-zero temperature classical systems exhibit statistical fluctuations of thermodynamic quantities arising from the variation of the system's initial conditions and its interaction with the environment. The fluctuating work, for example, is characterised by the ensemble of system trajectories in phase space and, by including the probabilities for various trajectories to occur, a work distribution can be constructed. However, without phase space trajectories, the task of constructing a work probability distribution in the quantum regime has proven elusive. Here we use quantum trajectories i…
Even though the Bohmian trajectories given by integral curves of the conserved Klein-Gordon current may involve motions backwards in time, the natural relativistic probability density of particle positions is well-defined. The Bohmian theory predicts subtle deviations from the statistical predictions of more conventional formulations of quantum theory, but it seems that no present experiment rules this theory out. The generalization to the case of many particles or strings is straightforward, provided that a preferred foliation of spacetime is given.
We study the semiclassical propagation of coherent states in $d$ dimensions, which in general involves complex classical dynamics. Several simple approximations are derived that depend only on real classical trajectories, among them the thawed Gaussian approximation (TGA). Apart from the TGA, all other possibilities are able to reproduce interference and tunnelling effects, and involve propagating a set of classical initial conditions compatible with the quantum uncertainties. The accuracy of the results is verified in two dimensions for the scattering by an attractive potential, for a bound n…
In this work, we consider two spins initially prepared in a product of coherent states and study their entanglement dynamics due to a general interacting Hamiltonian. We adopt an approach that allowed the derivation of a semiclassical formula for the linear entropy of the reduced density operator, assumed as an entanglement quantifier. The resulting expression depends on sets of four trajectories, originated from the underlying classical description, and having mutually connected final phase-space points. Such classical elements, which are capable to reproduce the quantum entanglement even for…
In 1989 Kusuoka started the study of probability measures on the shift space that are defined with the help of products of matrices. In particular, he derived a sufficient condition for the ergodicity of such measures, which have since been referred to as Kusuoka measures. We observe that repeated measurements of a unitarily evolving quantum system generate a Kusuoka measure on the space of sequences of measurement outcomes. We show that if the measurement consists of scaled projections, then Kusuoka's sufficient ergodicity condition can be significantly simplified. We then prove that this con…
The topology of complex classical paths is investigated to discuss quantum tunnelling splittings in one-dimensional systems. Here the Hamiltonian is assumed to be given as polynomial functions, so the fundamental group for the Riemann surface provides complete information on the topology of complex paths, which allows us to enumerate all the possible candidates contributing to the semiclassical sum formula for tunnelling splittings. This naturally leads to action relations among classically disjoined regions, revealing entirely non-local nature in the quantization condition. The importance of …
We employ a quantum trajectory approach to characterize synchronization and phase-locking between open quantum systems in nonequilibrium steady states. We exemplify our proposal for the paradigmatic case of two quantum Van der Pol oscillators interacting through dissipative coupling. We show the deep impact of synchronization on the statistics of phase-locking indicators and other correlation measures defined for single trajectories, spotting a link between the presence of synchronization and the emergence of large tails in the probability distribution for the entanglement along trajectories. …
Glauber coherent states of quantum systems are reviewed. We construct the tomographic probability distributions of the oscillator states. The possibility to describe quantum states by tomographic probability distributions (tomograms) is presented on an example of coherent states of parametric oscillator. The integrals of motion linear in the position and momentum are used to explicitly obtain the tomogram evolution expressed in terms of trajectories of classical parametric oscillator
Complexified Lienard-Wiechert potentials simplify the mathematics of Kerr-Newman particles. Here we constrain them by fiat to move along Bohmian trajectories to see if anything interesting occurs, as their equations of motion are not known. A covariant theory due to Stueckelberg is used. This paper deviates from the traditional Bohmian interpretation of quantum mechanics since the electromagnetic interactions of Kerr- Newman particles are dictated by general relativity. A Gaussian wave function is used to produce the Bohmian trajectories, which are found to be multi-valued. A generalized analy…
We consider the Bohmian trajectories in a 2-d quantum harmonic oscillator with non commensurable frequencies whose wavefunction is of the form $Ψ=aΨ_{m_1,n_1}(x,y)+bΨ_{m_2,n_2}(x,y)+cΨ_{m_3,n_3}(x,y)$. We first find the trajectories of the nodal points for different combinations of the quantum numbers $m,n$. Then we study, in detail, a case with relatively large quantum numbers and two equal $m's$. We find %We find first the nodal points where $Ψ=0$. The nodes can be found analytically only if $m$ and $n$ are small. If two $m's$ (or two $n's$ are equal we can find explicitly the nodal points ,…
Beyond their use as numerical tools, quantum trajectories can be ascribed a degree of reality in terms of quantum measurement theory. In fact, they arise naturally from considering continuous observation of a damped quantum system. A particularly useful form of quantum trajectories is as linear (but non-unitary) stochastic Schrodinger equations. In the limit where a strong local oscillator is used in the detection, and where the system is not driven, these quantum trajectories can be solved. This gives an alternate derivation of the probability distributions for completed homodyne and heterody…
We study the 3-d Bohmian trajectories of a quantum system of three harmonic oscillators. We focus on the mechanism responsible for the generation of chaotic trajectories. We demonstrate the existence of a 3-d analogue of the mechanism found in earlier studies of 2-d systems, based on moving 2-d `nodal point - X-point complexes'. In the 3-d case, we observe a foliation of nodal point - X-point complexes, forming a `3-d structure of nodal and X-points'. Chaos is generated when the Bohmian trajectories are scattered at one or more close encounters with such a structure.
A thought experiment is described and the probability of a particular type of results is predicted according to the quantum formalism. Then, the assumption is made that there exists a particle that travels from the source to one of the detectors, along a continuous trajectory. A contradiction appears: for agreeing with the quantum prediction, the particle has to land at once on two space separated detectors. Therefore, the trajectory of the particle, if it exists, cannot be continuous.
We present a local-realistic description of both wave-particle duality and Bohmian trajectories. Our approach is relativistic and based on Hamilton's principle of classical mechanics, but departs from its standard setting in two respects. First, we address an ensemble of extremal curves, the so-called Mayer field, instead of focusing on a single extremal curve. Second, we assume that there is a scale, below which we can only probabilistically assess which extremal curve in the ensemble is actually realized. The continuity equation ruling the conservation of probability represents a subsidiary …
We present a gradient-based optimal-control technique for open quantum systems that utilizes quantum trajectories to simulate the quantum dynamics during optimization. Using trajectories allows for optimizing open systems with less computational cost than the regular density matrix approaches in most realistic optimization problems. We introduce an improved-sampling algorithm which minimizes the number of trajectories needed per optimization iteration. Together with employing stochastic gradient descent techniques, this reduces the complexity of optimizing many realistic open quantum systems t…
Semiclassical approximations for tunneling processes usually involve complex trajectories or complex times. In this paper we use a previously derived approximation involving only real trajectories propagating in real time to describe the scattering of a Gaussian wavepacket by a finite square potential barrier. We show that the approximation describes both tunneling and interferences very accurately in the limit of small Plank's constant. We use these results to estimate the tunneling time of the wavepacket and find that, for high energies, the barrier slows down the wavepacket but that it spee…
We propose an exact method for locating the zeros of the Jost function for analytic potentials in the complex momentum--plane. We further extend the method to the complex angular--momentum plane to provide the Regge trajectories. It is shown, by using several examples, that highly accurate results for extremely wide as well as for extremely narrow resonances with or without the presence of the Coulomb interaction can be obtained.
Quantum trajectories defined in the de Broglie--Bohm theory provide a causal way to interpret physical phenomena. In this Letter, we use this formalism to analyze the short time dynamics induced by unstable periodic orbits in a classically chaotic system, a situation in which scars are known to play a very important role. We find that the topologies of the quantum orbits are much more complicated than that of the scarring and associated periodic orbits, since the former have quantum interference built in. Thus scar wave functions are necessary to analyze the corresponding dynamics. Moreover, t…
