We solve the higher order equations of the theory of the strong perturbations in quantum mechanics given in M. Frasca, Phys. Rev. A 45, 43 (1992), by assuming that, at the leading order, the wave function goes adiabatically. This is accomplished by deriving the unitary operator of adiabatic evolution for the leading order. In this way it is possible to show that at least one of the causes of the problem of phase-mixing, whose effect is the polynomial increase in time of the perturbation terms normally called secularities, arises from the shifts of the perturbation energy levels due to the unperturbed part of the hamiltonian. An example is given for a two-level system that, anyway, shows a secularity at second order also in the standard theory of small perturbations. The theory is applied to the quantum analog of a classical problem that can become chaotic, a particle under the effect of two waves of different amplitudes, frequencies and wave numbers.
The adaptive perturbation chooses a non-standard decomposition. The Hamiltonian becomes a sum of solvable and perturbation parts. We calculate the spectrum using the adaptive perturbation method at the leading-order to compare to numerical solutions. The maximum deviation is around $5\%$ for different coupling regions. A perturbation study relies on whether a choice of leading-order is suitable. Our result with different parameters should show that the adaptive perturbation method provides appropriate saddle points to all coupling regions. In the end, we show that the perturbation parameters s…
I provide a straightforward proof that a simple harmonic oscillator perturbed by an (almost) arbitrary positive interaction has a perturbative expansion for any finite-time Euclidian transition amplitude which obeys the following result: the difference of the sum of the first N terms of the series and the exact result is bounded in absolute value by the next term in the series. The proof makes no assumptions about either the strength of the interactions or the convergence of the perturbation series. I then argue that the result generalizes immediately to a much broader class of quantum mechani…
An analogue of Kolmogorov's superconvergent perturbation theory in classical mechanics is constructed for self adjoint operators. It is different from the usual Rayleigh--Schrödinger perturbation theory and yields expansions for eigenvalues and eigenvectors in terms of functions of the perturbation parameter.
We prove that, for a quantum system that undergoes a strong perturbation, the solution of the leading order equation of the strong field approximation (M.Frasca, Phys. Rev. A, {\bf 45}, 43 (1992)) can be derived by the adiabatic approximation. In fact, it is shown that greatest is the perturbation and more similar the quantum system is to an adiabatic one, the solution being written as a superposition of eigenstates of the time-dependent perturbation.A direct consequence of this result is that the solution of the Schrödinger equation in the interaction picture, in the same approximation for th…
After revealing difficulties of the standard time-dependent perturbation theory in quantum mechanics mainly from the viewpoint of practical calculation, we propose a new quasi-canonical perturbation theory. In the new theory, the dynamics of physical observables, instead of that of coefficients of wave-function expansion, is formulated so that the gauge-invariance and correspondence principles are observed naturally.
We investigate the convergence properties of a perturbation method proposed some time ago and reveal some of it most interesting features. Anharmonic oscillators in the strong--coupling limit prove to be appropriate illustrative examples and benchmark.
In this paper we show how Feynman diagrams, which are used as a tool to implement perturbation theory in quantum field theory, can be very useful also in classical mechanics, provided we introduce also at the classical level concepts like path integrals and generating functionals.
Perturbation theory in quantum mechanics studies how quantum systems interact with their environmental perturbations. Harmonic perturbation is a rare special case of time-dependent perturbations in which exact analysis exists. Some important technology advances, such as masers, lasers, nuclear magnetic resonance, etc., originated from it. Here we add quantum computation to this list with a theoretical demonstration. Based on harmonic perturbation, a quantum mechanical algorithm is devised to search the ground state of a given Hamiltonian. The intrinsic complexity of the algorithm is continuous…
We study perturbation theory in certain quantum mechanics problems in which the perturbing potential diverges at some points, even though the energy eigenvalues are smooth functions of the coefficient of the potential. We discuss some of the unusual techniques which are required to obtain perturbative expansions of the energies in such cases. These include a point-splitting prescription for expansions around the Dirichlet (fermionic) limit of the $δ$-function potential, and performing a similarity transformation to a non-Hermitian potential in the Calogero-Sutherland model. As an application o…
A few modified textbook Rayleigh-Schrödinger perturbative representations of bound states are reviewed. They were all inspired by an adaptive re-split of the Hamiltonian, using nonstandard bases and the flexibility of normalization of the wave functions.
The difficulty that the probabilities infinitely increase with time as time is long enough in time-dependent perturbation theory for some quantum systems is resolved by means of simply transforming the perturbative series into natural exponential functions of the re-summed perturbative series. Three exactly solvable models are taken to check our new formulation, and excellent agreements with the exact solution are achieved.
Adaptive perturbation is a new method for perturbatively computing the eigenvalues and eigenstates of quantum mechanical Hamiltonians that are widely believed not to be solvable by such methods. The novel feature of adaptive perturbation theory is that it decomposes a given Hamiltonian, $H$, into an unperturbed part and a perturbation in a way which extracts the leading non-perturbative behavior of the problem exactly. In this talk I will introduce the method in the context of the pure anharmonic oscillator and then apply it to the case of tunneling between symmetric minima. After that, I will…
Adaptive perturbation is a new method for perturbatively computing the eigenvalues and eigenstates of quantum mechanical Hamiltonians that heretofore were not believed to be obtainable by such methods. The novel feature of adaptive perturbation theory is that it decomposes a given Hamiltonian, $H$, into an unperturbed part and a perturbation in a way which extracts the leading non-perturbative behavior of the problem exactly. This paper introduces the method in the context of the pure anharmonic oscillator and then goes on to apply it to the case of tunneling between both symmetric and asymmet…
The quantum-mechanical state vector is not directly observable even though it is the fundamental variable that appears in Schrodinger's equation. In conventional time-dependent perturbation theory, the state vector must be calculated before the experimentally-observable expectation values of relevant operators can be computed. We discuss an alternative form of time-dependent perturbation theory in which the observable expectation values are calculated directly and expressed in the form of nested commutators. This result is consistent with the fact that the commutation relations determine the p…
We discuss a general setup which allows the study of the perturbation theory of an arbitrary, locally harmonic 1D quantum mechanical potential as well as its multi-variable (many-body) generalization. The latter may form a prototype for regularized quantum field theory. We first generalize the method of Bender-Wu, and derive exact recursion relations which allow the determination of the perturbative wave-function and energy corrections to an arbitrary order, at least in principle. For 1D systems, we implement these equations in an easy to use Mathematica package we call BenderWu. Our package e…
We present a full introduction to the recent devised perturbation theory for strong coupling in quantum mechanics. In order to put the theory in a proper historical perspective, the approach devised in quantum field theory is rapidly presented, showing how it implies a kind of duality in perturbation theory, from the start. The approach of renormalization group in perturbation theory is then presented. This method permits to resum secularities in perturbation theory and makes fully algorithmical the resummation, transforming the perturbation calculations in a step by step computational procedu…
This paper proposes a very simple perturbative technique to calculate the low-lying eigenvalues and eigenstates of a parity-symmetric quantum-mechanical potential. The technique is to solve the time-independent Schroedinger eigenvalue problem as a perturbation series in which the perturbation parameter is the energy itself. Unlike nearly all perturbation series for physical problems, for the ground state this perturbation expansion is convergent and, even though the ground-state energy is in general not small compared with 1, the perturbative results are numerically accurate. The perturbation …
We adapt the Bender-Wu algorithm to solve perturbatively but very efficiently the eigenvalue problem of "relativistic" quantum mechanical problems whose Hamiltonians are difference operators of the exponential-polynomial type. We implement the algorithm in the function BWDifference in the updated Mathematica package BenderWu. With the help of BWDifference, we survey quantum mirror curves of toric fano Calabi-Yau threefolds, and find strong evidence that not only are the perturbative eigenenergies of the associated 1d quantum mechanical problems Borel summable, but also that the Borel sums are …
The perturbative approach was adopted to develop a temperature-dependent version of non-relativistic quantum mechanics in the limit of low-enough temperatures. A generalized, self-consistent Hamiltonian was therefore constructed for an arbitrary quantum-mechanical system in a way that the ground-state Hamiltonian turned out to be just a limiting case at absolute zero. The weak-coupling term connecting the system of interest and its immediate environment was accordingly treated as the perturbation. Applying the obtained generalized Hamiltonian to some typical quantum systems with exact zero-tem…
We develop a perturbation method that generalizes an approach proposed recently to treat velocity--dependent quantum--mechanical models. In order to test present approach we apply it to some simple trivial and nontrivial examples.
We study spectral and scattering properties of a spinless quantum particle confined to an infinite planar layer with hard walls containing a finite number of point perturbations. A solvable character of the model follows from the explicit form of the Hamiltonian resolvent obtained by means of Krein's formula. We prove the existence of bound states, demonstrate their properties, and find the on-shell scattering operator. Furthermore, we analyze the situation when the system is put into a homogeneous magnetic field perpendicular to the layer; in that case the point interactions generate eigenval…
This report discusses two new ideas for using perturbation methods to solve the time-independent Schrödinger equation. The first concept begins with rewriting the perturbation equations in a form that is closely related to matrix diagonalization methods. That allows a simple, compact derivation of the standard (Rayleigh-Schrödinger) equations. But it also leads to a new iterative solution method that is not based on the usual power series expansion. The iterative method can also be used when the unperturbed system is two-fold degenerate. The second concept is quite different from the first but…
In quantum mechanics and quantum field theory perturbation theory generically requires the inclusion of extra contributions non-perturbative in the coupling, such as instantons, to reproduce exact results. We show how full non-perturbative results can be encoded in a suitable modified perturbative series in a class of quantum mechanical problems. We illustrate this explicitly in examples which are known to contain non-perturbative effects, such as the (supersymmetric) double-well potential, the pure anharmonic oscillator, and the perturbative expansion around a false vacuum.
In conventional Schrödinger representation the unitarity of the evolution of bound states is guaranteed by the Hermiticity of the Hamiltonian. A non-unitary isospectral simplification of the Hamiltonian, $\mathfrak{h} \to H=Ω\,\mathfrak{h}\,Ω\neq H^\dagger$ induces the change ${\cal L} \to {\cal K}$ of the Hilbert space of states, reflected by the loss of the Hermiticity of $H\neq H^\dagger$. In such a reformulation of the theory the introduction of an {\it ad hoc} inner-product metric reconverts ${\cal K}$ into the third, correct physical Hilbert space ${\cal H}$, unitarily equivalent to ${\c…
The quantum theory of indirect measurements in physical systems is studied. The example of an indirect measurement of an observable represented by a self-adjoint operator $\mathcal{N}$ with finite spectrum is analysed in detail. The Hamiltonian generating the time evolution of the system in the absence of direct measurements is assumed to be given by the sum of a term commuting with $\mathcal{N}$ and a small perturbation not commuting with $\mathcal{N}$. The system is subject to repeated direct (projective) measurements using a single instrument whose action on the state of the system commutes…
The representation of a Schrodinger equations as a classic Hamiltonian system allows to construct a unified perturbation theory both in classic, and in a quantum mechanics grounded on the theory of canonical transformations, and also to receive asymptotic estimations of affinity of the precisian approximated solutions of Schrodinger equations
We generalize a recently proposed small-energy expansion for one-dimensional quantum-mechanical models. The original approach was devised to treat symmetric potentials and here we show how to extend it to non-symmetric ones. Present approach is based on matching the logarithmic derivatives for the left and right solutions to the Schrödinger equation at the origin (or any other point chosen conveniently) . As in the original method, each logarithmic derivative can be expanded in a small-energy series by straightforward perturbation theory. We test the new approach on four simple models, one of …
We first rewrite the perturbation expansion of the time evolution operator [An Min Wang, quant-ph/0611216] in a form as concise as possible. Then we derive out the perturbation expansion of the time-dependent complete Green operator and prove that it is just the Fourier transformation of the Dyson equation. Moreover, we obtain the perturbation expansion of the complete transition amplitude in the Feynman path integral formulism, and give an integral expression that relates the complete transition amplitude with the unperturbed transition amplitude. Further applications of these results can be …
Based on the previously proposed notions of action operators and of quantum integrability, frequency operators are introduced in a fully quantum-mechanical setting. They are conceptually useful because a new formulation can be given to unitary perturbation theory. When worked out for quantum spin systems, this variant is found to be formally equivalent to canonical perturbation theory applied to nearly-integrable systems consisting of classical spins. In particular, it becomes possible to locate the quantum-mechanical operator-valued equivalent of the frequency denominators which may cause div…
The dynamics-from-permutations of classical Ising spins is generalized here for an arbitrarily long chain. This serves as an ontological model with discrete dynamics generated by pairwise exchange interactions defining the unitary update operator. The model incorporates a finite signal velocity and resembles in many aspects a discrete free field theory. We deduce the corresponding Hamiltonian operator and show that it generates an exact terminating Baker-Campbell-Hausdorff formula. Motivation for this study is provided by the Cellular Automaton Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics. We find that…
Basing on the Chetaev's theorem on stable trajectories in dynamics in the presence of dissipative forces we obtain a generalized stability condition for Hamiltonian systems that has the form of the Schrodinger equation. We show that the energy of the dissipative forces generating generalized Chetaev's stability condition exactly coincides with Bohm's "quantum" potential. Using the principle of least action of perturbation we prove that the Bohmian quantum mechanics complemented with the Chetaev's generalized theorem does not have hidden variables.
According to classical non-relativistic Schrödinger equation, any local perturbation of wave function instantaneously affects all infinite region, because this equation is of parabolic type, and its solutions demonstrate infinite speed of perturbations propagation. From physical point of view, this feature of Schrödinger equation solutions is questionable. According to relativistic quantum mechanics, the perturbations propagate with speed of light. However when appropriate mathematical procedures are applied to Dirac relativistic quantum equation with finite speed of the wave function perturba…
Starting from our idea of combining the Feynman path integral spirit and the Dyson series kernel, we find an explicit and general form of time evolution operator that is a $c$-number function and a power series of perturbation including all order approximations in the unperturbed Hamiltonian representation. Based on it, we obtain an exact solution of the Schrödinger equation in general quantum systems independent of time. Comparison of our exact solution with the existed perturbation theory makes some features and significance of our exact solution clear. The conclusions expressly indicate tha…
High contrast matter-wave interferometry is essential in various fundamental quantum mechanical experiments as well as for technical applications. Thereby, contrast and sensitivity are typically reduced by decoherence and dephasing effects. While decoherence accounts for a general loss of quantum information in a system due to entanglement with the environment, dephasing is due to collective time-dependent external phase shifts, which can be related to temperature drifts, mechanical vibrations or electromagnetic oscillations. In contrast to decoherence, dephasing can in principle be reversed. …
We discuss the numerous advantages of using dimensionless equations in non-relativistic quantum mechanics. Dimensionless equations are considerably simpler and reveal the number of relevant parameters in the models. They are less prone to round-off errors when applying numerical methods because all the quantities are of the other of unity. A dimensionless equation facilitates the application of perturbation theory and provides a glimpse of the sort of solution we are going to obtain beforehand.
We propose an improved scheme of perturbation theory based on our exact solution [An Min Wang, quant-ph/0611216] in general quantum systems independent of time. Our elementary start-point is to introduce the perturbing parameter as late as possible. Our main skills are Hamiltonian redivision so as to overcome a flaw of the usual perturbation theory, and the perturbing Hamiltonian matrix product decomposition in order to separate the contraction and anti-contraction terms. Our calculational technology is the limit process for eliminating apparent divergences. Our central idea is ``dynamical rea…
Using Chetaev's theorem on stable trajectories in dynamics in the presence of perturbation forces we obtain a generalized stability condition for Hamiltonian systems that has the form of the Schrodinger equation. We show that the energy of the perturbation forces generating generalized Chetaev's stability condition is of electromagnetic nature and exactly coincides with Bohm's "quantum" potential. We stress that not taking into account the reality of Bohm's electromagnetic Psi-field turns out to be the fundamental reason of violation of the famous Bell inequality, in the recent most precise di…
An approximation method which combines the perturbation theory with the variational calculation is constructed for quantum mechanical problems. Using the anharmonic oscillator and the He atom as examples, we show that the present method provides an efficient scheme in estimating both the ground and the excited states. We also discuss the limitations of the present method.
The C operator in PT-symmetric quantum mechanics satisfies a system of three simultaneous algebraic operator equations, $C^2=1$, $[C,PT]=0$, and $[C,H]=0$. These equations are difficult to solve exactly, so perturbative methods have been used in the past to calculate C. The usual approach has been to express the Hamiltonian as $H=H_0+εH_1$, and to seek a solution for C in the form $C=e^Q P$, where $Q=Q(q,p)$ is odd in the momentum p, even in the coordinate q, and has a perturbation expansion of the form $Q=εQ_1+ε^3 Q_3+ε^5 Q_5+\ldots$. [In previous work it has always been assumed that the coef…
The problem of large order behaviour of perturbation theory for quantum mechanical systems is considered. A new approach to it is developed. An explicit mechanism showing the connection between large order recursive relations and classical euclidean equations of motion is found. Large order asymptotics of the solution to the recursive relations is constructed. The developed method is applicable to the excited states, as well as to the ground state. Singular points of the obtained asymptotics of the perturbation series for eigenfunctions and density matrices are investigated and formulas being …
We study quantum mechanical systems with a discrete spectrum. We show that the asymptotic series associated to certain paths of steepest-descent (Lefschetz thimbles) are Borel resummable to the full result. Using a geometrical approach based on the Picard-Lefschetz theory we characterize the conditions under which perturbative expansions lead to exact results. Even when such conditions are not met, we explain how to define a different perturbative expansion that reproduces the full answer without the need of transseries, i.e. non-perturbative effects, such as real (or complex) instantons. Appl…
We investigate the exact solution, perturbation theory and master equation of open system dynamics based on our serial studies on quantum mechanics in general quantum systems [An Min Wang, quant-ph/0611216 and quant-ph/0611217]. In a system-environment separated representation, a general and explicit solution of open system dynamics is obtained, and it is an exact solution since it includes all order approximations of perturbation. In terms of the cut-off approximation of perturbation and our improved scheme of perturbation theory, the improved form of the perturbed solution of open systems ab…
We study the classical and quantum perturbation theory for two non--resonant oscillators coupled by a nonlinear quartic interaction. In particular we analyze the question of quantum corrections to the torus quantization of the classical perturbation theory (semiclassical mechanics). We obtain up to the second order of perturbation theory an explicit analytical formula for the quantum energy levels, which is the semiclassical one plus quantum corrections. We compare the "exact" quantum levels obtained numerically to the semiclassical levels studying also the effects of quantum corrections.
The Yukawa interaction is considered in 0+1 dimensions as a pedagogical example to illustrate quantum field theory methods. From the quantum mechanical point of view the system is trivially exactly solvable, but this can be difficult to see from the path integral perspective. It is shown how despite initial appearances the perturbation series in terms of Feynman diagrams is consistent with the quantum mechanical picture for finite temperature.
We propose a new approach to the Rayleigh-Schrödinger perturbation expansions of bound states in quantum mechanics. We are inspired by the enormous flexibility of solvable interactions with several (N) discontinuities. Their standard matching solution is modified and transferred in perturbation regime. We employ the global renormalization freedom of the local wave functions and derive a compact N-dimensional matrix formula for corrections. In applications, our recipe is shown non-numerical for all polynomial perturbations of any piece-wise constant zero order potential.
The origin of pseudospin symmetry (PSS) and its breaking mechanism are explored by combining supersymmetry (SUSY) quantum mechanics, perturbation theory, and the similarity renormalization group (SRG) method. The Schrödinger equation is taken as an example, corresponding to the lowest-order approximation in transforming a Dirac equation into a diagonal form by using the SRG. It is shown that while the spin-symmetry-conserving term appears in the single-particle Hamiltonian $H$, the PSS-conserving term appears naturally in its SUSY partner Hamiltonian $\tilde{H}$. The eigenstates of Hamiltonian…
The Moyal product is used to cast the equation for the metric of a non-hermitian Hamiltonian in the form of a differential equation. For Hamiltonians of the form $p^2+V(ix)$ with $V$ polynomial this is an exact equation. Solving this equation in perturbation theory recovers known results. Explicit criteria for the hermiticity and positive definiteness of the metric are formulated on the functional level.
In this paper we will demonstrate the use of Feynman Diagrams for one dimensional scattering in quantum mechanics. We will evaluate the S-Matrix explicitly for the Dirac delta and finite wall potentials by summing the full series of Feynman diagrams, illustrating the spirit of perturbation theory. This technique may be useful in introductory quantum mechanics courses, and provides the student with intuition about conservation laws in the context of scattering problems by connecting Feynman diagrams, free propagation, and conservation of the corresponding observable. It also provides a toy mode…
The application of the optimized expansion for the quantum-mechanical propagation in the anharmonic potential $λx^4$ is discussed for real and imaginary time. The first order results in the imaginary time formalism provide approximations to the free energy and particle density which agree well with the exact results in the whole range of temperatures.
In the context of inflation, non-vacuum initial states for cosmological perturbations that possess a built in scale are studied. It is demonstrated that this assumption leads to a falsifiable class of models. The question of whether they lead to conflicts with the available observations is addressed. For this purpose, the power spectrum of the Bardeen potential operator is calculated and compared with the CMBR anisotropies measurements and the redshift surveys of galaxies and clusters of galaxies. Generic predictions of the model are: a high first acoustic peak, the presence of a bump in the m…
A model of repeated quantum measurements of magnetic flux in superconducting circuits manifesting tunneling is discussed. The perturbation due to the previous measurements of magnetic flux is always present unless quantum nondemolition measurements are performed. By replacing the classical notion of noninvasivity with this condition, temporal Bell-like inequalities allows one to test the observability at the macroscopic level of the conflict between realism and quantum theory.
We obtain a complete series solution of stationary Schrödinger's equation in the general quantum systems. It is exact in the sense that any approximation means is not used, or that the whole corrections or contributions from all order perturbations are involved if the perturbation concept is introduced. Furthermore, the useful forms of our exact solution and a new expression the complete Green operator are given out. As a universal and analytical solution, it is helpful for the theoretical derivations and practical calculations in quantum theory.
