The time-evolution of the maximum and the width of exact analytic wave packet (WP) solutions of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation (SE) represents the particle and wave aspects, respectively, of the quantum system.The dynamics of the maximum, located at the mean value of position, is governed by the Newtonian equation of the corresponding classical problem.The width, which is directly proportional to the position uncertainty, obeys a complex nonlinear Riccati equation which can be transformed into a real nonlinear Ermakov equation.The coupled pair of these equations yields a dynamical invariant which plays a key role in our investigation.It can be expressed in terms of a complex variable that linearizes the Riccati equation.This variable also provides the time-dependent parameters that characterize the Green's function, or Feynman kernel, of the corresponding problem.From there, also the relation between the classical and quantum dynamics of the systems can be obtained.Furthermore, the close connection between the Ermakov invariant and the Wigner function will be shown.Factorization of the dynamical invariant allows for comparison with creation/annihilation operators and supersymmetry where the partner potentials fulfil (real) Riccati equations.This provides the link to a nonlinear formulation of timeindependent quantum mechanics in terms of an Ermakov equation for the amplitude of the stationary state wave functions combined with a conservation law.Comparison with SUSY and the time-dependent problems concludes our analysis.
The time-evolution of the maximum and the width of exact analytic wave packet (WP) solutions of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation (SE) represents the particle and wave aspects, respectively, of the quantum system.The dynamics of the maximum, located at the mean value of position, is governed by the Newtonian equation of the corresponding classical problem.The width, which is directly proportional to the position uncertainty, obeys a complex nonlinear Riccati equation which can be transformed into a real nonlinear Ermakov equation.The coupled pair of these equations yields a dynamical invariant which plays a key role in our investigation.It can be expressed in terms of a complex variable that linearizes the Riccati equation.This variable also provides the time-dependent parameters that characterize the Green's function, or Feynman kernel, of the corresponding problem.From there, also the relation between the classical and quantum dynamics of the systems can be obtained.Furthermore, the close connection between the Ermakov invariant and the Wigner function will be shown.Factorization of the dynamical invariant allows for comparison with creation/annihilation operators and supersymmetry where the partner potentials fulfil (real) Riccati equations.This provides the link to a nonlinear formulation of timeindependent quantum mechanics in terms of an Ermakov equation for the amplitude of the stationary state wave functions combined with a conservation law.Comparison with SUSY and the time-dependent problems concludes our analysis.
The time-dependent Schrödinger equation for quadratic Hamiltonians has Gaussian wave packets as exact solutions. For the parametric oscillator with frequency ω(t), the width of these wave packets must be time-dependent. This time-dependence can be determined via the solution of a complex nonlinear Riccati equation or an equivalent real nonlinear Ermakov equation. All quantum dynamical properties of the system can easily be constructed from these solutions, e.g., uncertainties of position and momentum, their correlations, tunnelling currents, ground state energies, etc. In addition, the link to the corresponding classical dynamics is supplied via linearization of the Riccati equation to a complex Newtonian equation, actually representing two equations of the same kind: one for the real and one for the imaginary part. If the solution of one part is known, the missing (linear independent) solution of the other can be obtained via a conservation law for the motion in the complex plane. Knowing these two solutions, the solution of the Ermakov equation can be determined immediately plus the explicit expressions for all the quantum dynamical properties mentioned above. Furthermore, these two solutions also provide the time-dependent Green function for the systems propagation for any given initial condition, not only for Gaussians. It is also possible to obtain the corresponding Wigner function and generalized creation and annihilation operators in this way. In searching for problems with analytical solutions, the crucial point is to identify systems that have either a wave packet solution with time-dependent width (in closed form) that obeys a Riccati equation, or a classical parametric oscillator with frequency ω(t) that still enables an analytical solution of the Newtonian equation. Comparing the wave packets with the solution of the diffusion equation – also a Gaussian with time-dependent width – leads to a real Riccati equation. A first attempt at "complexifying" this equation turns out to be problematic. Nevertheless, it provides a clue to time-dependent frequencies inversely proportional to time that lead to Newtonian equations with analytical solutions. Following a detailed analysis of the corresponding quantum dynamics and energetics, possible extensions of the method are indicated.
Quantum mechanics is essentially described in terms of complex quantities like wave functions. The interesting point is that phase and amplitude of the complex wave function are not independent of each other, but coupled by some kind of conservation law. This coupling exists in time-independent quantum mechanics and has a counterpart in its time-dependent form. It can be traced back to a reformulation of quantum mechanics in terms of nonlinear real Ermakov equations or equivalent complex nonlinear Riccati equations, where the quadratic term in the latter equation explains the origin of the phase-amplitude coupling. Since realistic physical systems are always in contact with some kind of environment this aspect is also taken into account. In this context, different approaches for describing open quantum systems, particularly effective ones, are discussed and compared. Certain kinds of nonlinear modifications of the Schrödinger equation are discussed as well as their interrelations and their relations to linear approaches via non-unitary transformations. The modifications of the aforementioned Ermakov and Riccati equations when environmental effects are included can be determined in the time-dependent case. From formal similarities conclusions can be drawn how the equations of time-independent quantum mechanics can be modified to also incluce the enviromental aspects.
Abstract The time-dependent Schrödinger equation for quadratic Hamiltonians has Gaussian wave packets as exact solutions. For the parametric oscillator with frequency ω(t), the width of these wave packets must be time-dependent. This time-dependence can be determined by solving a complex nonlinear Riccati equation or an equivalent real nonlinear Ermakov equation. All quantum dynamical properties of the system can easily be constructed from these solutions, e.g., uncertainties of position and momentum, their correlations, ground state energies, etc. In addition, the link to the corresponding classical dynamics is supplied by linearizing the Riccati equation to a complex Newtonian equation, actually representing two equations of the same kind: one for the real and one for the imaginary part. If the solution of one part is known, the missing (linear independent) solution of the other can be obtained via a conservation law for the motion in the complex plane. Knowing these two solutions, the solution of the Ermakov equation can be determined immediately plus the explicit expressions for all the quantum dynamical properties mentioned above. The effect of a dissipative, linear velocity dependent friction force on these systems is discussed.
Taking into account wave-particle duality and the uncertainty principle, a nonlinear Schrödinger wave equation (NLSE) for the description of dissipative systems can be constructed by applying only Newton's form of classical mechanics. A comparison between our NLSE for dissipative systems and the linear time-dependent SE for conservative systems shows that, for free motion and motion in a harmonic potential, both equations have Gaussian wave-packet solutions. The time dependence of the maximum of these functions is governed by the classical (real) Newtonian equation of motion. While the time dependence of the width of the wave packet can be determined from a nonlinear complex Bernoulli/Ricatti type differential equation. This can be done by transformation into a Newton-type equation for a real quantity α (which is proportional to the square root of the width), including a kind of “centrifugal force” term. This equation can be solved analytically and when taken with Newton's equation of motion for the mean value of the position, it forms a so-called Ermakov system. For the linear SE equation, this implies the existence of a dynamical invariant. For our NLSE we also obtain such an exact invariant, but now for a dissipative system. Furthermore, this complex nonlinear equation can be linearised using the logarithmic derivative of a complex quantity λ, thus yielding a complex Newtonian equation of motion. The absolute value of λ is equivalent to α, the phase angle can be determined using a relation that connects real and imaginary parts of λ. This relation is linked to a kind of “conservation of angular momentum” for the quantity λ in a complex plane. The relations between the above-mentioned quantities will be discussed in detail.
Based on the Gaussian wave packet solution for the harmonic oscillator and the corresponding creation and annihilation operators, a generalization is presented that also applies for wave packets with time-dependent width as they occur for systems with different initial conditions, time-dependent frequency or in contact with a dissipative environment. In all these cases the corresponding coherent states, position and momentum uncertainties and quantum mechanical energy contributions can be obtained in the same form if the creation and annihilation operators are expressed in terms of a complex variable that fulfills a nonlinear Riccati equation which determines the time-evolution of the wave packet width. The solutions of this Riccati equation depend on the physical system under consideration and on the (complex) initial conditions and have close formal similarities with general superpotentials leading to isospectral potentials in supersymmetric quantum mechanics. The definition of the generalized creation and annihilation operator is also in agreement with a factorization of the operator corresponding to the Ermakov invariant that exists in all cases considered.
In the first part of the lectures dynamical invariants in classical mechanics and conventional quantum mechanics will be considered. In particular, we will begin with some remarks on classical mechanics and on quantization in order to establish the theory in the form that will be used later on. Starting from the time‐dependent Schrödinger equation, the dynamics of Gaussian wave packets and Ermakov invariants, the time‐dependent Green function/Feynman kernel, quantum‐classical connections, energetics and Lagrange—Hamilton formalism for quantum uncertainties, momentum space representation and the relation between the Wigner function and the Ermakov invariant will be discussed. The representation of canonical transformations in time‐independent and time‐dependent quantum mechanics, factorization of the Ermakov invariant and generalized creation/annihilation operators will be studied. Subsequently, the time‐independent Schrödinger equation, leading to nonlinear quantum mechanics related to Riccati/Ermakov systems as well as the occurrence of Riccati/Ermakov systems in the treatment of Bose—Einstein condensates via the so‐called moment method will be analyzed.In part two, irreversible dynamics of dissipative systems, classical and quantum mechanical descriptions and corresponding invariants will be treated. After some general remarks on classical and quantum mechanics with unitary time‐evolution and energy conservation, phenomenological Langevin and Fokker—Planck equations, master equations in classical and quantum mechanics and the system‐plus‐reservoir approach will be mentioned briefly. Then follows a more detailed discussion of modified Schrödinger equations and, particularly, of a nonlinear Schrödinger equation with complex logarithmic nonlinearity; its properties, solutions, invariants and energetics will be studied. Finally, a comparison with a classical description in expanding coordinates will lead to a non‐unitary connection between the logarithmic nonlinear Schrödinger equation, the Caldirola‐Kanai approach and the expanding coordinate approach.