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arXiv:1705.11153

Non-Hermitian quantum mechanics of bosonic operators

Natália Bebiano João da Providência, João Pinheiro da Providência

Published May 31, 2017• 0 citations
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Abstract

The spectral analysis of a non-Hermitian unbounded operator appearing in quantum physics is our main concern. The properties of such an operator are essentially different from those of Hermitian Hamiltonians, namely due to spectral instabilities. We demonstrate that the considered operator and its adjoint can be diagonalized when expressed in terms of certain conveniently constructed operators. We show that their eigenfunctions constitute complete systems, but do not form Riesz bases. Attempts to overcome this difficulty in the quantum mechanical set up are pointed out.

DOI
10.48550/arxiv.1705.11153

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The spectral analysis of a non-Hermitian unbounded operator appearing in quantum physics is our main concern. The properties of such an operator are essentially different from those of Hermitian Hamiltonians, namely due to spectral instabilities. We demonstrate that the considered operator and its adjoint can be diagonalized when expressed in terms of certain conveniently constructed operators. We show that their eigenfunctions constitute complete systems, but do not form Riesz bases. Attempts to overcome this difficulty in the quantum mechanical set up are pointed out.
The relevance in physics of non-Hermitian operators with real eigenvalues is being widely recognized not only in quantum mechanics but also in other areas, such as quantum optics, quantum fluid dynamics, and quantum field theory. In this note, a quantum system described by a non-Hermitian Hamiltonian, which is constituted by two types of interacting bosons, is investigated. The real eigenvalues of the Hamiltonian are explicitly determined, as well as complete biorthogonal sets of eigenfunctions of the Hamiltonian and its adjoint. The diagonal representation of H is obtained using pseudo-bosonic operators.
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A basic fact, having fundamental significance in quantum mechanics, is that hermitian (or self-adjoint) operators have only real eigenvalues. However, in certain applications in molecular physics, one deals with non-hermitian operators. We discuss a condition for non-hermitian operators to have real eigenvalues, proving that it is the case if and only if it can be decomposed as a product of two, generally non-commuting hermitian operators, one of which is positive definite. The theorem is illustrated on the example of non-hermitian effective Hamiltonians occurring in the non-perturbative form of the Bloch equation.