Canonical variables for the Poisson algebra of quantum moments are introduced here, expressing semiclassical quantum mechanics as a canonical dynamical system that extends the classical phase space. New realizations for up to fourth order in moments for a single classical degree of freedom and to second order for a pair of classical degrees of freedom are derived and applied to several model systems. It is shown that these new canonical variables facilitate the derivation of quantum-statistical quantities and effective potentials. Moreover, by formulating quantum dynamics in classical language, these methods result in new heuristic pictures, for instance, of tunneling, that can guide further investigations.
Canonical variables for the Poisson algebra of quantum moments are introduced here, expressing semiclassical quantum mechanics as a canonical dynamical system that extends the classical phase space. New realizations for up to fourth order in moments for a single classical degree of freedom and to second order for a pair of classical degrees of freedom are derived and applied to several model systems. It is shown that these new canonical variables facilitate the derivation of quantum-statistical quantities and effective potentials. Moreover, by formulating quantum dynamics in classical language, these methods result in new heuristic pictures, for instance, of tunneling, that can guide further investigations.
The method of faithful realizations is defined and explored within the context of several physical problems. We constructed a general procedure for deriving faithful realizations from arbitrary semi-classical truncations, as well as applying this procedure to several explicit examples. This method is useful in systems which have a strong time dependence or which lack a ground state, because in these situations one cannot use the standard tools, such as the effective action.
Using the faithful canonical realizations we developed, as well as an all orders closure, we studied the problem of tunneling times, which has been recently debated in the literature. Our definition of tunneling times, based on the canonical realizations, always gives a time delay. The usage of a canonical coordinate system also allowed us to use the moments as a tool to study the purity of a quantum state. That is, given a set of moments, a faithful canonical realization will have some parameters that correspond to the purity of the state. Moreover, canonical realizations facilitate the usages of methods from statistical mechanics in the realm of canonical effective methods, allowing one to consider ensemble averages of semi-classical quantities. They also facilitate the usage of the powerful techniques of canonical transformations in semi-classical physics. Using the framework of realization equivalence, we were also able to explore a link between the model of loop quantum cosmology as well as a model of group field cosmology. This link has led to several implications on the group field side of the equivalence, with regards to the formations of singularities and of quantization ambiguities.
The symmetry properties of quantum variational principles are considered. Euler-Poincaré reduction theory is applied to the Dirac-Frenkel variational principle for Schrödinger's dynamics producing new variational principles for the different pictures of quantum mechanics (Schrödinger's, Heisenberg's and Dirac's) as well as for the Wigner-Moyal formulation. In addition, new variational principles for mixed states dynamics have been formulated. The already known geometric characterization of quantum mechanics on the complex projective space is shown to emerge naturally from the Euler-Poincaré variational principle. Semidirect-product structures are seen to produce new variational principles for Dirac's picture. \n \nOn the other hand, the variational and Hamiltonian approach to Ehrenfest expectation values dynamics is proposed. In the Lagrangian framework, the quantum variational principle for Schrödinger's dynamics is extended to account for both classical and quantum degrees of freedom. First, it is shown that the mean field model of any quantum mechanical system can be derived from a classical-quantum Euler-Poincaré Lagrangian on the direct sum Lie algebra of the Heisenberg and unitary groups. Then, the semidirect-product structure (named Ehrenfest group), is constructed using the displacement operator from the theory of coherent quantum states ( the unitary action of the Heisenberg group on the space of wavefunctions). New classical-quantum equations for Ehrenfest's expectation values dynamics are derived redefining the mean-field model Euler-Poincaré Lagrangian on the Lie algebra of the Ehrenfest group. In the Hamiltonian framework, first expectation values of the canonical observables are shown to be equivariant momentum maps for the unitary action of the Heisenberg group on quantum states. Then, the Hamiltonian structure for Ehrenfest's dynamics is shown to be Lie-Poisson for the Ehrenfest group. The variational formulation is then given a corresponding Hamiltonian structure. The classical-quantum Ehrenfest dynamics equations produce classical and quantum dynamics as special limit cases. \n \nIn the particular case of Gaussian states, expectation values couple to second order moments, so that GS are completely characterized by first and second moments. When the total energy is computed with respect to a Gaussian state, higher moments can be expressed in terms of the first two, so that the moment hierarchy closes for Gaussian states. Second moments are shown to be equivariant momentum maps for the action of the symplectic group on the space of Wigner functions. Eventually, Gaussian states are shown to possess a Lie-Poisson structure on the Jacobi group. This structure produces an energy-conserving variant of a class of Gaussian moment models that have appeared in the chemical physics literature.
In this work, we study the quantum tunnel effect through a potential barrier within a semiclassical formulation of quantum mechanics based on expectation values of configuration variables and quantum dispersions as dynamical variables. The evolution of the system is given in terms of a dynamical system for which we are able to determine numerical effective trajectories for individual particles, similar to the Bohmian description of quantum mechanics. We obtain a complete description of the possible trajectories of the system, finding semiclassical reflected, tunneled and confined paths due to the appearance of an effective time-dependent potential.
In quantum mechanics, systems can be described in phase space in terms of the Wigner function and the star-product operation. Quantum characteristics, which appear in the Heisenberg picture as the Weyl's symbols of operators of canonical coordinates and momenta, can be used to solve the evolution equations for symbols of other operators acting in the Hilbert space. To any fixed order in the Planck's constant, many-body potential scattering problem simplifies to a statistical-mechanical problem of computing an ensemble of quantum characteristics and their derivatives with respect to the initial canonical coordinates and momenta. The reduction to a system of ordinary differential equations pertains rigorously at any fixed order in ħ. We present semiclassical expansion of quantum characteristics for many-body scattering problem and provide tools for calculation of average values of time-dependent physical observables and cross sections. The method of quantum characteristics admits the consistent incorporation of specific quantum effects, such as non-locality and coherence in propagation of particles, into the semiclassical transport models. We formulate the principle of stationary action for quantum Hamilton's equations and give quantum-mechanical extensions of the Liouville theorem on conservation of the phase-space volume and the Poincaré theorem on conservation of 2p-forms. The lowest order quantum corrections to the Kepler periodic orbits are constructed. These corrections show the resonance behavior.
Abstract In quantum mechanics, systems can be described in phase space in terms of the Wigner function and the star‐product operation. Quantum characteristics, which appear in the Heisenberg picture as the Weyl's symbols of operators of canonical coordinates and momenta, can be used to solve the evolution equations for symbols of other operators acting in the Hilbert space. To any fixed order in the Planck's constant, many‐body potential scattering problem simplifies to a statistical‐mechanical problem of computing an ensemble of quantum characteristics and their derivatives with respect to the initial canonical coordinates and momenta. The reduction to a system of ordinary differential equations pertains rigorously at any fixed order in ħ. We present semiclassical expansion of quantum characteristics for many‐body scattering problem and provide tools for calculation of average values of time‐dependent physical observables and cross sections. The method of quantum characteristics admits the consistent incorporation of specific quantum effects, such as non‐locality and coherence in propagation of particles, into the semiclassical transport models. We formulate the principle of stationary action for quantum Hamilton's equations and give quantum‐mechanical extensions of the Liouville theorem on conservation of the phase‐space volume and the Poincaré theorem on conservation of 2p‐forms. The lowest order quantum corrections to the Kepler periodic orbits are constructed. These corrections show the resonance behavior.
We present a consistent formalism to describe the dynamics of hybrid systems with mixed classical and quantum degrees of freedom. The probability function of the system, which, in general, will be a combination of the classical distribution function and the quantum density matrix, is described in terms of its corresponding moments. We then define a hybrid Poisson bracket, such that the dynamics of the moments is ruled by an effective Hamiltonian. In particular, a closed formula for the Poisson brackets between any two moments for an arbitrary number of degrees of freedom is presented, which corrects previous expressions derived in the literature for the purely quantum case. This formula is of special relevance for practical applications of the formalism. Finally, we study the dynamics of a particular hybrid system given by two coupled oscillators, one being quantum and the other classical. Due to the coupling, specific quantum and classical properties are transferred between different sectors. In particular, the quantum sector is allowed to violate the uncertainty relation, though we explicitly show that there exists a minimum positive bound of the total uncertainty of the hybrid system.