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arXiv:1812.10718 · Reviews in Mathematical Physics

Quantum time delay for unitary operators: General theory

D. Sambou, Rafael Tiedra de Aldecoa

Published Jan 9, 2019• 6 citations
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Abstract

We present a suitable framework for the definition of quantum time delay in terms of sojourn times for unitary operators in a two-Hilbert spaces setting. We prove that this time delay defined in terms of sojourn times (time-dependent definition) exists and coincides with the expectation value of a unitary analogue of the Eisenbud–Wigner time delay operator (time-independent definition). Our proofs rely on a new summation formula relating localization operators to time operators and on various tools from functional analysis such as Mackey’s imprimitivity theorem, Trotter–Kato formula and commutator methods for unitary operators. Our approach is general and model-independent.

DOI
10.1142/s0129055x19500181

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We present a suitable framework for the definition of quantum time delay in terms of sojourn times for unitary operators in a two-Hilbert spaces setting. We prove that this time delay defined in terms of sojourn times (time-dependent definition) exists and coincides with the expectation value of a unitary analogue of the Eisenbud–Wigner time delay operator (time-independent definition). Our proofs rely on a new summation formula relating localization operators to time operators and on various tools from functional analysis such as Mackey’s imprimitivity theorem, Trotter–Kato formula and commutator methods for unitary operators. Our approach is general and model-independent.
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This paper concerns time-dependent scattering theory and in particular the concept of time delay for a class of one-dimensional anisotropic quantum systems. These systems are described by a Schr\"odinger Hamiltonian $H=\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\Delta}+V$ with a potential V(x)V(x)V(x) converging to different limits ${V}_{\ensuremath{\ell}}$ and Vr{V}_{r}Vr​ as $x\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\infty}$ and $+\ensuremath{\infty}$, respectively. Due to the anisotropy, they exhibit a two-channel structure. We first establish the existence and properties of the channel wave and scattering operators by using the modern Mourre approach. We then use scattering theory to show the identity of two apparently different representations of time delay. The first one is defined in terms of sojourn times while the second one is given by the Eisenbud-Wigner operator. The identity of these representations is well known for systems where V(x)V(x)V(x) vanishes as $\ensuremath{\mid}x\ensuremath{\mid}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\infty}$ $({V}_{\ensuremath{\ell}}={V}_{r})$. We show that it remains true in the anisotropic case ${V}_{\ensuremath{\ell}}\ensuremath{\ne}{V}_{r}$, i.e., we prove the existence of the time-dependent representation of time delay and its equality with the time-independent Eisenbud-Wigner representation. Finally, we use this identity to give a time-dependent interpretation of the Eisenbud-Wigner expression, which is commonly used for time delay in the literature.