Wiener Measure Regularization for Quantum Mechanical Path Integrals

John R. Klauder

John R. Klauder, Ingrid C. Daubechies

I. V. V. Raghavacharyulu

L. V. Kapitanskii

Robert Alicki, John R. Klauder

By introducing a suitable continuous-time regularization into a formal phase-space path integral it follows that the propagator is given by the limit of well-defined functional integrals involving standard stochastic processes and their associated probability measures. Such regularizations require pinning of both coordinate and momenta variables, and automatically lead to coherent-state representations. It is found that each standard independent increment process, involving a superposition of a Wiener and a Poisson process, is associated with a specific, generally non-Gaussian, fiducial vector with which the coherent states are defined.

John R. Klauder

Coherent states can be used for diverse applications in quantum physics including the construction of coherent state path integrals. Most definitions make use of a lattice regularization; however, recent definitions employ a continuous-time regularization that may involve a Wiener measure concentrated on continuous phase space paths. The introduction of constraints is both natural and economical in coherent state path integrals involving only the dynamical and Lagrange multiplier variables. A preliminary indication of how these procedures may possibly be applied to quantum gravity is briefly discussed.