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Journal of Mathematical Physics

Wigner Method in Quantum Statistical Mechanics

Kaya Ïmre, Ercüment Özïzmïr, Marcos Rosenbaum, Paul F. Zweifel

Published May 1, 1967• 290 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The Wigner method of transforming quantum-mechanical operators into their phase-space analogs is reviewed with applications to scattering theory, as well as to descriptions of the equilibrium and dynamical states of many-particle systems. Inclusion of exchange effects is discussed.
DOI
10.1063/1.1705323

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We investigate the suitability of the Wigner method as a tool for semiclassical dynamics. In spite of appearances, the dynamical time evolution of Wigner phase space densities is found not to reduce to classical dynamics in most circumstances, even as h→0. In certain applications involving highly ’coherent’ density matrices, this precludes direct h-expansion treatment of quantum corrections. However, by selective resummation of terms in the Wigner–Moyal series for the quantum phase space propagation it is possible to arrive at a revised or renormalized classicallike dynamics which solves the difficulties of the direct approach. In this paper, we review the Wigner method, qualitatively introduce the difficulties encountered in certain semiclassical applications, and derive quantitative means of surmounting these difficulties. Possible practical applications are discussed.
Abstract The new method for solving Wigner–Liouville's type equations and studying dynamics of quantum particles has been developed within the Wigner formulation of quantum statistical mechanics. This approach combines both molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo methods and computes traces and spectra of the relevant dynamical quantities. Considering, as an application, the quantum dynamics of an ensemble of interacting electrons in an array of random scatterers clearly demonstrates that the many‐particle interaction between the electrons can lead to an enhancement of the electrical conductivity. (© 2003 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
An attempt is made to interpret quantum mechanics as a statistical theory, or more exactly as a form of non-deterministic statistical dynamics. The paper falls into three parts. In the first, the distribution functions of the complete set of dynamical variables specifying a mechanical system (phase-space distributions), which are fundamental in any form of statistical dynamics, are expressed in terms of the wave vectors of quantum theory. This is shown to be equivalent to specifying a theory of functions of non-commuting operators, and may hence be considered as an interpretation of quantum kinematics . In the second part, the laws governing the transformation with time of these phase-space distributions are derived from the equations of motion of quantum dynamics and found to be of the required form for a dynamical stochastic process. It is shown that these phase-space transformation equations can be used as an alternative to the Schrödinger equation in the solution of quantum mechanical problems, such as the evolution with time of wave packets, collision problems and the calculation of transition probabilities in perturbed systems; an approximation method is derived for this purpose. The third part, quantum statistics , deals with the phase-space distribution of members of large assemblies, with a view to applications of quantum mechanics to kinetic theories of matter. Finally, the limitations of the theory, its uniqueness and the possibilities of experimental verification are discussed.