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International Journal of Modern Physics B

THE DIFFEOMORPHISM GROUP APPROACH TO ANYONS

Gerald A. Goldin, DAVID H. SHARP

Published Oct 1, 1991• 21 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We explain an approach to quantum mechanics, based on diffeomorphism groups and local current algebras, that predicts many of the fundamental properties of anyons. Our formulation also yields further insight into the meaning of particle statistics, and permits the unified description of a wide variety of quantum systems.
DOI
10.1142/s0217979291001048

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A certain infinite-dimensional Lie group, obtained originally by regularizing and then exponentiating a singular local current algebra constructed from canonical fields, has been shown over several decades to describe a wide variety of quantum systems, via its continuous unitary representations. The group is a semidirect product of Schwartz space functions under pointwise addition with a diffeomorphism group under composition. Previously unsuspected possibilities were predicted this way, including anyons and nonabelian anyons in two-dimensional space. Last year David Sharp and I offered a much simpler, direct construction. We proposed fundamental reasons why this group serves as a universal kinematical group for quantum systems with mass in an arbitrary physical space. This paper beyond summarizing that construction, discusses more extensively what it means to obtain quantum mechanics without actually quantizing classical observables in phase space, and answers some fundamental questions. Directions are suggested for obtaining still greater generality of kinematical and dynamical possibilities by modifying the initial assumptions.
An elementary introduction is given to the concept of anyons—quantum particles whose ‘statistics’ interpolate smoothly between those of bosons and fermions. Such particles—or quasi-particle excitations—can occur in two-dimensional systems in which the particles experience strong short-range mutual repulsions. These circumstances effectively mean that one has to apply quantum mechanics to a configuration space in which some points are excluded (i.e. it has ‘holes’)—namely, those points where two particles would coincide. The Aharonov—Bohm effect provides the simplest physical example of quantum mechanics in such a non-simply connected space, and is also fundamental to a simple model for anyons. A qualitative introduction is given to two currently proposed physical applications of anyons: high temperature superconductivity, and the (fractional) quantum Hall effect.
In 1968, Dashen and Sharp obtained a certain singular Lie algebra of local densities and currents from canonical commutation relations in nonrelativistic quantum field theory. The corresponding Lie group is infinite dimensional: the natural semidirect product of an additive group of scalar functions with a group of diffeomorphisms. Unitary representations of this group describe a wide variety of quantum systems, and have predicted previously unsuspected possibilities – notably, anyons and nonabelian anyons in two space dimensions. We present here foundational reasons why this semidirect product group serves as a universal kinematical group for quantum mechanics. We obtain thus a unified account of all possible quantum kinematics for systems with mass in an arbitrary physical space, and clarify the role played by topology in quantum mechanics. Our development does not require quantization of classical phase space; rather, the classical limit follows from the quantum mechanics. We also consider the relationship of our development to Heisenberg quantization.
We discuss the connection between anyons (particles with fractional statistics) and deformed Lie algebras (quantum groups). After a brief review of the main properties of anyons, we present the details of the anyonic realization of all deformed classical Lie algebras in terms of anyonic oscillators. The deformation parameter of the quantum groups is directly related to the statistics parameter of the anyons. Such a realization is a direct generalization of the Schwinger construction in terms of fermions and is based on a sort of bosonization formula which yields the generators of the deformed algebra in terms of the undeformed ones. The entire procedure is well defined on two-dimensional lattices, but it can be consistently reduced also to one-dimensional chains.
Unitary representations of diffeomorphism groups predict some unusual possibilities in quantum theory, including non-standard statistics and certain nonlinear effects. Many of the fundamental physical properties of “anyons” were first derived from their study by R. Menikoff, D.H. Sharp, and the author. This paper surveys new applications in two other domains: first (with Menikoff and Sharp) some surprising conclusions about the nature of quantum vortex configurations in ideal, incompressible fluids; second (with H.-D. Doebner) a natural description of dissipative quantum mechanics by means of a nonlinear Schrödinger equation different from the sort usually studied. Our equation follows from including a diffusion current in the equation of continuity.