The quantum damped harmonic oscillator

T G Philbin

The quantum theory of the damped harmonic oscillator has been a subject of continual investigation since the 1930s. The obstacle to quantization created by the dissipation of energy is usually dealt with by including a discrete set of additional harmonic oscillators as a reservoir. But a discrete reservoir cannot directly yield dynamics such as Ohmic damping (proportional to velocity) of the oscillator of interest. By using a continuum of oscillators as a reservoir, we canonically quantize the harmonic oscillator with Ohmic damping and also with general damping behaviour. The dynamics of a damped oscillator is determined by an arbitrary effective susceptibility that obeys the Kramers–Kronig relations. This approach offers an alternative description of nano-mechanical oscillators and opto-mechanical systems.

Kazuyuki Fujii, Tatsuo Suzuki

Mustapha Maamache, Hichem Choutri

In this paper we use the algebraic and the invariant method to study the time-dependent damped harmonic oscillator from classical and quantum points of view. The solution of the classical equation of motion and the wavefunction solving the time-dependent Schrödinger equation are found explicitly. We show that the original time-dependent quantum-mechanical problem is completely related to the well known time-independent harmonic oscillator. In addition, we elucidate the intimate connection between the damped harmonic oscillator (DHO) and the generalized harmonic oscillator (GHO). More importantly, the evolution of the states of the DHO cannot be cyclic, in contradistinction with the states of the GHO. Explicit expressions for both the dynamical and the geometric angles and phases are deduced in the adiabatic limit. The coherent states describing the invariant-angle variables of the classical DHO are constructed; they allow us to recover the classical evolution and invariant from the quantum evolution.

A. L. De Brito, Fabio Cabral Carvalho, B. Baseia +1 more

Michele Cini

T. G. Philbin

Abstract. The quantum theory of the damped harmonic oscillator has been a subject of continual investigation since the 1930s. The obstacle to quantization created by the dissipation of energy is usually dealt with by including a discrete set of additional harmonic oscillators as a reservoir. But a discrete reservoir cannot directly yield dynamics such as Ohmic damping (proportional to velocity) of the oscillator of interest. By using a continuum of oscillators as a reservoir, we canonically quantize the harmonic oscillator with Ohmic damping and also with general damping behaviour. The dynamics of a damped oscillator is determined by an arbitrary effective susceptibility that obeys Kramers-Kronig relations. This approach offers an alternative description of nano-mechanical oscillators and opto-mechanical systems. PACS numbers: 03.65.-w, 03.65.Yz, 03.70.+k 1.