Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Physical Review Letters

Coherent States for General Potentials

Michael Martin Nieto, L. M. Simmons

Published Jul 24, 1978• 232 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We define coherent states for general potentials, requiring that they have the physically interesting properties of the harmonic-oscillator coherent states. We exhibit these states for several solvable examples and show that they obey a quantum approximation to the classical motion.
DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.41.207

Related papers

Coherent states for general potentials. I. Formalism

Michael Martin Nieto, L. M. Simmons

We first review the properties of the harmonic-oscillator coherent states which can be equivalently defined as (a) a specific subset of the $x\ensuremath{-}p$ minimum-uncertainty states, (b) eigenstates of the annihilation operator, or (c) states created by a certain unitary exponential displacement operator. Then we present a new method for finding coherent states for particles in general potentials. Its basis is the desire to find those states which most nearly follow the classical motion, but it is most nearly a generalization of the minimum-uncertainty method. The properties of these states are discussed in detail. Next we show that the annihilation operator and displacement operator methods, as heretofore defined, cannot be applied to general potentials (whose eigenvalues are not equally spaced). We define a generalization of these methods but show that the states so defined are not, in general, equivalent to the minimum-uncertainty coherent states. We discuss a number of properties of our coherent states and the procedures we have used.

Physical review. D. Particles, fields, gravitation, and cosmology/Physical review. D. Particles and fields•Sep 15, 1979•210 citations

Generalized coherent states for the Pöschl-Teller potential and a classical limit

M. G. A. Crawford, Edward R. Vrscay

Coherent states in the harmonic oscillator may be defined in several equivalent ways. One definition describes coherent states as special states satisfying a minimum-uncertainty requirement in position and momentum spaces. This definition is generalized for other potentials according to a method developed by Nieto et al. [Phys. Rev. D 20, 1321 (1979)] and is herein applied to the P\"oschl-Teller potential. A classical limit based on the harmonic-oscillator coherent-state classical limit is then developed and applied to the P\"oschl-Teller minimum-uncertainty states. In this limit, classical behavior may be obtained from these quantum states. Together with a completeness argument for the generalized coherent states, this result provides insight into quantum classical correspondence through the statistical interpretation of quantum mechanics.

Physical Review A•Jan 1, 1998•18 citations

Coherent states for general potentials. II. Confining one-dimensional examples

Michael Martin Nieto, L. M. Simmons

We apply our minimum-uncertainty coherent-states formalism, which is physically motivated by the classical motion, to two confining one-dimensional systems: the harmonic oscillator with centripetal barrier and the symmetric P\"oschl-Teller potentials. The minimum-uncertainty coherent states are discussed in great detail, and the connections to annihilation-operator coherent states and displacement-operator coherent states are given. The first system discussed provides an excellent bridge between the harmonic oscillator and more general potentials because, even though it is a nonharmonic potential, its energy eigenvalues are equally spaced. Thus, its coherent states have many, but not all, of the properties of the harmonic-oscillator coherent states.

Physical review. D. Particles, fields, gravitation, and cosmology/Physical review. D. Particles and fields•Sep 15, 1979•136 citations

Coherent states for the time-dependent harmonic oscillator

John G. Hartley, John R. Ray

Exact coherent states for the time-dependent harmonic oscillator are constructed. These new coherent states have most, but not all, of the properties of the coherent states for the time-independent oscillator. For example, these coherent states give the exact classical motion, but they are not minimum-uncertainty states.

Physical review. D. Particles, fields, gravitation, and cosmology/Physical review. D. Particles and fields•Jan 15, 1982•129 citations

Coherent states with classical motion: from an analytic method complementary to group theory

Michael Martin Nieto

From the motivation of Schroedinger, that of finding states which follow the motion which a classical particle would have in a given potential, we discuss generalizations of the coherent states of the harmonic oscillator. We focus on a method which is the analytic complement to the group theory point of view. It uses a minimum uncertainty formalism as its basis. We discuss the properties and time evolution of these states, always keeping in mind the desire to find quantum states which follow the classical motion.

•Jan 1, 1982•4 citations

Coherent states for exactly solvable potentials

T. Shreecharan, Prasanta Kumar Panigrahi, J. Banerji

A general algebraic procedure for constructing coherent states of a wide class of exactly solvable potentials, e.g., Morse and P\"oschl-Teller, is given. The method, a priori, is potential independent and connects with earlier developed ones, including the oscillator-based approaches for coherent states and their generalizations. This approach can be straightforwardly extended to construct more general coherent states for the quantum-mechanical potential problems, such as the nonlinear coherent states for the oscillators. The time evolution properties of some of these coherent states show revival and fractional revival, as manifested in the autocorrelation functions, as well as, in the quantum carpet structures.

arXiv:quant-ph/0309038•Physical Review A•Jan 12, 2004•38 citations
We first review the properties of the harmonic-oscillator coherent states which can be equivalently defined as (a) a specific subset of the $x\ensuremath{-}p$ minimum-uncertainty states, (b) eigenstates of the annihilation operator, or (c) states created by a certain unitary exponential displacement operator. Then we present a new method for finding coherent states for particles in general potentials. Its basis is the desire to find those states which most nearly follow the classical motion, but it is most nearly a generalization of the minimum-uncertainty method. The properties of these states are discussed in detail. Next we show that the annihilation operator and displacement operator methods, as heretofore defined, cannot be applied to general potentials (whose eigenvalues are not equally spaced). We define a generalization of these methods but show that the states so defined are not, in general, equivalent to the minimum-uncertainty coherent states. We discuss a number of properties of our coherent states and the procedures we have used.
Coherent states in the harmonic oscillator may be defined in several equivalent ways. One definition describes coherent states as special states satisfying a minimum-uncertainty requirement in position and momentum spaces. This definition is generalized for other potentials according to a method developed by Nieto et al. [Phys. Rev. D 20, 1321 (1979)] and is herein applied to the P\"oschl-Teller potential. A classical limit based on the harmonic-oscillator coherent-state classical limit is then developed and applied to the P\"oschl-Teller minimum-uncertainty states. In this limit, classical behavior may be obtained from these quantum states. Together with a completeness argument for the generalized coherent states, this result provides insight into quantum classical correspondence through the statistical interpretation of quantum mechanics.
We apply our minimum-uncertainty coherent-states formalism, which is physically motivated by the classical motion, to two confining one-dimensional systems: the harmonic oscillator with centripetal barrier and the symmetric P\"oschl-Teller potentials. The minimum-uncertainty coherent states are discussed in great detail, and the connections to annihilation-operator coherent states and displacement-operator coherent states are given. The first system discussed provides an excellent bridge between the harmonic oscillator and more general potentials because, even though it is a nonharmonic potential, its energy eigenvalues are equally spaced. Thus, its coherent states have many, but not all, of the properties of the harmonic-oscillator coherent states.
From the motivation of Schroedinger, that of finding states which follow the motion which a classical particle would have in a given potential, we discuss generalizations of the coherent states of the harmonic oscillator. We focus on a method which is the analytic complement to the group theory point of view. It uses a minimum uncertainty formalism as its basis. We discuss the properties and time evolution of these states, always keeping in mind the desire to find quantum states which follow the classical motion.
A general algebraic procedure for constructing coherent states of a wide class of exactly solvable potentials, e.g., Morse and P\"oschl-Teller, is given. The method, a priori, is potential independent and connects with earlier developed ones, including the oscillator-based approaches for coherent states and their generalizations. This approach can be straightforwardly extended to construct more general coherent states for the quantum-mechanical potential problems, such as the nonlinear coherent states for the oscillators. The time evolution properties of some of these coherent states show revival and fractional revival, as manifested in the autocorrelation functions, as well as, in the quantum carpet structures.