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Journal of Mathematical Physics

A Non-Hilbert-Space Formulation of Quantum Field Theory

Eduard Prugovečki

Published Nov 1, 1966• 1 citation
Publisher

Abstract

Based on earlier papers in which a non-Hilbert-space formalism for quantum physics, called the ℒ-formalism, was proposed, a new formalism for quantum field theory is developed by introducing the field concept into the ℒ-formalism. The present formalism is then compared with the Wightman approach and with the Haag-Araki approach to quantum field theory. The necessity of a global vacuum within the ℒ-framework and the alternative concept of the local vacuum are discussed.

DOI
10.1063/1.1704896

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Based on earlier papers in which a non-Hilbert-space formalism for quantum physics, called the ℒ-formalism, was proposed, a new formalism for quantum field theory is developed by introducing the field concept into the ℒ-formalism. The present formalism is then compared with the Wightman approach and with the Haag-Araki approach to quantum field theory. The necessity of a global vacuum within the ℒ-framework and the alternative concept of the local vacuum are discussed.
Instead of formulating the states of a Quantum Field Theory (QFT) as density matrices over a single large Hilbert space, it has been proposed by Kijowski [Kijowski, 1977] to construct them as consistent families of partial density matrices, the latter being defined over small 'building block' Hilbert spaces. In this picture, each small Hilbert space can be physically interpreted as extracting from the full theory specific degrees of freedom. This allows to reduce the quantization of a classical field theory to the quantization of finite-dimensional sub-systems, thus sidestepping some of the common ambiguities (specifically, the issues revolving around the choice of a 'vacuum state'), while obtaining robust and well-controlled quantum states spaces. The present letter provides a self-contained introduction to this formalism, detailing its motivations as well as its relations to other approaches to QFT (such as conventional Fock-like Hilbert spaces, path-integral quantization, and the algebraic formulation). At the same time, it can serve as a reading guide to the series of more in-depth articles [arXiv:1411.3589, arXiv:1411.3590, arXiv:1411.3591, arXiv:1510.01926].
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Quantum field theory (QFT) is the physical framework that integrates quantum mechanics and the special theory of relativity; it is the basis of many of our best physical theories. QFT's for interacting systems have yielded extraordinarily accurate predictions. Yet, in spite of unquestionable empirical success, the treatment of interactions in QFT raises serious issues for the foundations and interpretation of the theory. This dissertation takes Haag's theorem as a starting point for investigatingthese issues. It begins with a detailed exposition and analysis of different versions ofHaag's theorem. The theorem is cast as a reductio ad absurdum of canonical QFT prior to renormalization. It is possible to adopt different strategies in response to this reductio: (1) renormalizing the canonical framework; (2) introducing a volume i.e., long-distance) cutoff into the canonical framework; or (3) abandoning another assumption common to the canonical framework and Haag's theorem, which is the approach adopted by axiomatic and constructive field theorists. Haag's theorem doesnot entail that it is impossible to formulate a mathematically well-defined Hilbert space model for an interacting system on infinite, continuous space. Furthermore, Haag's theorem does not undermine the predictions of renormalized canonical QFT; canonical QFT with cutoffs and existing mathematically rigorous models for interactions are empirically equivalent to renormalized canonical QFT. The final two chapters explore the consequences of Haag's theorem for the interpretation of QFT with interactions. I argue that no mathematically rigorous model of QFT on infinite, continuous space admits an interpretation in terms of quanta (i.e., quantumparticles). Furthermore, I contend that extant mathematically rigorous models for physically unrealistic interactions serve as a better guide to the ontology of QFT than either of the other two formulations of QFT. Consequently, according to QFT, quanta do not belong in our ontology of fundamental entities.
The Wigner representation for quantum mechanics of particles is generalized to Bose fields. The standard Hilbert space quantization becomes, via the Weyl transform, a quantization method that consists of adding a Gaussian zeropoint field distribution to the vacuum. I comment on the possible advantages of the method in order to study quantum fields in curved spaces. I study a unified formulation of non-relativistic quantum electrodynamics in the Weyl–Wigner formalism, in terms of (classical-like) c-numbers.
A few recent innovations of the applicability of standard textbook Quantum Theory are reviewed. The three-Hilbert-space formulation of the theory (known from the interacting boson models in nuclear physics) is discussed in its slightly broadened four-Hilbert-space update. Among applications involving several new scattering and bound-state problems the central role is played by models using apparently non-Hermitian (often called “crypto-Hermitian”) Hamiltonians with real spectra. The formalism (originally inspired by the topical need for a mathematically consistent description of tobogganic quantum models) is shown to admit even certain unusual nonlocal and/or “moving-frame” representations H(S) of the standard physical Hilbert space of wave functions.