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Journal of Mathematical Physics

Quantum harmonic analysis on phase space

Reinhard F. Werner

Published May 1, 1984• 171 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Relative to an irreducible representation of the canonical commutation relations, convolutions between quantum mechanical operators and between functions and operators are defined, for which the usual Weyl transform acts as a Fourier transform. Basic properties of these operations are developed in close analogy to harmonic analysis on R2n. Using the quantum version of Wiener’s approximation theorem, a natural one-to-one correspondence between the closed, phase-space translation invariant subspaces of classical and quantum observables is established.

DOI
10.1063/1.526310

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Relative to an irreducible representation of the canonical commutation relations, convolutions between quantum mechanical operators and between functions and operators are defined, for which the usual Weyl transform acts as a Fourier transform. Basic properties of these operations are developed in close analogy to harmonic analysis on R2n. Using the quantum version of Wiener’s approximation theorem, a natural one-to-one correspondence between the closed, phase-space translation invariant subspaces of classical and quantum observables is established.
We study classical and quantum harmonic analysis of phase space functions (classical observes) on finite Heisenberg group HW2N+1(ZNmn, ZNmn, Zmn) over the ring Zmn. This group is the discrete version of the real Heisenberg group HW2N+1(RN, RN, R), where R is the real field. These functions have one dimensional and m1, m2,...,mn-dimensions matrix valued spectral components (for irreducible representations of HW2N+1. The family of all 1D representations gives classical world world (CW). Various mi-dimension representations (i=1,2,...,n) map classical world (CW) into quantum worlds QW}mi of ith resolution i=1,2,...,n). Worlds QW(m1) and QW(mn) contain rough information and fine details about quantum word, respectively. In this case the Fourier transform on the Heisenberg group can be considered as Weyl quantization multiresolution procedure. We call this transform the natural quantum Fourier transform.
We study classical and quantum harmonic analysis of phase space functions (classical observes) on finite Heisenberg group HW 2N+1 (Z N m n,Z N m n, Z m n) over the ring Z m n. This group is the discrete version of the real Heisenberg group HW 2N+1 (R N , R N , R), where R is the real field. These functions have one dimensional and m 1 , m 2 ,..., m n -dimensions matrix valued spectral components (for irreducible representations of HW 2N+1 . The family of all ID representations gives classical world world (CW). Various m i -dimension representations (i = 1,2,...,n) map classical world (CW) into quantum worlds QW(m i ) of ith resolution (i = 1,2,....n). Worlds QW(m 1 ) and QW(m n ) contain rough information and fine details about quantum word, respectively. In this case the Fourier transform on the Heisenberg group can be considered as Weyl quantization multiresolution procedure. We call this transform the natural quantum Fourier transform.
This thesis addresses aspects of quantum phase and sets out to draw attention to a collection of new and extend some not so new techniques utilizing Weyl's correspondence rule and its inverse. The phase formulation of quantum mechanics is as old as quantum mechanics itself and evolved over a period of two decades due to the contributions of H. Weyl \cite{Weyl1950}, E. P. Wigner \cite{Wigner1932}, H. Groenewold \cite{Groenewold1946} and J. E. Moyal \cite{Moyal1949}. Over the ensuing years the phase picture has matured into a practical analytical tool, and has generated a multitude of technical papers, reports, reviews, and expositions from many authors and commentators. One reason for its success is that it offers an intuitive picture of quantum mechanics owing to its \it{classical look and feel}, and it has made an impression, in one way or another, in many fields such as mathematical physics, quantum optics, and physical chemistry.The thesis opens with a brief history of classical phase space, tracing the possible origin of the term ``phase space itself, and chronicles the events leading to the conceptualization (and generalization) of quantum phase space. In Chapter 2 the Weyl correspondence is recast in terms of von Neumann's integral kernel transform and a heuristic analysis is given from this perspective. A characteristic of Weyl's correspondence rule and its inverse is that there are two inherent representations of the same operator. These have been referred to as the Weyl representation and Wigner representation and are related by a symplectic Fourier transform. For an arbitrary outer dyadic operator it is shown that the Weyl representation leads to the \it{modified} Gabor transform (known to Signal Processing), while the Wigner representation specializes to the Bargmann transform and a representation in terms of analytic functions. Calculating Weyl-Wigner (WW) transforms of products of nnn operators, from first principles, has proved to be a technically difficult problem. However, with the machinery developed in Chapter 2 the problem is reduced to a straightforward algebraic exercise. Finally, forming an sss-parametrized generalization of Weyl's correspondence rule and focusing on the Weyl representation it is shown to lead to an intimate relationship with the relative state formalism \cite{Ban1998}. Weyl's correspondence rule is only applicable to operators and consequently state vectors ∣ψ⟩|\psi\rangle∣ψ⟩ are not represented in the usual formulation of quantum phase space. This problem is circumvented in Chapter 3 by introducing the notion of a normalized fixed state (or window) vector ∣φ0⟩|\varphi_0\rangle∣φ0​⟩ to form an outer dyadic product $\wh{\Psi} = |\psi\rangle\langle\varphi_0|$. The WW transform of this product under the action of the Weyl's rule is a complex valued function of real variables called a phase amplitude and denoted by the symbol Ψ\PsiΨ. The phase amplitudes have many (and sometimes surprising) properties. For example they: \begin{itemize} \item form the building blocks of Wigner functions WWW by admitting a generalized Born rule W=Ψ⋆ΨˉW = \Psi \star \bar{\Psi}W=Ψ⋆Ψˉ, and as such can be considered to be a more fundamental objects than Wigner functions; \item superpose and interfere like the state vectors they represent; \item specialize to the Bargmann and Gabor transforms when a Gaussian window is chosen; \end{itemize} \ni In Chapter 4 further aspects of phase amplitudes are explored and discussed. For example it is shown that they: \begin{itemize} \item define phase state vectors which form an over complete set and are elements of a reproducing kernel Hilbert space; \item allow unitary ray representations of the group symmetries of translation, rotation and time reversal; \item evolve in phase under the influence of a propagator R\cal{R}R which is intimately related to the Wigner propagator PPP. \end{itemize} Chapter 5 considers an extension of phase amplitudes to include systems with finitely many degrees of freedom. These are called spin amplitudes and are obtained by first forming the outer dyadic product of a spin state vector with an arbitrary fixed spin state vector, and then applying a finite-dimensional analogue of the WW transform. The spin amplitude operator is represented as an n×nn \times nn×n matrix, whose elements are products of the spin components of the spin and fixed state vectors. Two kinds of spin amplitudes are considered, arising on the sphere S2\cal{S}^2S2 or on a (2j+1)(2j + 1)(2j+1) dimensional lattice. In the special case of spin-$\half$ systems it is shown that the spin amplitudes transform as spinors under rotations on both the sphere and lattice. As a physical application the spin amplitudes for a spin-$\half$ magnetic dipole are found for a Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) environment. Chapter 6 considers Schwinger's abstract approach to quantum mechanics which takes into account the inability to indefinitely compensate for fluctuations in the measurement process. The resulting measurement algebra provides a symbolic representation of the physical laws as opposed to the mathematical abstraction (of von Neumann and Dirac) that was justified \it{\'a posteriori} by being in agreement with experiment. Despite Schwinger's prolific work on the subject of measurement algebra, its interpretation in quantum phase remained an open issue. It is shown that the key to formulating a quantum phase in terms of the measurement operators and transformation functions is the determination of a suitable set of basis operators for an arbitrary measurement operator. Many new results follow as a consequence of expanding an arbitrary measurement operator in this basis. In Chapter 7 the quantum-classical interface is explored by considering Hamilton's principal function or action S(q,v,t)S(q,v,t)S(q,v,t). Starting from a purely heuristic classical argument, a phase function U(p,q,t)U(p,q,t)U(p,q,t) is derived in terms of the classical action and is shown to be proportional to the WW transform of the quantum evolution operator. This association leads to the transform \be U(p,q,t) = A(t) \int e^{ipv/\hbar} e^{iS(q,v,t)/\hbar} \; \rm{d}v, \ee which enables one, in principle, to deduce the Wigner functions of a given system when only the classical action is known. Simple physical systems are used to provide examples illustrating this approach.
A classical theorem of Stone and von Neumann says that the Schrödinger representation is, up to unitary equivalences, the only irreducible representation of the Heisenberg group on the Hilbert space of square-integrable functions on configuration space. Using the Wigner-Moyal transform we construct an irreducible representation of the Heisenberg group on a certain Hilbert space of square-integrable functions defined on phase space. This allows us to extend the usual Weyl calculus into a phase-space calculus and leads us to a quantum mechanics in phase space, equivalent to standard quantum mechanics. We also briefly discuss the extension of metaplectic operators to phase space and the probabilistic interpretation of the solutions of the phase space Schrödinger equation
The Weyl correspondence for obtaining quantum operators from functions of classical coordinates and momenta is known to be incorrect. To calculate quantum-mechanical expectation values as phase-space averages with the Wigner density function, one cannot use classical functions but must use Weyl transforms. These transforms are defined and their properties derived from quantum mechanics. Their properties are expressed in terms of a Hermitian operator Δ(Q, K) whose Weyl transform is a δ function. The Wigner function is the transform of the density operator. Every Weyl transform is exhibited as a difference of two functions which are nonnegative on the phase spece. Weyl transforms do not obey the algebra of classical functions. In the classical limit ℏ → 0, Weyl transforms become classical functions, the Wigner function becomes nonnegative throughout the phase space, and the Hilbert space is spanned by an orthonormal set of vectors which are simultaneous eigenkets of the commuting coordinate and momentum operators.
The geometry of classical phase space is determined by the Poisson bracket of functions on phase space. Canonical transformations of the classical coordinates and momenta are defined by the property that the fundamental Poisson brackets be preserved. In this section we shall study in detail the linear canonical transformations in phase space and their representations in quantum mechanics. The reason for developing these concepts is twofold. First of all there are a number of geometric transformations common to classical and quantum mechanics which appear naturally in the analysis of many-body systems. Examples are rotations of the three space coordinates, permutations of single-particle coordinates and transformations to various types of relative vectors. To these we shall add translations of coordinates and momenta and construct the operators which represent these geometric transformations in the Hilbert space of quantum mechanics. The second reason for dealing with these transformations is the fact that certain operators encountered in quantum mechanics may be interpreted as representatives of underlying geometric transformations in classical phase space. This applies in particular to dilatation operators and to Gaussian interactions. Recognition of the underlying geometric transformation allows us to reduce operator multiplication to combination on the geometric level like matrix multiplication.