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Izvestia Herzen University Journal of Humanities & Sciences

Вигнеровское представление в современной теоретической физике

Борисёнок Сергей Владимирович, Кондратьев Александр Сергеевич, V. M. Uzdin

Published Jan 1, 2004• 0 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

Wigner representation for distribution functions is very important in modern physical theory: it allows the formulation of quantum mechanics and statistics in terms of classical theory. Under this approach, physical values are easily represented by appropriate Weyl transformations. It is demonstrated how the Wigner representation can be used both in equilibrium and non-equilibrium cases. Using this approach we demonstrate the equivalence between the Kadanoff-Baym and the Keldysh techniques in the non-equilibrium statistical mechanics.

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•Jan 1, 2014•2 citations
Wigner representation for distribution functions is very important in modern physical theory: it allows the formulation of quantum mechanics and statistics in terms of classical theory. Under this approach, physical values are easily represented by appropriate Weyl transformations. It is demonstrated how the Wigner representation can be used both in equilibrium and non-equilibrium cases. Using this approach we demonstrate the equivalence between the Kadanoff-Baym and the Keldysh techniques in the non-equilibrium statistical mechanics.
Abstract We show that the N.N. Bogolubov generating functional method is a very effective tool for studying distribution functions of both equilibrium and non equilibrium states of classical many‐particle dynamical systems. In some cases the Bogolubov generating functionals can be represented by means of infinite Ursell‐Mayer diagram expansions, whose convergence holds under some additional constraints on statistical system. The classical Bogolubov idea [1] to use the Wigner density operator transformation for studying the non equilibrium distribution functions is developed and new analytic non‐stationary solution to the classical N.N. Bogolubov evolution functional equation is constructed. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Since the very early days of quantum theory there have been numerous attempts to interpret quantum mechanics as a statistical theory. This is equivalent to describing quantum states and ensembles together with their dynamics entirely in terms of phase-space distributions. Finite dimensional systems have historically been an issue. In recent works [Phys. Rev. Lett. 117, 180401 (2016) and Phys. Rev. A 96, 022117 (2017)] we presented a framework for representing any quantum state as a complete continuous Wigner function. Here we extend this work to its partner function---the Weyl function. In doing so we complete the phase-space formulation of quantum mechanics---extending work by Wigner, Weyl, Moyal, and others to any quantum system. This work is structured in three parts. First we provide a brief modernized discussion of the general framework of phase-space quantum mechanics. We extend previous work and show how this leads to a framework that can describe any system in phase space---putting it for the first time on a truly equal footing to Schr\"odinger's and Heisenberg's formulation of quantum mechanics. Importantly, we do this in a way that respects the unifying principles of ``parity'' and ``displacement'' in a natural broadening of previously developed phase-space concepts and methods. Secondly we consider how this framework is realized for different quantum systems; in particular we consider the proper construction of Weyl functions for some example finite dimensional systems. Finally we relate the Wigner and Weyl distributions to statistical properties of any quantum system or set of systems.
The physical content of a theory is not intrinsically tied to any single mathematical formalism. Both classical and quantum mechanics admit equivalent representations, notably in phase space and in Hilbert space, related by the Wigner-Weyl correspondence. While this correspondence has long been studied in mathematical physics, its foundational and operational implications are often left implicit. Here we give a systematic account of what changes, and what does not, when classical and quantum theories are expressed in each other's native language. This representational viewpoint separates artifacts (such as the appearance of non-positivity or negativity under certain maps) from robust structural distinctions that persist across representations, in particular noncommutativity and its ℏ\hbarℏ-dependent ⋆\star⋆-deformation of the classical algebra. We develop the comparison at the level of states, kinematics, and dynamics, and extend it to measurement by formulating both outcome statistics and state-update rules within the same framework.
In contrast to classical physics, the language of quantum mechanics involves operators and wave functions (or, more generally, density operators). However, in 1932, Wigner formulated quantum mechanics in terms of a distribution function W(q,p)W(q,p)W(q,p), the marginals of which yield the correct quantum probabilities for qqq and ppp separately \cite{wigner}. Its usefulness stems from the fact that it provides a re-expression of quantum mechanics in terms of classical concepts so that quantum mechanical expectation values are now expressed as averages over phase-space distribution functions. In other words, statistical information is transferred from the density operator to a quasi-classical (distribution) function.
This thesis describes quantum mechanics in the phase space formulation. We introduce quantization and in particular the Weyl quantization. We study a general class of phase space distribution functions on phase space. The Wigner distribution function is one such distribution function. The Wigner distribution function in general attains negative values and thus can not be interpreted as a real probability density, as opposed to for example the Husimi distribution function. The Husimi distribution however does not yield the correct marginal distribution functions known from quantum mechanics. Properties of the Wigner and Husimi distribution function are studied to more extent. We calculate the Wigner and Husimi distribution function for the energy eigenstates of a particle trapped in a box. We then look at the semi classical limit for this example. The time evolution of Wigner functions are studied by making use of the Moyal bracket. The Moyal bracket and the Poisson bracket are compared in the classical limit. The phase space formulation of quantum mechanics has as advantage that classical concepts can be studied and compared to quantum mechanics. For certain quantum mechanical systems the time evolution of Wigner distribution functions becomes equivalent to the classical time evolution stated in the exact Egerov theorem. Another advantage of using Wigner functions is when one is interested in systems involving mixed states. A disadvantage of the phase space formulation is that for most problems it quickly loses its simplicity and becomes hard to calculate.