The Quantum Harmonic Oscillator is one of the most important models in Quantum Mechanics. Analogous to the classical mass vibrating back and forth on a spring, the quantum oscillator system has attracted substantial attention over the years because of its importance in many advanced and difficult quantum problems. This dissertation deals with solving generalized models of the time-dependent Schrodinger equation which are called generalized quantum harmonic oscillators, and these are characterized by an arbitrary quadratic Hamiltonian of linear momentum and position operators. The primary challenge in this work is that most quantum models with timedependence are not solvable explicitly, yet this challenge became the driving motivation for this work.
In this dissertation, the methods used to solve the time-dependent Schrodinger equation are the fundamental singularity (or Green's function) and the Fourier (eigenfunction expansion) methods. Certain Riccati- and Ermakov-type systems arise, and these systems are highlighted and investigated. The overall aims of this dissertation are to show that quadratic Hamiltonian systems are completely integrable systems, and to provide explicit approaches to solving the time-dependent SchrDodinger equation governed by an arbitrary quadratic Hamiltonian operator. The methods and results established in the dissertation are not yet well recognized in the literature, yet hold for high promise for further future research.
Finally, the most recent results in the dissertation correspond to the harmonic oscillator group and its symmetries. A simple derivation of the maximum kinematical invariance groups of the free particle and quantum harmonic oscillator is constructed from the view point of the Riccati- and Ermakov-type systems, which shows an alternative to the traditional Lie Algebra approach. To conclude, a missing class of solutions of the time-dependent Schrodinger equation for the simple harmonic oscillator in one dimension is constructed. Probability distributions of the particle linear position and momentum, are emphasized with Mathematica animations. The eigenfunctions qualitatively differ from the traditional standing waves of the one-dimensional Schrodinger equation. The physical relevance of these dynamic states is still questionable, and in order to investigate their physical meaning, animations could also be created for the squeezed coherent states. This will be addressed in future work.
The Quantum Harmonic Oscillator is one of the most important models in Quantum Mechanics. Analogous to the classical mass vibrating back and forth on a spring, the quantum oscillator system has attracted substantial attention over the years because of its importance in many advanced and difficult quantum problems. This dissertation deals with solving generalized models of the time-dependent Schrodinger equation which are called generalized quantum harmonic oscillators, and these are characterized by an arbitrary quadratic Hamiltonian of linear momentum and position operators. The primary challenge in this work is that most quantum models with timedependence are not solvable explicitly, yet this challenge became the driving motivation for this work.
In this dissertation, the methods used to solve the time-dependent Schrodinger equation are the fundamental singularity (or Green's function) and the Fourier (eigenfunction expansion) methods. Certain Riccati- and Ermakov-type systems arise, and these systems are highlighted and investigated. The overall aims of this dissertation are to show that quadratic Hamiltonian systems are completely integrable systems, and to provide explicit approaches to solving the time-dependent SchrDodinger equation governed by an arbitrary quadratic Hamiltonian operator. The methods and results established in the dissertation are not yet well recognized in the literature, yet hold for high promise for further future research.
Finally, the most recent results in the dissertation correspond to the harmonic oscillator group and its symmetries. A simple derivation of the maximum kinematical invariance groups of the free particle and quantum harmonic oscillator is constructed from the view point of the Riccati- and Ermakov-type systems, which shows an alternative to the traditional Lie Algebra approach. To conclude, a missing class of solutions of the time-dependent Schrodinger equation for the simple harmonic oscillator in one dimension is constructed. Probability distributions of the particle linear position and momentum, are emphasized with Mathematica animations. The eigenfunctions qualitatively differ from the traditional standing waves of the one-dimensional Schrodinger equation. The physical relevance of these dynamic states is still questionable, and in order to investigate their physical meaning, animations could also be created for the squeezed coherent states. This will be addressed in future work.
The time-dependent Schrödinger equation for quadratic Hamiltonians has Gaussian wave packets as exact solutions. For the parametric oscillator with frequency ω(t), the width of these wave packets must be time-dependent. This time-dependence can be determined via the solution of a complex nonlinear Riccati equation or an equivalent real nonlinear Ermakov equation. All quantum dynamical properties of the system can easily be constructed from these solutions, e.g., uncertainties of position and momentum, their correlations, tunnelling currents, ground state energies, etc. In addition, the link to the corresponding classical dynamics is supplied via linearization of the Riccati equation to a complex Newtonian equation, actually representing two equations of the same kind: one for the real and one for the imaginary part. If the solution of one part is known, the missing (linear independent) solution of the other can be obtained via a conservation law for the motion in the complex plane. Knowing these two solutions, the solution of the Ermakov equation can be determined immediately plus the explicit expressions for all the quantum dynamical properties mentioned above. Furthermore, these two solutions also provide the time-dependent Green function for the systems propagation for any given initial condition, not only for Gaussians. It is also possible to obtain the corresponding Wigner function and generalized creation and annihilation operators in this way. In searching for problems with analytical solutions, the crucial point is to identify systems that have either a wave packet solution with time-dependent width (in closed form) that obeys a Riccati equation, or a classical parametric oscillator with frequency ω(t) that still enables an analytical solution of the Newtonian equation. Comparing the wave packets with the solution of the diffusion equation – also a Gaussian with time-dependent width – leads to a real Riccati equation. A first attempt at "complexifying" this equation turns out to be problematic. Nevertheless, it provides a clue to time-dependent frequencies inversely proportional to time that lead to Newtonian equations with analytical solutions. Following a detailed analysis of the corresponding quantum dynamics and energetics, possible extensions of the method are indicated.
The time-evolution of the maximum and the width of exact analytic wave packet (WP) solutions of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation (SE) represents the particle and wave aspects, respectively, of the quantum system.The dynamics of the maximum, located at the mean value of position, is governed by the Newtonian equation of the corresponding classical problem.The width, which is directly proportional to the position uncertainty, obeys a complex nonlinear Riccati equation which can be transformed into a real nonlinear Ermakov equation.The coupled pair of these equations yields a dynamical invariant which plays a key role in our investigation.It can be expressed in terms of a complex variable that linearizes the Riccati equation.This variable also provides the time-dependent parameters that characterize the Green's function, or Feynman kernel, of the corresponding problem.From there, also the relation between the classical and quantum dynamics of the systems can be obtained.Furthermore, the close connection between the Ermakov invariant and the Wigner function will be shown.Factorization of the dynamical invariant allows for comparison with creation/annihilation operators and supersymmetry where the partner potentials fulfil (real) Riccati equations.This provides the link to a nonlinear formulation of timeindependent quantum mechanics in terms of an Ermakov equation for the amplitude of the stationary state wave functions combined with a conservation law.Comparison with SUSY and the time-dependent problems concludes our analysis.
Solutions of the Schrödinger equation with an exact time dependence are derived as eigenfunctions of dynamical invariants which are constructed from time-independent operators using time-dependent unitary transformations. Exact solutions and a closed form expression for the corresponding time evolution operator are found for a wide range of time-dependent Hamiltonians in d dimensions, including non-Hermitean -symmetric Hamiltonians. Hamiltonians are constructed using time-dependent unitary spatial transformations comprising dilatations, translations and rotations and solutions are found in several forms: as eigenfunctions of a quadratic invariant, as coherent state eigenfunctions of boson operators, as plane wave solutions from which the general solution is obtained as an integral transform by means of the Fourier transform, and as distributional solutions for which the initial wavefunction is the Dirac δ-function. For the isotropic harmonic oscillator in d dimensions radial solutions are found which extend known results for d = 1, including Barut–Girardello and Perelomov coherent states (i.e., vector coherent states), which are shown to be related to eigenfunctions of the quadratic invariant by the ζ-transformation. This transformation, which leaves the Ermakov equation invariant, implements SU(1, 1) transformations on linear dynamical invariants. coherent states are derived also for the time-dependent linear potential. Exact solutions are found for Hamiltonians with electromagnetic interactions in which the time-dependent magnetic and electric fields are not necessarily spatially uniform. As an example, it is shown how to find exact solutions of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation for the Dirac magnetic monopole in the presence of time-dependent magnetic and electric fields of a specified form.
We use the evolution operator method to describe time-dependent quadratic quantum systems in the framework of nonrelativistic quantum mechanics. For simplicity, we consider a free particle with a variable mass M(t), a particle with a variable mass M(t) in an alternating homogeneous field, and a harmonic oscillator with a variable mass M(t) and frequency ω(t) subject to a variable force F(t). To construct the evolution operators for these systems in an explicit disentangled form, we use a simple technique to find the general solution of a certain class of differential and finite-difference nonstationary Schrödinger-type equations of motion and also the operator identities of the Baker–Campbell–Hausdorff type. With known evolution operators, we can easily find the most general form of the propagators, invariants of any order, and wave functions and establish a unitary relation between systems. Results known in the literature follow from the obtained general results as particular cases.
During recent years, exact solutions of position-dependent mass Schrödinger equations have inspired intense research activities, based on the use of point canonical transformations, Lie algebraic methods or supersymmetric quantum mechanical techniques. Here we highlight the interest of another approach to such problems, relying on quadratic algebras. We illustrate this point by constructing spectrum generating algebras for a class of d -dimensional radial harmonic oscillators with d ≥ 2 (including the one-dimensional oscillator on the line via some minor changes) and a specific mass choice. This provides us with a counterpart of the well-known su(1, 1) Lie algebraic approach to the constant-mass oscillators.
Abstract The time-dependent Schrödinger equation for quadratic Hamiltonians has Gaussian wave packets as exact solutions. For the parametric oscillator with frequency ω(t), the width of these wave packets must be time-dependent. This time-dependence can be determined by solving a complex nonlinear Riccati equation or an equivalent real nonlinear Ermakov equation. All quantum dynamical properties of the system can easily be constructed from these solutions, e.g., uncertainties of position and momentum, their correlations, ground state energies, etc. In addition, the link to the corresponding classical dynamics is supplied by linearizing the Riccati equation to a complex Newtonian equation, actually representing two equations of the same kind: one for the real and one for the imaginary part. If the solution of one part is known, the missing (linear independent) solution of the other can be obtained via a conservation law for the motion in the complex plane. Knowing these two solutions, the solution of the Ermakov equation can be determined immediately plus the explicit expressions for all the quantum dynamical properties mentioned above. The effect of a dissipative, linear velocity dependent friction force on these systems is discussed.