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The Wigner representation of quantum mechanics

Valerian I. Tatarskii

Published Apr 30, 1983• 483 citations

Abstract

Correct use of the Wigner representation of quantum mechanics, which is realized with joint distributions of quasiprobabilities in phase space, requires the use of certain specific rules and attention to a number of properties which distinguish the quasiprobability from a true probability. This paper is mainly concerned with these problems. In the Wigner representation the quantum Liouville equation appears instead of the Schroedinger equation. The solution may have no physical meaning unless it is subjected to a necessary and sufficient condition which selects an allowed class of distributions which describe quantum-mechanical pure states. This condition contains Planck's constant and imposes, besides the uncertainty relations, severe restrictions on the possible form of the Wigner function. When this condition is satisfied, one can reconstruct the wave function from the Wigner function. In the case of an oscillator, the quantization condition for the energies of the stationary states does not follow from the Liouville equation, but from this supplementary condition. Unlike the true probability density, any Wigner function (except Gaussian ones) of a pure state takes on negative values. Another important peculiarity is that the quasiprobability is not concentrated on certain hypersurfaces, but is smeared out over the entire phase space. These and other features considered in this paper should be kept in mind when using the Wigner representation in quantum-mechanical problems.

DOI: 10.1070/pu1983v026n04abeh004345

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Correct use of the Wigner representation of quantum mechanics, which is realized with joint distributions of quasiprobabilities in phase space, requires the use of certain specific rules and attention to a number of properties which distinguish the quasiprobability from a true probability. This paper is mainly concerned with these problems. In the Wigner representation the quantum Liouville equation appears instead of the Schroedinger equation. The solution may have no physical meaning unless it is subjected to a necessary and sufficient condition which selects an allowed class of distributions which describe quantum-mechanical pure states. This condition contains Planck's constant and imposes, besides the uncertainty relations, severe restrictions on the possible form of the Wigner function. When this condition is satisfied, one can reconstruct the wave function from the Wigner function. In the case of an oscillator, the quantization condition for the energies of the stationary states does not follow from the Liouville equation, but from this supplementary condition. Unlike the true probability density, any Wigner function (except Gaussian ones) of a pure state takes on negative values. Another important peculiarity is that the quasiprobability is not concentrated on certain hypersurfaces, but is smeared out over the entire phase space. These and other features considered in this paper should be kept in mind when using the Wigner representation in quantum-mechanical problems.

In contrast to a widespread belief, Wigner's theorem allows the construction of true joint probabilities in phase space for distributions describing the object system as well as for distributions depending on the measurement apparatus. The fundamental role of Heisenberg's uncertainty relations in Schroedinger form (including correlations) is pointed out for these two possible interpretations of joint probability distributions. Hence, in order that a multivariate normal probability distribution in phase space may correspond to a Wigner distribution of a pure or a mixed state, it is necessary and sufficient that Heisenberg's uncertainty relation in Schroedinger form should be satisfied.

The first part is a systematical representation of the Wigner quasiprobability in representations by canonical variables and pairs of complex conjugate variables with particular attention to the reconstruction of the density operator from the Wigner quasiprobability to show their equivalence. All formulae are derived from basic postulates of quantum mechanics. Problems of operator orderings are touched. The second part considers the integration over the amplitude in the Wigner quasiprobability and its specialization for coherent states and for even and odd coherent states and provides phase distributions which are presented in graphics that are new in their kind. It is demonstrated that the Heitler number phase uncertainty relation is incorrect. The problem of the transition from quantum to classical distribution functions by ℏ→0 is discussed with the conjecture that the inertial point of the distributions plays a basic role.

The problem of quantization in the phase-space formulation of quantum mechanics is considered. An integral equation for the phase-space eigenfunctions is derived which is equivalent to the standard eigenvalue equation for a quantum mechanical operator. A differential form is also given. A variational principle is derived for quasiprobability distributions. It is shown that the expected value of the classical Hamiltonian calculated with a trial quasiprobability distribution will be greater than the ground state energy only if the distribution is chosen from a certain class of functions. The notion of ψ-representability is introduced to classify these functions. They represent distributions which correspond to possible quantum mechanical states. Also, a general relation is given between different distribution functions.

A mapping that relates the Wigner phase-space distribution function of a given stationary quantum mechanical wave function, a solution of the Schr\"odinger equation, to a specific solution of the Liouville equation, both subject to the same potential, is studied. By making this mapping, bound states are described by semiclassical distribution functions still depending on Planck's constant, whereas for elastic scattering of a particle by a potential they do not depend on it, the classical limit being reached in this case. Following this method, the mapped distributions of a particle bound in the P\"oschl-Teller potential and also in a modified oscillator potential are obtained.

Starting from Wigner's definition of the function named now after him we systematically develop different representation of this quasiprobability with emphasis on symmetric representations concerning the canonical variables ( ) , q p of phase space and using the known relation to the parity operator.One of the representations is by means of the Laguerre 2D polynomials which is particularly effective in quantum optics.For the coherent states we show that their Fourier transforms are again coherent states.We calculate the Wigner quasiprobability to the eigenstates of a particle in a square well with infinitely high impenetrable walls which is not smooth in the spatial coordinate and vanishes outside the wall boundaries.It is not well suited for the calculation of expectation values.A great place takes on the calculation of the Wigner quasiprobability for coherent phase states in quantum optics which is essentially new.We show that an unorthodox entire function plays there a role in most formulae which makes all calculations difficult.The Wigner quasiprobability for coherent phase states is calculated and graphically represented but due to the involved unorthodox function it may be considered only as illustration and is not suited for the calculation of expectation values.By another approach via the number representation of the states and using the recently developed summation formula by means of Generalized Eulerian numbers it becomes possible to calculate in approximations with good convergence the basic expectation values, in particular, the basic uncertainties which are additionally represented in graphics.Both considered examples, the square well and the coherent phase states, belong to systems with ( ) 1,1 SU symmetry with the same index 1 2 k = of unitary irreducible representations.

This paper discusses the relationship between the Wigner function, along with other related quasiprobability distribution functions, and the probability density distribution function constructed from the wave function of the Schr\"odinger equation in quantum phase space, as formulated by Torres-Vega and Frederick (TF). At the same time, a general approach in solving the wave function of the Schr\"odinger equation of TF quantum phase space theory is proposed. The relationship of the wave functions between the TF quantum phase space representation and the coordinate or momentum representation is thus revealed.