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The Embedding Property and the Consistency Problem of $\cal PT$ -symmetric Theory

Minyi Huang, Junde Wu

Published Mar 7, 2017• 0 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

In this paper, we show that a $\cal PT$-symmetric hamiltonian can be embedded into a hermitian hamiltonian if and only if it is unbroken. Moreover, by utilizing the embedding property, we can settle the consistency problem of the $\cal PT$-symmetry theory completely within the scope of conventional quantum mechanics. In particular, we show how a violation of the no-signaling principle arises in the $\cal PT$-symmetric quantum theory and fits into the existing theories.

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The Embedding Property and the Consistency Problem of PT\cal PTPT -symmetric Theory
In this paper, we show that a PT\cal PTPT-symmetric hamiltonian can be embedded into a hermitian hamiltonian if and only if it is unbroken. Moreover, by utilizing the embedding property, we can settle the consistency problem of the PT\cal PTPT-symmetry theory completely within the scope of conventional quantum mechanics. In particular, we show how a violation of the no-signaling principle arises in the PT\cal PTPT-symmetric quantum theory and fits into the existing theories.
Bender et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 80, 5243 (1998)] have developed PT-symmetric quantum theory as an extension of quantum theory to non-Hermitian Hamiltonians. We show that when this model has a local PT symmetry acting on composite systems, it violates the nonsignaling principle of relativity. Since the case of global PT symmetry is known to reduce to standard quantum mechanics A. Mostafazadeh [J. Math. Phys. 43, 205 (2001)], this shows that the PT-symmetric theory is either a trivial extension or likely false as a fundamental theory.
Abstract P T -symmetric quantum mechanics, the extension of conventional quantum mechanics to the non-Hermitian Hamiltonian invariant under the combined parity ( P ) and time reversal ( T ) symmetry, has been successfully applied to a variety of fields—such as solid state physics, mathematical physics, optics, quantum field theory. Recently, the extension of P T -symmetrical theory to entangled quantum systems has been challenged, in that P T formulation within the conventional Hilbert space violates the no-signaling principle. Here, we revisit the derivation of non-signaling principle in the framework of C P T inner product prescription. Our results preserve the no-signaling principle for a two-qubit system, reaffirm the invariance of the entanglement, and reproduce the Clauser–Horne–Shimony–Holt (CHSH) inequality. We conclude that P T -symmetric quantum mechanics satisfies the requirements for a fundamental theory and provides a consistent description of quantum systems.
Bender and Boettcher explored a quantum theory based on a non-Hermitian PT­ symmetric Hamiltonian , where PT is the operator of the space-time reflection and demonstrated that the PT-symmetric Hamiltonian can possess entirely real spectra. In this thesis, we point out that in the framework of PT-symmetric quantum mechanics; the calculation of matrix elements in the Hilbert space is ill-defined. We point out the importance of using CPT inner product in PT-symmetric systems. We manifested our assessment using the CPT inner product prescription for the entangled wave function of the composite system. We show that for a composite system with a local PT-symmetry, it preserves the no-signaling condition and the orthogonality of the states.The reduced density matrix is diagonal and independent of the non-Hermitian parameter . We reaffirm the consistency of PT-symmetric quantum mechanics as a candidate for a fundamental theory .
Abstract PT-symmetric quantum theory was originally proposed with the aim of extending standard quantum theory by relaxing the Hermiticity constraint on Hamiltonians. However, no such extension has been formulated that consistently describes states, transformations, measurements and composition, which is a requirement for any physical theory. We aim to answer the question of whether a consistent physical theory with PT-symmetric observables extends standard quantum theory. We answer this question within the framework of general probabilistic theories, which is the most general framework for physical theories. We construct the set of states of a system that result from imposing PT-symmetry on the set of observables, and show that the resulting theory allows only one trivial state. We next consider the constraint of quasi-Hermiticity on observables, which guarantees the unitarity of evolution under a Hamiltonian with unbroken PT-symmetry. We show that such a system is equivalent to a standard quantum system. Finally, we show that if all observables are quasi-Hermitian as well as PT-symmetric, then the system is equivalent to a real quantum system. Thus our results show that neither PT-symmetry nor quasi-Hermiticity constraints are sufficient to extend standard quantum theory consistently.
It is possible to extend conventional quantum mechanics described by Hermitian Hamiltonians into the complex domain. A consistent physical theory of quantum mechanics can be built on a complex Hamiltonian that is not Hermitian but satisfies the less restrictive and more physical condition of space-time reflection symmetry (PT symmetry). Thus, there are infinitely many new Hamiltonians that one can construct to explain experimental data. One might think that a quantum theory based on a non-Hermitian Hamiltonian would violate unitarity. However, if PT symmetry is not spontaneously broken, it is possible to use a previously unnoticed physical symmetry of the Hamiltonian to construct an inner product whose associated norm is positive definite. This construction is general and works for any PT-symmetric Hamiltonian. The dynamics is governed by unitary time evolution. This formulation does not conflict with conventional quantum mechanics; rather, it is a complex generalization of it. There are many possible observable and experimental consequences of extending quantum mchanics into the complex domain, both in particle physics and in solid state physics.
Based on the PT-symmetric quantum theory, the concepts of PT-frame, PT-symmetric operator and CPT-frame on a Hilbert space K and for an operator on K are proposed. It is proved that the spectrum and point spectrum of a PT-symmetric linear operator are both symmetric with respect to the real axis and the eigenvalues of an unbroken PT-symmetric operator are real. For a linear operator H on C d , it is proved that H has unbroken PT-symmetry if and only if it has d different eigenvalues and the corresponding eigenstates are eigenstates of PT. Given a CPT-frame on K, a new positive inner product on K is induced and called CPT-inner product. Te relationship between the CPT-adjoint and the Dirac adjoint of a densely defined linear operator is derived, and it is proved that an operator which has a bounded CPT-frame is CPT-Hermitian if and only if it is T-symmetric, in that case, it is similar to a Hermitian operator. The existence of an operator C consisting of a CPT-frame is discussed. These concepts and results will serve a mathematical discussion about PT-symmetric quantum mechanics.