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Nonlinear Friction in Quantum Mechanics

Roumen Tsekov

Published Jan 1, 2012• 3 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Nonlinear friction forces are a problem in classical Brownian motion for a long time [1]. They are described either by Langevin or by Fokker-Planck equations [2-4]. However, the rigorous generalized Langevin equation is linear, which points out that nonlinear friction forces possess a macroscopic hydrodynamic origin [1]. For this reason, they are not present in the modern quantum theory of open systems [5]. The scope of the present paper is to investigate the nonlinear friction effect on quantum mechanics. The analysis is based on a dissipative Madelung quantum hydrodynamics. Thus, the nonlinear friction is a result of nonlinear non-equilibrium thermodynamics in contrast to the traditional mechanical nonlinear friction forces. A quantum particle in vacuum is described by the Schrodinger equation

DOI
10.13140/rg.2.1.4712.4009

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Nonlinear friction forces are a problem in classical Brownian motion for a long time [1]. They are described either by Langevin or by Fokker-Planck equations [2-4]. However, the rigorous generalized Langevin equation is linear, which points out that nonlinear friction forces possess a macroscopic hydrodynamic origin [1]. For this reason, they are not present in the modern quantum theory of open systems [5]. The scope of the present paper is to investigate the nonlinear friction effect on quantum mechanics. The analysis is based on a dissipative Madelung quantum hydrodynamics. Thus, the nonlinear friction is a result of nonlinear non-equilibrium thermodynamics in contrast to the traditional mechanical nonlinear friction forces. A quantum particle in vacuum is described by the Schrodinger equation
We formally derive two nonlinear Ginzburg-Landau type models starting from the Wigner-Fokker-Planck system, which rules the evolution of a quantum electron gas interacting with a heat bath in thermodynamic equilibrium. These models mainly consist of a quantum, dissipative O(Planck 3) hydrodynamic/O(Planck 4) stochastic correction to the frictional (Caldeira-Leggett-)Schrödinger equation. The main ingredient lies in the use of the hydrodynamic/stochastic fluid model approach associated with the quantum Fokker-Planck equation and the identification of the associated pressure field. Then, Madelung transformations set the problem in the Schrödinger picture of dissipative quantum mechanics. We also describe the stationary dynamics associated with both systems.
In the frames of classical mechanics the generalized Langevin equation is derived for an arbitrary mechanical subsystem coupled to the harmonic bath of a solid. A time-acting temperature operator is introduced for the quantum Klein-Kramers and Smoluchowski equations, accounting for the effect of the quantum thermal bath oscillators. The model of Brownian emitters is theoretically studied and the relevant evolutionary equations for the probability density are derived. The Schrodinger equation is explained via collisions of the target point particles with the quantum force carriers, transmitting the fundamental interactions between the point particles. Thus, electrons and other point particles are no waves and the wavy chapter of quantum mechanics originated for the force carriers. A stochastic Lorentz-Langevin equation is proposed to describe the underlaying Brownian-like motion of the point particles in quantum mechanics. Considering the Brownian dynamics in the frames of the Bohmian mechanics, the density functional Bohm-Langevin equation is proposed, and the relevant Smoluchowski-Bohm equation is derived. A nonlinear master equation is proposed by proper quantization of the classical Klein-Kramers equation. Its equilibrium solution in the exact canonical Gibbs density operator, while the well-known Caldeira-Leggett equation is simply a linearization at high temperature. In the case of a free quantum Brownian particles, a new law for the spreading of the wave packet it discovered, which represents the quantum generalization of the classical Einstein law of Brownian motion. A new projector operator is proposed for the collapse of the wave function of a quantum particle moving in a classical environment. Its application results in dissipative Schrodinger equations, as well as in a new form of dissipative Liouville equation in classical mechanics.
Based on three principles taken from empiricism we establish a new nonlinear field theory which allows us to describe frictional effects in dissipative systems with the aid of a Schrödinger-type field equation with logarithmic nonlinearity. This nonlinear field equation corresponds to the classical Langevin equation and can be interpreted in different ways, taking the view of classical undulatory theory or probabilistic theories, respectively. Because of formal similarities, calculations can be performed independently of the accepted interpretation; only the occurring quantities have to be provided with the corresponding meaning. As an example, the nonlinear field equation for the damped harmonic oscillator is solved exactly. The solutions, a wavefunction and a wavepacketlike solution, a solution with Gaussian shape, exhibit reasonable properties, contain the correct reduced frequency Ω=(ω20−γ2/4)1/2 and are different from the solutions of the undamped problem. The properties of our nonlinear friction term are discussed and compared with those of similar nonlinear friction terms used by other authors. Finally, we derive a nonlinear friction term equivalent to our logarithmic nonlinearity but involving only combinations of suitably defined operators of position and linear momentum and mean values of these operators.
We discuss formal analogies between a nonlinear Schrödinger equation derived by the author from the theory of scale relativity and the equations of Brownian theory. By using the Madelung transformation, the nonlinear Schrödinger equation takes the form of hydrodynamic equations involving a friction force, an effective thermal pressure, a pressure due to the self-interaction, and a quantum potential. These hydrodynamic equations have a form similar to the damped Euler equations obtained for self-interacting Brownian particles in the theory of simple liquids. In that case, the temperature is due to thermal motion and the pressure arises from spatial correlations between the particles. More generally, the correlations can be accounted for by using the dynamical density functional theory. We determine the excess free energy of Brownian particles that reproduces the standard quantum potential. We then consider a more general form of excess free energy functionals and propose a new class of generalized Schrödinger equations. For a certain form of excess free energy, we recover the generalized Schrödinger equation associated with the Tsallis entropy considered in a previous paper.
The close connection between the Jacobi function for a velocity-dependent dissipative system and the nonlinear Schrödinger–Langevin equation is used to study some of the features of the latter equation. Starting with the Hamiltonian for a classical system, different forms of the Jacobi generating function are obtained. With the help of these, corresponding solutions of the nonlinear wave equation are studied. It is found that the solution of the wave equation is not unique, and that it admits quasi-stationary, decaying, and asymptotically stationary solutions. Since this nonlinear wave equation is derivable from a classical generating function, it preserves some of the characteristic properties of the linear quantum theory. Among these are: (a) the lack of any correlation between noninteracting particles moving in a viscous medium, (b) the gauge independence of the observable quantities, and (c) the constancy of the density of states in phase space. This discussion can also be extended to the problem of quantal description of a harmonically bound radiating electron.