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On Pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonians and Their Hermitian Counterparts

Hugh F Jones

Published Nov 23, 2004• 82 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

In the context of two particularly interesting non-Hermitian models in quantum mechanics we explore the relationship between the original Hamiltonian H and its Hermitian counterpart h, obtained from H by a similarity transformation, as pointed out by Mostafazadeh. In the first model, due to Swanson, h turns out to be just a scaled harmonic oscillator, which explains the form of its spectrum. However, the transformation is not unique, which also means that the observables of the original theory are not uniquely determined by H alone. The second model we consider is the original PT-invariant Hamiltonian, with potential V = igx 3. In this case the corresponding h, which we are only able to construct in perturbation theory, corresponds to a complicated velocity-dependent potential. We again explore the relationship between the canonical variables x and p and the observables X and P. 1

Related papers

On pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonians and their Hermitian counterparts

H F Jones

In the context of two particularly interesting non-Hermitian models in quantum mechanics we explore the relationship between the original Hamiltonian H and its Hermitian counterpart h , obtained from H by a similarity transformation, as pointed out by Mostafazadeh. In the first model, due to Swanson, h turns out to be just a scaled harmonic oscillator, which explains the form of its spectrum. However, the transformation is not unique, which also means that the observables of the original theory are not uniquely determined by H alone. The second model we consider is the original PT -invariant Hamiltonian, with potential V = i gx 3 . In this case the corresponding h , which we are only able to construct in perturbation theory, corresponds to a complicated velocity-dependent potential. We again explore the relationship between the canonical variables x and p and the observables X and P .

arXiv:quant-ph/0411171•Journal of Physics A Mathematical and General•Feb 10, 2005•153 citations

6th International Workshop on Pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonians in Quantum Physics

Andreas Fring, Hugh F Jones, Miloslav Znojil

Attempts to understand the quantum mechanics of non-Hermitian Hamiltonian systems can be traced back to the early days, one example being Heisenberg's endeavour to formulate a consistent model involving an indefinite metric. Over the years non-Hermitian Hamiltonians whose spectra were believed to be real have appeared from time to time in the literature, for instance in the study of strong interactions at high energies via Regge models, in condensed matter physics in the context of the XXZ-spin chain, in interacting boson models in nuclear physics, in integrable quantum field theories as Toda field theories with complex coupling constants, and also very recently in a field theoretical scenario in the quantization procedure of strings on an AdS 5 x S 5 background. Concrete experimental realizations of these types of systems in the form of optical lattices have been proposed in 2007. In the area of mathematical physics similar non-systematic results appeared sporadically over the years. However, intensive and more systematic investigation of these types of non- Hermitian Hamiltonians with real eigenvalue spectra only began about ten years ago, when the surprising discovery was made that a large class of one-particle systems perturbed by a simple non-Hermitian potential term possesses a real energy spectrum. Since then regular international workshops devoted to this theme have taken place. This special issue is centred around the 6th International Workshop on Pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonians in Quantum Physics held in July 2007 at City University London. All the contributions contain significant new results or alternatively provide a survey of the state of the art of the subject or a critical assessment of the present understanding of the topic and a discussion of open problems. Original contributions from non-participants were also invited. Meanwhile many interesting results have been obtained and consensus has been reached on various central conceptual issues in the growing community of this subject. It is, for instance, well understood that the reality of the spectrum can be attributed either to the unbroken PT-symmetry of the entire system, that is, invariance of the Hamiltonian and the corresponding wavefunctions under a simultaneous parity transformation and time reversal, or more generally to its pseudo-Hermiticity . When the spectrum is real and discrete the Hamiltonian is actually quasi-Hermitian, with a positive-definite metric operator, and can in principle be related by a similarity transformation to an isospectral Hermitian counterpart. For all approaches well-defined procedures have been developed, which allow one to construct metric operators and therefore a consistent description of the underlying quantum mechanical observables. Even though the general principles have been laid out, it remains a challenge in most concrete cases to implement the entire procedure. Solvable models in this sense, some of which may be found in this issue, remain a rare exception. Nonetheless, despite this progress some important questions are still unanswered. For instance, according to the current understanding the non-Hermitian Hamiltonian does not uniquely define the physics of the system since a meaningful metric can no longer be associated with the system in a non-trivial and unambiguous manner. A fully consistent scattering theory has also not yet been formulated. Other issues remain controversial, such as the quantum brachistochrone problem, the problem of forming a mixture between a Hermitian and non-Hermitian system, the new phenomenological possibilities of forming a kind of worm-hole effect, etc. We would like to acknowledge the financial support of the London Mathematical Society, the Institute of Physics, the Doppler Institute in Prague and the School of Engineering and Mathematical Science of City University London. We hope this special issue will be useful to the newcomer as well as to the expert in the subject. Participants of the 6th International Workshop on Pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonians in Quantum Physics.

Journal of Physics A Mathematical and Theoretical•Jun 3, 2008•13 citations

Physical aspects of pseudo-Hermitian andPT-symmetric quantum mechanics

Ali Mostafazadeh, Ahmet Batal

For a non-Hermitian Hamiltonian H possessing a real spectrum, we introduce a canonical orthonormal basis in which a previously introduced unitary mapping of H to a Hermitian Hamiltonian h takes a simple form. We use this basis to construct the observables O α of the quantum mechanics based on H . In particular, we introduce pseudo-Hermitian position and momentum operators and a pseudo-Hermitian quantization scheme that relates the latter to the ordinary classical position and momentum observables. These allow us to address the problem of determining the conserved probability density and the underlying classical system for pseudo-Hermitian and in particular PT -symmetric quantum systems. As a concrete example we construct the Hermitian Hamiltonian h , the physical observables O α , the localized states and the conserved probability density for the non-Hermitian PT -symmetric square well. We achieve this by employing an appropriate perturbation scheme. For this system, we conduct a comprehensive study of both the kinematical and dynamical effects of the non-Hermiticity of the Hamiltonian on various physical quantities. In particular, we show that these effects are quantum mechanical in nature and diminish in the classical limit. Our results provide an objective assessment of the physical aspects of PT -symmetric quantum mechanics and clarify its relationship with both conventional quantum mechanics and classical mechanics.

arXiv:quant-ph/0408132•Journal of Physics A Mathematical and General•Nov 18, 2004•307 citations

Continuum states in generalized Swanson models

Anjana Sinha, Pinaki Roy

A one-to-one correspondence is known to exist between the spectra of the discrete states of the non-Hermitian Swanson-type Hamiltonian ) and an equivalent Hermitian Schrödinger Hamiltonian h , the two Hamiltonians being related through a similarity transformation. In this work, we consider the continuum states of h , and examine the nature of the corresponding states of H .

arXiv:0901.0804•Journal of Physics A Mathematical and Theoretical•Jan 6, 2009•12 citations

On Pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonians

Soumendu Sundar Mukherjee, Pinaki Roy

We investigate some questions on the construction of $η$ operators for pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonians. We give a sufficient condition which can be exploited to systematically generate a sequence of $η$ operators starting from a known one, thereby proving the non-uniqueness of $η$ for a particular pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonian. We also study perturbed Hamiltonians for which $η$'s corresponding to the original Hamiltonian still work.

arXiv:1401.5255•Jan 21, 2014•1 citation

Dirac and Klein–Gordon particles in complex Coulombic fields; a similarity transformation.

Omar Mustafa, Typeset Using Revtex

The observation that the existence of the amazing reality and discreteness of the spectrum need not necessarily be attributed to the Hermiticity of the Hamiltonian is reemphasized in the context of the non-Hermitian Dirac and Klein-Gordon Hamiltonians. Complex Coulombic potentials are considered. In one of the first explicit studies of the non-Hermitian Schrödinger Hamiltonians, Caliceti et al [1] have considered the imaginary cubic oscillator problem in the context of perturbation theory. They have offered the first rigorous explanation why the spectrum in such a model may be real and discrete. Only many years later, after being quoted as just a mathematical curiosity [2] in the literature, the possible physical relevance of this result reemerged and emphasized [3]. Initiating thereafter an extensive discussion which resulted in the proposal of the so called PT −symmetric quantum mechanics by Bender and Boettcher [4]. The spiritual wisdom of the new formalism lies in the observation that the existence of the real spectrum need not necessarily be attributed to the Hermiticity of the Hamiltonian. This observation has offered a sufficiently strong motivation for the continued interest in

•Jan 1, 2003•25 citations
In the context of two particularly interesting non-Hermitian models in quantum mechanics we explore the relationship between the original Hamiltonian H and its Hermitian counterpart h, obtained from H by a similarity transformation, as pointed out by Mostafazadeh. In the first model, due to Swanson, h turns out to be just a scaled harmonic oscillator, which explains the form of its spectrum. However, the transformation is not unique, which also means that the observables of the original theory are not uniquely determined by H alone. The second model we consider is the original PT-invariant Hamiltonian, with potential V = igx 3. In this case the corresponding h, which we are only able to construct in perturbation theory, corresponds to a complicated velocity-dependent potential. We again explore the relationship between the canonical variables x and p and the observables X and P. 1
In the context of two particularly interesting non-Hermitian models in quantum mechanics we explore the relationship between the original Hamiltonian H and its Hermitian counterpart h , obtained from H by a similarity transformation, as pointed out by Mostafazadeh. In the first model, due to Swanson, h turns out to be just a scaled harmonic oscillator, which explains the form of its spectrum. However, the transformation is not unique, which also means that the observables of the original theory are not uniquely determined by H alone. The second model we consider is the original PT -invariant Hamiltonian, with potential V = i gx 3 . In this case the corresponding h , which we are only able to construct in perturbation theory, corresponds to a complicated velocity-dependent potential. We again explore the relationship between the canonical variables x and p and the observables X and P .
Attempts to understand the quantum mechanics of non-Hermitian Hamiltonian systems can be traced back to the early days, one example being Heisenberg's endeavour to formulate a consistent model involving an indefinite metric. Over the years non-Hermitian Hamiltonians whose spectra were believed to be real have appeared from time to time in the literature, for instance in the study of strong interactions at high energies via Regge models, in condensed matter physics in the context of the XXZ-spin chain, in interacting boson models in nuclear physics, in integrable quantum field theories as Toda field theories with complex coupling constants, and also very recently in a field theoretical scenario in the quantization procedure of strings on an AdS 5 x S 5 background. Concrete experimental realizations of these types of systems in the form of optical lattices have been proposed in 2007. In the area of mathematical physics similar non-systematic results appeared sporadically over the years. However, intensive and more systematic investigation of these types of non- Hermitian Hamiltonians with real eigenvalue spectra only began about ten years ago, when the surprising discovery was made that a large class of one-particle systems perturbed by a simple non-Hermitian potential term possesses a real energy spectrum. Since then regular international workshops devoted to this theme have taken place. This special issue is centred around the 6th International Workshop on Pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonians in Quantum Physics held in July 2007 at City University London. All the contributions contain significant new results or alternatively provide a survey of the state of the art of the subject or a critical assessment of the present understanding of the topic and a discussion of open problems. Original contributions from non-participants were also invited. Meanwhile many interesting results have been obtained and consensus has been reached on various central conceptual issues in the growing community of this subject. It is, for instance, well understood that the reality of the spectrum can be attributed either to the unbroken PT-symmetry of the entire system, that is, invariance of the Hamiltonian and the corresponding wavefunctions under a simultaneous parity transformation and time reversal, or more generally to its pseudo-Hermiticity . When the spectrum is real and discrete the Hamiltonian is actually quasi-Hermitian, with a positive-definite metric operator, and can in principle be related by a similarity transformation to an isospectral Hermitian counterpart. For all approaches well-defined procedures have been developed, which allow one to construct metric operators and therefore a consistent description of the underlying quantum mechanical observables. Even though the general principles have been laid out, it remains a challenge in most concrete cases to implement the entire procedure. Solvable models in this sense, some of which may be found in this issue, remain a rare exception. Nonetheless, despite this progress some important questions are still unanswered. For instance, according to the current understanding the non-Hermitian Hamiltonian does not uniquely define the physics of the system since a meaningful metric can no longer be associated with the system in a non-trivial and unambiguous manner. A fully consistent scattering theory has also not yet been formulated. Other issues remain controversial, such as the quantum brachistochrone problem, the problem of forming a mixture between a Hermitian and non-Hermitian system, the new phenomenological possibilities of forming a kind of worm-hole effect, etc. We would like to acknowledge the financial support of the London Mathematical Society, the Institute of Physics, the Doppler Institute in Prague and the School of Engineering and Mathematical Science of City University London. We hope this special issue will be useful to the newcomer as well as to the expert in the subject. Participants of the 6th International Workshop on Pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonians in Quantum Physics.
For a non-Hermitian Hamiltonian H possessing a real spectrum, we introduce a canonical orthonormal basis in which a previously introduced unitary mapping of H to a Hermitian Hamiltonian h takes a simple form. We use this basis to construct the observables O α of the quantum mechanics based on H . In particular, we introduce pseudo-Hermitian position and momentum operators and a pseudo-Hermitian quantization scheme that relates the latter to the ordinary classical position and momentum observables. These allow us to address the problem of determining the conserved probability density and the underlying classical system for pseudo-Hermitian and in particular PT -symmetric quantum systems. As a concrete example we construct the Hermitian Hamiltonian h , the physical observables O α , the localized states and the conserved probability density for the non-Hermitian PT -symmetric square well. We achieve this by employing an appropriate perturbation scheme. For this system, we conduct a comprehensive study of both the kinematical and dynamical effects of the non-Hermiticity of the Hamiltonian on various physical quantities. In particular, we show that these effects are quantum mechanical in nature and diminish in the classical limit. Our results provide an objective assessment of the physical aspects of PT -symmetric quantum mechanics and clarify its relationship with both conventional quantum mechanics and classical mechanics.
We investigate some questions on the construction of ηηη operators for pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonians. We give a sufficient condition which can be exploited to systematically generate a sequence of ηηη operators starting from a known one, thereby proving the non-uniqueness of ηηη for a particular pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonian. We also study perturbed Hamiltonians for which ηηη's corresponding to the original Hamiltonian still work.
The observation that the existence of the amazing reality and discreteness of the spectrum need not necessarily be attributed to the Hermiticity of the Hamiltonian is reemphasized in the context of the non-Hermitian Dirac and Klein-Gordon Hamiltonians. Complex Coulombic potentials are considered. In one of the first explicit studies of the non-Hermitian Schrödinger Hamiltonians, Caliceti et al [1] have considered the imaginary cubic oscillator problem in the context of perturbation theory. They have offered the first rigorous explanation why the spectrum in such a model may be real and discrete. Only many years later, after being quoted as just a mathematical curiosity [2] in the literature, the possible physical relevance of this result reemerged and emphasized [3]. Initiating thereafter an extensive discussion which resulted in the proposal of the so called PT −symmetric quantum mechanics by Bender and Boettcher [4]. The spiritual wisdom of the new formalism lies in the observation that the existence of the real spectrum need not necessarily be attributed to the Hermiticity of the Hamiltonian. This observation has offered a sufficiently strong motivation for the continued interest in