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The Quantum Canonical Ensemble

Brody, D C, Lane P. Hughston

Published Jan 1, 1998• 34 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

The phase space of quantum mechanics can be viewed as the complex projective space CP^n endowed with a Kaehlerian structure given by the Fubini-Study metric and an associated symplectic form. Therefore, we can interpret the Schrodinger equation as generating a natural Hamiltonian dynamics on CP^n. Based upon the geometric structure of the quantum phase space we introduce the corresponding natural microcanonical and canonical ensembles. The resulting distribution implied by the quantum canonical ensemble differs from distribution of the conventional density matrix approach, which in some respects can be viewed as semiclassical. The results are applied in detail to the case of a spin one-half particle in a heat bath with an applied magnetic field.

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The phase space of quantum mechanics can be viewed as the complex projective space CP^n endowed with a Kaehlerian structure given by the Fubini-Study metric and an associated symplectic form. Therefore, we can interpret the Schrodinger equation as generating a natural Hamiltonian dynamics on CP^n. Based upon the geometric structure of the quantum phase space we introduce the corresponding natural microcanonical and canonical ensembles. The resulting distribution implied by the quantum canonical ensemble differs from distribution of the conventional density matrix approach, which in some respects can be viewed as semiclassical. The results are applied in detail to the case of a spin one-half particle in a heat bath with an applied magnetic field.
The phase space Γ of quantum mechanics can be viewed as the complex projective space CPn endowed with a Kählerian structure given by the Fubini-Study metric and an associated symplectic form. We can then interpret the Schrödinger equation as generating a Hamiltonian dynamics on Γ. Based upon the geometric structure of the quantum phase space we introduce the corresponding natural microcanonical and canonical ensembles. The resulting density matrix for the canonical Γ-ensemble differs from the density matrix of the conventional approach. As an illustration, the results are applied to the case of a spin one-half particle in a heat bath with an applied magnetic field.
Classical and quantum statistical mechanics are cast here in the language of projective geometry to provide a unified geometrical framework for statistical physics. After reviewing the Hilbert–space formulation of classical statistical thermodynamics, we show that the specification of a canonical polarity on the real projective space RPn induces a Riemannian metric on the state space of statistical mechanics. In the case of the canonical ensemble, equilibrium thermal states are determined by a Hamiltonian gradient flow with respect to this metric. This flow is characterized by the property that it induces a projective automorphism on the state manifold. The measurement problem for thermal systems is studied by the introduction of the concept of a random state. The general methodology is then extended to establish a new framework for the quantum–mechanical dynamics of equilibrium thermal states. In this case, the relevant phase space is the complex projective space CPn, here regarded as a real manifold γ endowed with the Fubini–Study metric and a compatible symplectic structure. A distinguishing feature of quantum thermal dynamics is the inherent multiplicity of thermal trajectories in the state space, associated with the non–uniqueness of the infinite–temperature state. We are then led to formulate a geometric characterization of the standard KMS relation often considered in the context of C* algebras. Finally, we develop a theory of the quantum microcanonical and canonical ensembles, based on the geometry of the quantum phase space γ. The example of a particle of quantum spin–1/2 particle in a heat bath is studied in detail.
It has recently been shown, by application of statistical mechanical methods to determine the canonical ensemble governing the equilibrium distribution of operator initial values, that complex quantum field theory can emerge as a statistical approximation to an underlying generalized quantum dynamics. This result was obtained by an argument based on a Ward identity analogous to the equipartition theorem of classical statistical mechanics. We construct here a microcanonical ensemble which forms the basis of this canonical ensemble. This construction enables us to define the microcanonical entropy and free energy of the field configuration of the equilibrium distribution and to study the stability of the canonical ensemble. We also study the algebraic structure of the conserved generators from which the microcanonical and canonical ensembles are constructed, and the flows they induce on the phase space.
Classical and quantum statistical mechanics are cast here in the language of projective geometry to provide a unified geometrical framework for statistical physics. After reviewing the Hilbert space formulation of classical statistical thermodynamics, we introduce projective geometry as a basis for analysing probabilistic aspects of statistical physics. In particular, the specification of a canonical polarity on RPnRP^{n}RPn induces a Riemannian metric on the state space of statistical mechanics. In the case of the canonical ensemble, we show that equilibrium thermal states are determined by the Hamiltonian gradient flow with respect to this metric. This flow is concisely characterised by the fact that it induces a projective automorphism on the state manifold. The measurement problem for thermal systems is studied by the introduction of the concept of a random state. The general methodology is then extended to include the quantum mechanical dynamics of equilibrium thermal states. In this case the relevant state space is complex projective space, here regarded as a real manifold endowed with the natural Fubini-Study metric. A distinguishing feature of quantum thermal dynamics is the inherent multiplicity of thermal trajectories in the state space, associated with the nonuniqueness of the infinite temperature state. We are then led to formulate a geometric characterisation of the standard KMS-relation often considered in the context of C∗C^{*}C∗-algebras. The example of a quantum spin one-half particle in heat bath is studied in detail.
This thesis, explores the quantum entanglement and evolution through both a geometric and dynamical perspective. The first part focuses on classical phase space and its central role in Hamiltonian mechanics, emphasizing the importance of symplectic structures in describing mechanical states. The study highlights the formal analogy between classical phase space and the Hilbert space used in quantum mechanics. The second part is devoted to the geometric description of quantum states through the projective structure of Hilbert space. Emphasis is placed on the geometric interpretation of quantum evolution, particularly via the Fubini-Study metric, associated symplectic structures, and the geometric phase acquired during unitary evolutions. The final two parts are dedicated to the study of spin systems (both two-body and many-body) under different interaction models (XXZ Heisenberg and all-range Ising). Both the dynamical aspects (evolution speed, entanglement, and the quantum brachistochrone problem) and the geometric and topological structures of the corresponding quantum states are analyzed.
It is well known that a system weakly coupled to a heat bath is described by the canonical ensemble when the composite S + B is described by the microcanonical ensemble corresponding to a suitable energy shell. This is true for both classical distributions on the phase space and quantum density matrices. Here we show that a much stronger statement holds for quantum systems. Even if the state of the composite corresponds to a single wave function rather than a mixture, the reduced density matrix of the system is canonical, for the overwhelming majority of wave functions in the subspace corresponding to the energy interval encompassed by the microcanonical ensemble. This clarifies, expands, and justifies remarks made by Schrödinger in 1952.