Gaussian wave packets

Anatoli V. Babin, Alexander Figotin

Daniel Huber, Eric J. Heller

We propose an extension of the semiclassical Gaussian wave packet dynamics to eliminate the three main restrictions of this method. The first restriction is that the wave packet is forced to remain Gaussian. This is correct only for quadratic, linear, or constant potentials. The second restriction is that the method is, in general, not able to treat most classically forbidden processes. The third restriction is that the norm is conserved only for Gaussian wave packets. For a superposition of Gaussians this is no longer true. We can eliminate these restrictions by an extension of the method into complex phase space, keeping time real.

Mustapha Maamache, Yacine Bouguerra, Jeong Ryeol Choi

A Gaussian wave packet of the inverted oscillator is investigated using the invariant operator method together with the unitary transformation method. A simple wave packet directly derived from the eigenstates of the invariant operator of the system corresponds to a plane wave that is fully delocalized. However, we can construct a weighted wave packet in terms of such plane waves, which corresponds to a Gaussian wave. This wave packet is associated with the generalized coherent state, which can be crucially utilized for investigating the classical limit of quantum wave mechanics. Various quantum properties of the system, such as fluctuations of the canonical variables, the uncertainty product, and the motion of the wave packet or quantum particle, are analyzed by means of this wave packet. We have confirmed that the time behavior of such a wave packet is very similar to the counterpart classical state. The wave packet runs away from the origin in the positive or negative direction in the 1D coordinate depending on the condition of the initial state. We have confirmed that this wave packet not only moves acceleratively but also spreads out during its propagation.

Sergio Cordero, Gastón García-Calderón

We derive an exact analytical solution to the time-dependent Schrödinger equation for transmission of a Gaussian wave packet through an arbitrary potential of finite range. We consider the situation where the initial Gaussian wave packet is sufficiently broad in momentum space to guarantee that the resonance structure of the system is included in the dynamical description. We demonstrate that the transmitted wave packet exhibits a transient behavior which at very large distances and long times may be written as the free evolving Gaussian wave packet solution times the transmission amplitude of the system and hence it reproduces the resonance spectra of the system. This is a novel result that predicts the ultimate fate of the transmitted Gaussian wave packet. We also prove that at a fixed distance and very long times the solution goes as $t^{-3/2}$ which extends to arbitrary finite range potentials previous analysis on this issue. Our results are exemplified for single and multibarrier systems.