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Non-Hermitian PT-Symmetric Theories

Alireza Beygi

Published Jan 1, 2019• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

This dissertation concerns the concept of PT symmetry as a replacement of the conventional symmetry of the Dirac Hermiticity of the operators, in particular, for the Hamiltonian. After solving a controversial issue surrounding the claimed violation of the special relativity by PT-symmetric quantum mechanics, we move further to discuss PT symmetry for the systems whose associated time reversal symmetry is odd, i.e., T^2 = −1. Our results, as published papers, are incorporated in the subsequent chapters. Then we conclude by suggestions for future work.

DOI
10.11588/heidok.00026903

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This dissertation concerns the concept of PT symmetry as a replacement of the conventional symmetry of the Dirac Hermiticity of the operators, in particular, for the Hamiltonian. After solving a controversial issue surrounding the claimed violation of the special relativity by PT-symmetric quantum mechanics, we move further to discuss PT symmetry for the systems whose associated time reversal symmetry is odd, i.e., T^2 = −1. Our results, as published papers, are incorporated in the subsequent chapters. Then we conclude by suggestions for future work.
Abstract In recent reports, suggestions have been put forward to the effect that parity and time-reversal (PT) symmetry in quantum mechanics is incompatible with causality. It is shown here, in contrast, that PT-symmetric quantum mechanics is fully consistent with standard quantum mechanics. This follows from the surprising fact that the much-discussed metric operator on Hilbert space is not physically observable. In particular, for closed quantum systems in finite dimensions there is no statistical test that one can perform on the outcomes of measurements to determine whether the Hamiltonian is Hermitian in the conventional sense, or PT-symmetric—the two theories are indistinguishable. Nontrivial physical effects arising as a consequence of PT symmetry are expected to be observed, nevertheless, for open quantum systems with balanced gain and loss.
The average quantum physicist on the street would say that a quantum-mechanical Hamiltonian must be Dirac Hermitian (invariant under combined matrix transposition and complex conjugation) in order to guarantee that the energy eigenvalues are real and that time evolution is unitary. However, the Hamiltonian H = p 2 + ix 3 , which is obviously not Dirac Hermitian, has a positive real discrete spectrum and generates unitary time evolution, and thus it defines a fully consistent and physical quantum theory. Evidently, the axiom of Dirac Hermiticity is too restrictive. While H = p 2 + ix 3 is not Dirac Hermitian, it is PT symmetric; that is, invariant under combined parity P (space reflection) and time reversal T . The quantum mechanics defined by a PT -symmetric Hamiltonian is a complex generalization of ordinary quantum mechanics. When quantum mechanics is extended into the complex domain, new kinds of theories having strange and remarkable properties emerge. In the past few years, some of these properties have been verified in laboratory experiments. A particularly interesting PT-symmetric Hamiltonian is H = p 2 − x 4 , which contains an upside-down potential. This potential is discussed in detail, and it is explained in intuitive as well as in rigorous terms why the energy levels of this potential are real, positive, and discrete. Applications of PT -symmetry in quantum field theory are also discussed.
In 1998 it was discovered that the requirement that a Hamiltonian be Dirac Hermitian (H = H†) can be weakened and generalized to the requirement that a Hamiltonian be PT symmetric ([H,PT] = 0); that is, invariant under combined space reflection and time reversal. Weakening the constraint of Hermiticity allows one to consider new kinds of physically acceptable Hamiltonians and, in effect, it amounts to extending quantum mechanics from the real (Hermitian) domain into the complex domain. Much work has been done on the analysis of various PT‐symmetric quantum‐mechanical models. However, only very little analysis has been done on PT‐symmetric quantum‐field‐theoretic models. Here, we describe some of what has been done in the context of PT‐symmetric quantum field theory and describe some possible fundamental applications.
In most introductory courses on quantum mechanics one is taught that the Hamiltonian operator must be Hermitian in order that the energy levels be real and that the theory be unitary (probability conserving). To express the Hermiticity of a Hamiltonian, one writes H = H †, where the symbol † denotes the usual Dirac Hermitian conjugation; that is, transpose and complex conjugate. In the past few years it has been recognized that the requirement of Hermiticity, which is often stated as an axiom of quantum mechanics, may be replaced by the less mathematical and more physical requirement of space – time reflection symmetry (𝒫𝒯 symmetry) without losing any of the essential physical features of quantum mechanics. Theories defined by non-Hermitian 𝒫𝒯-symmetric Hamiltonians exhibit strange and unexpected properties at the classical as well as at the quantum level. This paper explains how the requirement of Hermiticity can be evaded and discusses the properties of some non-Hermitian 𝒫𝒯-symmetric quantum theories.
We study certain linear and antilinear symmetry generators and involution operators associated with pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonians and show that the theory of pseudo-Hermitian operators provides a simple explanation for the recent results of Bender, Brody and Jones (quant-ph/0208076) on the CPT-symmetry of a class of PT-symmetric non-Hermitian Hamiltonians. We present a natural extension of these results to the class of diagonalizable pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonians H with a discrete spectrum. In particular, we introduce generalized parity (𝒫), time-reversal (𝒯), and charge-conjugation (𝒞) operators and establish the 𝒫𝒯- and 𝒞𝒫𝒯-invariance of H.
This paper proposes to broaden the canonical formulation of quantum mechanics.Ordinarily, one imposes the condition H † = H on the Hamiltonian, where † represents the mathematical operation of complex conjugation and matrix transposition.This conventional Hermiticity condition is sufficient to ensure that the Hamiltonian H has a real spectrum.However, replacing this mathematical condition by the weaker and more physical requirement H ‡ = H, where ‡ represents combined parity reflection and time reversal PT , one obtains new classes of complex Hamiltonians whose spectra are still real and positive.This generalization of Hermiticity is investigated using a complex deformation H = p 2 + x 2 (ix) ǫ of the harmonic oscillator Hamiltonian, where ǫ is a real parameter.The system exhibits two phases: When ǫ ≥ 0, the energy spectrum of H is real and positive as a consequence of PT symmetry.However, when -1 < ǫ < 0, the spectrum contains an infinite number of complex eigenvalues and a finite number of real, positive eigenvalues because PT symmetry is spontaneously broken.The phase transition that occurs at ǫ = 0 manifests itself in both the quantum-mechanical system and the underlying classical system.Similar qualitative features are exhibited by complex deformations of other standard real Hamiltonians H = p 2 + x 2N (ix) ǫ with N integer and ǫ > -N ; each of these complex Hamiltonians exhibits a phase transition at ǫ = 0.These PT -symmetric theories may be viewed as analytic continuations of conventional theories from real to complex phase space.