Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Oxford University Press eBooks

Quantizing

Laura Ruetsche

Published Jun 2, 2011• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

This chapter explicates the Hamiltonian scheme for quantizing classical mechanical theories by finding a Hilbert space representation of the appropriate canonical commutation relations. The chapter also reviews the canonical anticommutation relations, which encapsulate the quantum mechanics of spin systems. Having catalogued reasons to regard unitary equivalence as a robust criterion of physical equivalence for quantum theories obtained by finding representations of the CCRs/CARs, the chapter presents a pair of theorems—the Stone-von Neumann and Jordan-Wigner theorems—that establish that, provided only finitely many degrees of freedom are involved, all representations of the CCRs/CARs for a given quantum theory are unitarily (and so presumptively physically) equivalent.

DOI
10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199535408.003.0002

Related papers

Beyond the Stone–von Neumann Theorem

Laura Ruetsche

This chapter catalogs circumstances under which the reassuring uniqueness results presented in Chapter 2 break down. The Stone-von Neumann theorem presupposes a continuity condition; with that presupposition suspended, it becomes possible to equip the quantum theory of a single mechanical system with exact position eigenstates. The Stone-von Neumann theorem presupposes the classical theory to be quantized to be set in Euclidean space; when systems such as a bead on a circle are quantized, the theorem breaks down and unitarily inequivalent representations of the physics ensue. Finally, the Stone-von Neumann and Jordan-Wigner theorems presuppose finitely many degrees of freedom. They therefore fail to apply to quantum field theories (because a field, assigning a value to each point of space[time] has infinitely many degrees of freedom), or theories at the thermodynamic (infinite volume) limit of quantum statistical mechanics. The chapter presents simple examples of infinite systems and their unitarily inequivalent quantizations: the free Klein-Gordon field and the infinite spin chain.

Oxford University Press eBooks•Jun 2, 2011•0 citations

The Basic Formalism of Field Theory

A.N. Vasiliev

The classical system is usually quantized using the canonical formalism, i.e., in the language of coordinates and momenta. In addition to this “purely algebraic” ambiguity, there is also an ambiguity in the choice of realization of the operators p^ and q^: the commutation relations do not determine it uniquely, but up to a unitary equivalence (the well known uniqueness theorem of von Neumann pertains only to the Weyl form of the commutation relations). The realization must be chosen on the basis of additional considerations regarding the nature of the canonical variables p and q. In this book the term “theory” is used in various ways: in a broad sense (quantum field theory, relativistic theory) and in a narrow sense, to refer to a particular system or class of systems with certain dynamics. In quantum theory there are also systems whose operators corresponding to canonical variables satisfy not commutation relations, but anticommutation relations.

Routledge eBooks•Jan 22, 2019•0 citations

Weyl quantization

Giampiero V. M. Esposito, Giuseppe Marmo, George Sudarshan

The commutator of position and momentum operators is first considered in the coordinate and momentum representations, and then in an abstract Hilbert space. The reader is then introduced to canonical operators with the associated canonical quantization of commutation rules, which consists of maps defined on a symplectic space and taking values in the set of unitary operators on a Hilbert space. If the symplectic space is finite-dimensional, all of its irreducible representations are unitarily equivalent. The Weyl exponentiated form of the commutation relations is described and investigated. One then arrives at the definition of Weyl systems, and it is shown how to recover from them the formulation in terms of self-adjoint operators which satisfy a generalized form of commutation relations. Further topics are the Heisenberg representation for temporal evolution and the generalized uncertainty relations. Unitary operators associated with symplectic linear transformations are then considered, and, within this framework, translations, rotations and the harmonic oscillator are considered. The Weyl programme is then reassessed. Lastly, the basic postulates of modern quantum theory are eventually studied: the probabilistic nature of the predictions of results of measurements; the correspondence between observables and self-adjoint operators on Hilbert spaces; the expected result of measuring an observable quantity; and the evolution of the state vector in systems which are not affected by any external influence. The chapter ends with an outline of rigged Hilbert space formalism and its applications. The commutator in wave mechanics In the first part of this book we studied wave mechanics within the framework of the Schrödinger equation.

Cambridge University Press eBooks•Mar 11, 2004•0 citations

Quantum Groups and Von Neumann Theorem

Alfredo Iorio

We discuss the q deformation of Weyl-Heisenberg algebra in connection with the von Neumann theorem in Quantum Mechanics. We show that the q-deformation parameter labels the Weyl systems in Quantum Mechanics and the unitarily inequivalent representations of the canonical commutation relations in Quantum Field Theory. The von Neumann theorem in Quantum Mechanics (QM) states that for systems with finite number of degrees of freedom the representations of the canonical commutation relations (ccr), also called the Weyl representations, are each other unitarily equivalent. In the limit of infinite number of degrees of freedom, namely in Quantum Field Theory

•Jan 1, 2000•14 citations

Unitary Equivalence and Physical Equivalence

Laura Ruetsche

This chapter evaluates whether unitary equivalence is an appropriate criterion of physical equivalence for quantum theories that fall outside the scope of the comforting uniqueness results. It describes the Stone-von Neumann and Jordan-Wigner uniqueness results, provides examples of unitarily inequivalent representations, and proposes an alternative to unitary equivalence as a criterion for physical equivalence. The chapter also offers an impressionistic introduction to the rudiments of operator algebra theory.

Oxford University Press eBooks•Feb 5, 2013•5 citations

Interpreting QM∞

Laura Ruetsche

This chapter catalogs interpretative responses to the breakdown of unitary equivalence in QM∞. These range from ‘Hilbert Space Conservatism’ to ‘Algebraic Imperialism’. Maintaining the ordinary quantum mechanics account of physical equivalence in terms of unitary equivalence, the Hilbert Space Conservative takes unitarily inequivalent representations of the CCRs/CARs for a theory of QM∞ to be rivals, at most one of which could convey the content of that theory. Asserting the physics of a theory of QM∞ to reside in the abstract algebraic structure all its representations share, the Algebraic Imperialist announces criteria for the physical equivalence of quantum theories — including the criterion of ‘weak equivalence’ — at odds with the traditional criterion of unitary equivalence.

Oxford University Press eBooks•Jun 2, 2011•0 citations
This chapter explicates the Hamiltonian scheme for quantizing classical mechanical theories by finding a Hilbert space representation of the appropriate canonical commutation relations. The chapter also reviews the canonical anticommutation relations, which encapsulate the quantum mechanics of spin systems. Having catalogued reasons to regard unitary equivalence as a robust criterion of physical equivalence for quantum theories obtained by finding representations of the CCRs/CARs, the chapter presents a pair of theorems—the Stone-von Neumann and Jordan-Wigner theorems—that establish that, provided only finitely many degrees of freedom are involved, all representations of the CCRs/CARs for a given quantum theory are unitarily (and so presumptively physically) equivalent.
This chapter catalogs circumstances under which the reassuring uniqueness results presented in Chapter 2 break down. The Stone-von Neumann theorem presupposes a continuity condition; with that presupposition suspended, it becomes possible to equip the quantum theory of a single mechanical system with exact position eigenstates. The Stone-von Neumann theorem presupposes the classical theory to be quantized to be set in Euclidean space; when systems such as a bead on a circle are quantized, the theorem breaks down and unitarily inequivalent representations of the physics ensue. Finally, the Stone-von Neumann and Jordan-Wigner theorems presuppose finitely many degrees of freedom. They therefore fail to apply to quantum field theories (because a field, assigning a value to each point of space[time] has infinitely many degrees of freedom), or theories at the thermodynamic (infinite volume) limit of quantum statistical mechanics. The chapter presents simple examples of infinite systems and their unitarily inequivalent quantizations: the free Klein-Gordon field and the infinite spin chain.
The classical system is usually quantized using the canonical formalism, i.e., in the language of coordinates and momenta. In addition to this “purely algebraic” ambiguity, there is also an ambiguity in the choice of realization of the operators p^ and q^: the commutation relations do not determine it uniquely, but up to a unitary equivalence (the well known uniqueness theorem of von Neumann pertains only to the Weyl form of the commutation relations). The realization must be chosen on the basis of additional considerations regarding the nature of the canonical variables p and q. In this book the term “theory” is used in various ways: in a broad sense (quantum field theory, relativistic theory) and in a narrow sense, to refer to a particular system or class of systems with certain dynamics. In quantum theory there are also systems whose operators corresponding to canonical variables satisfy not commutation relations, but anticommutation relations.
The commutator of position and momentum operators is first considered in the coordinate and momentum representations, and then in an abstract Hilbert space. The reader is then introduced to canonical operators with the associated canonical quantization of commutation rules, which consists of maps defined on a symplectic space and taking values in the set of unitary operators on a Hilbert space. If the symplectic space is finite-dimensional, all of its irreducible representations are unitarily equivalent. The Weyl exponentiated form of the commutation relations is described and investigated. One then arrives at the definition of Weyl systems, and it is shown how to recover from them the formulation in terms of self-adjoint operators which satisfy a generalized form of commutation relations. Further topics are the Heisenberg representation for temporal evolution and the generalized uncertainty relations. Unitary operators associated with symplectic linear transformations are then considered, and, within this framework, translations, rotations and the harmonic oscillator are considered. The Weyl programme is then reassessed. Lastly, the basic postulates of modern quantum theory are eventually studied: the probabilistic nature of the predictions of results of measurements; the correspondence between observables and self-adjoint operators on Hilbert spaces; the expected result of measuring an observable quantity; and the evolution of the state vector in systems which are not affected by any external influence. The chapter ends with an outline of rigged Hilbert space formalism and its applications. The commutator in wave mechanics In the first part of this book we studied wave mechanics within the framework of the Schrödinger equation.
We discuss the q deformation of Weyl-Heisenberg algebra in connection with the von Neumann theorem in Quantum Mechanics. We show that the q-deformation parameter labels the Weyl systems in Quantum Mechanics and the unitarily inequivalent representations of the canonical commutation relations in Quantum Field Theory. The von Neumann theorem in Quantum Mechanics (QM) states that for systems with finite number of degrees of freedom the representations of the canonical commutation relations (ccr), also called the Weyl representations, are each other unitarily equivalent. In the limit of infinite number of degrees of freedom, namely in Quantum Field Theory
This chapter evaluates whether unitary equivalence is an appropriate criterion of physical equivalence for quantum theories that fall outside the scope of the comforting uniqueness results. It describes the Stone-von Neumann and Jordan-Wigner uniqueness results, provides examples of unitarily inequivalent representations, and proposes an alternative to unitary equivalence as a criterion for physical equivalence. The chapter also offers an impressionistic introduction to the rudiments of operator algebra theory.
This chapter catalogs interpretative responses to the breakdown of unitary equivalence in QM∞. These range from ‘Hilbert Space Conservatism’ to ‘Algebraic Imperialism’. Maintaining the ordinary quantum mechanics account of physical equivalence in terms of unitary equivalence, the Hilbert Space Conservative takes unitarily inequivalent representations of the CCRs/CARs for a theory of QM∞ to be rivals, at most one of which could convey the content of that theory. Asserting the physics of a theory of QM∞ to reside in the abstract algebraic structure all its representations share, the Algebraic Imperialist announces criteria for the physical equivalence of quantum theories — including the criterion of ‘weak equivalence’ — at odds with the traditional criterion of unitary equivalence.