Early Quantum Phenomena

A.L. Stanford, J.M. Tanner

S. V. Mousavi

Diffraction in time and early-arrival phenomena will be studied in the context of dissipative systems. This theoretical consideration is done by using the linear scaled wave equation proposed in the framework of Caldirola-Kanai theory for the continuous quantum-classical transition. Two simple but physically important and interesting examples are studied, sudden release from a shutter where transient behaviors (diffraction in time) are seen; and also transmission through a time-dependent parabolic barrier where early-arrival is seen. Calculations show that diffraction in time is a non-classical effect and temporary behaviors are gradually suppressed as the friction increases. Furthermore, early-arrival is seen even in the classical regime. This means that early-arrival is not a non-classical phenomenon. This behavior will be explained by means of scaled trajectories which are just Bohmian trajectories in the quantum regime.

Tarun Biswas

Quantum mechanics courses focus mostly on its computational aspects. This alone does not provide the same depth of understanding as most physicists have of classical mechanics. The understanding of classical mechanics is significantly bolstered by the intuitive understanding that one acquires through the playing of games like baseball at an early age. It would be good to have similar games for quantum mechanics. However, real games that involve quantum phenomena directly are impossible. So, computer simulated games are good alternatives. Here a computer game involving three interacting quantum particles is discussed. It is hoped that such games played at an early age will provide the intuitive background for a better understanding of quantum mechanics at a later age.

Fabio Benatti, Dariusz Chruściński, Saverio Pascazio

The year 2026 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the two seminal papers in which Gorini, Kossakowski, and Sudarshan, and independently Lindblad, characterized the generators of completely positive quantum dynamical semigroups. We revisit the conceptual and historical route leading to the Gorini-Kossakowski-Lindblad-Sudarshan (GKLS) master equation and examine several of its early developments and consequences. Our aim is to show how several initially separate mathematical and physical ideas converged in the GKLS structure theorem, imme- diately opening the way to manifold consequences for the description of dissipative quantum phenomena and how that theorem, fifty years later, remains both a foundational result and an active framework for open quantum dynamics.

A.L. Stanford, J.M. Tanner