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arXiv:hep-th/9709036 · Journal of Mathematical Physics

Representation of quantum mechanical resonances in the Lax–Phillips Hilbert space

Y. Strauss, Lawrence Paul Horwitz, Eli Eisenberg

Published Dec 1, 2000• 29 citations
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Abstract

We discuss the quantum Lax–Phillips theory of scattering and unstable systems. In this framework, the decay of an unstable system is described by a semigroup. The spectrum of the generator of the semigroup corresponds to the singularities of the Lax–Phillips S-matrix. In the case of discrete (complex) spectrum of the generator of the semigroup associated with resonances, the decay law is exactly exponential. We explain how this profound difference between the quantum Lax–Phillips theory and the description of unstable systems in the framework of the standard quantum theory emerges. The states corresponding to these resonances (eigenfunctions of the generator of the semigroup) lie in the Lax–Phillips Hilbert space, and therefore all physical properties of the resonant states can be computed. In the special case of a time-independent potential problem lifted trivially to the quantum Lax–Phillips theory, we show that the Lax–Phillips S-matrix is unitarily related to the S-matrix of standard scattering theory by a unitary transformation parametrized by the spectral variable σ of the Lax–Phillips theory. Analytic continuation in σ has some of the properties of a method developed some time ago for application to dilation analytic potentials. We work out an illustrative example of the theory using a Lee–Friedrichs model, which is generalized to a rank one potential in the Lax–Phillips Hilbert space.

DOI
10.1063/1.1310359

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International Journal of Quantum Chemistry•Jan 1, 1993•1 citation
We discuss the quantum Lax–Phillips theory of scattering and unstable systems. In this framework, the decay of an unstable system is described by a semigroup. The spectrum of the generator of the semigroup corresponds to the singularities of the Lax–Phillips S-matrix. In the case of discrete (complex) spectrum of the generator of the semigroup associated with resonances, the decay law is exactly exponential. We explain how this profound difference between the quantum Lax–Phillips theory and the description of unstable systems in the framework of the standard quantum theory emerges. The states corresponding to these resonances (eigenfunctions of the generator of the semigroup) lie in the Lax–Phillips Hilbert space, and therefore all physical properties of the resonant states can be computed. In the special case of a time-independent potential problem lifted trivially to the quantum Lax–Phillips theory, we show that the Lax–Phillips S-matrix is unitarily related to the S-matrix of standard scattering theory by a unitary transformation parametrized by the spectral variable σ of the Lax–Phillips theory. Analytic continuation in σ has some of the properties of a method developed some time ago for application to dilation analytic potentials. We work out an illustrative example of the theory using a Lee–Friedrichs model, which is generalized to a rank one potential in the Lax–Phillips Hilbert space.
Abstract: We discuss some of the experimental motivation for the need for semigroup decay laws, and the quantum Lax-Phillips theory of scattering and unstable systems. In this framework, the decay of an unstable system is described by a semigroup. The spectrum of the generator of the semigroup corresponds to the singularities of the Lax-Phillips S-matrix. In the case of discrete (complex) spectrum of the generator of the semigroup, associated with resonances, the decay law is exactly exponential. The states corresponding to these resonances (eigenfunctions of the generator of the semigroup) lie in the Lax-Phillips Hilbert space, and therefore all physical properties of the resonant states can be computed. We show that the parametrized relativistic quantum theory is a natural setting for the realization of the Lax-Phillips theory. 1.
The scattering theory of Lax and Phillips, designed primarily for hyperbolic systems, such as electromagnetic or acoustic waves, is described. This theory provides a realization of the theorem of Foias and Nagy; there is a subspace of the Hilbert space in which the unitary evolution of the system, restricted to this subspace, is realized as a semigroup. The embedding of the quantum theory into this structure, carried out by Flesia and Piron, is reviewed. We show how the density matrix for an effectively pure state can evolve to an effectively mixed state (decoherence) in this framework. Necessary conditions are given for the realization of the relation between the spectrum of the generator of the semigroup and the singularities of the SSS-matrix (in energy representation). It is shown that these conditions may be met in the Liouville space formulation of quantum evolution, and in the Hilbert space of relativistic quantum theory.
It has been shown by Flesia and Piron that the scattering theory of Lax and Phillips, developed primarily for the treatment of hyperbolic systems (e.g., classical scattering of electromagnetic waves on a finite target), can be applied to the quantum theory. In order to construct the correspondence, the continuously infinite family of (isomorphic) Hilbert spaces associated with each value of the time (are taken to be a direct integral representation (with a choice of measure) of a larger Hilbert space which includes the variable t in its measure space. We show that this theory, for which the evolution contracted to the subspace orthogonal to the incoming and outgoing subspaces is a contractive semigroup, provides a natural description of the irreversible motion of an unstable quantum system
The problem of decaying states and resonances is examined within the framework of scattering theory in a rigged Hilbert space formalism. The stationary free,’’in,’’ and ’’out’’ eigenvectors of formal scattering theory, which have a rigorous setting in rigged Hilbert space, are considered to be analytic functions of the energy eigenvalue. The value of these analytic functions at any point of regularity, real or complex, is an eigenvector with eigenvalue equal to the position of the point. The poles of the eigenvector families give origin to other eigenvectors of the Hamiltonian: the singularities of the ’’out’’ eigenvector family are the same as those of the continued S matrix, so that resonances are seen as eigenvectors of the Hamiltonian with eigenvalue equal to their location in the complex energy plane. Cauchy theorem then provides for expansions in terms of ’’complete’’ sets of eigenvectors with complex eigenvalues of the Hamiltonian. Applying such expansions to the survival amplitude of a decaying state, one finds that resonances give discrete contributions with purely exponential time behavior; the background is of course present, but explicitly separated. The resolvent of the Hamiltonian, restricted to the nuclear space appearing in the rigged Hilbert space, can be continued across the absolutely continuous spectrum; the singularities of the continuation are the same as those of the ’’out’’ eigenvectors. The free, ’’in’’ and ’’out’’ eigenvectors with complex eigenvalues and those corresponding to resonances can be approximated by physical vectors in the Hilbert space, as plane waves can. The need for having some further physical information in addition to the specification of the total Hamiltonian is apparent in the proposed framework. The formalism is applied to the Lee–Friedrichs model and to the scattering of a spinless particle by a local central potential.
Traditional Quantum Scattering theory is built upon a Hilbert space formalism. The nature of the Hilbert space has led to a number of ideas about the nature of scattering systems, chief among them being the understanding that the decay of unstable quan- tum systems cannot be purely exponential and that there can only be an approximate relationship between the width Γ of a scattering resonance and the lifetime τ of the resonant state whose formation gives rise to it. That such physical conclusions are de- rived from purely mathematical properties of the underlying topological vector space inform the notion that, in choosing a particular space, one is choosing the mathemat- ical representation of the physical universe for the system. With this notion in mind, purely physical characteristics of quantum systems are used to answer the question: “What is the proper mathematical space for quantum mechanical calculations?” In the particular case of quantum scattering, it is shown that this approach casts the choice of the Hilbert space into doubt and motivates instead the use of rigged Hilbert spaces employing Hardy spaces; in these Hardy rigged Hilbert spaces, exponential decay is permissible and the time evolution of decaying states is governed by semigroups. The original theories concerning deviation from exponential decay in the Hilbert space are revisited to reveal how their conclusions flow from a mathematical property whose physical interpretation is problematic. Finally, an application of a Hardy rigged Hilbert space formalism is presented: Time Asymmetric Quantum Mechanics, as developed by A. Bohm, M. Gadella, and S. Wickramasekara.
Abstract The relations between the Schrödinger and wave evolutions are investigated. A generalization of the Lax‐Phillips scattering theory for the case of the Schrödinger equation is constructed. An analog of the wave decay operator is obtained. The general ideas are illustrated by an explicitly solvable model of multichannel scattering on the halfaxis. A Lax‐Phillips scattering theory is developed for the model operator obtained by a self‐adjoint perturbation of the background operator. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Int.