arXiv subjects

Daniele Colosi

Publications and source records attributed to Daniele Colosi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

A time operator and the time-of-arrival problem in quantum field theory

The Newton-Wigner states and operator are widely accepted to provide an adequate notion of spatial localization of a particle in quantum field theory on a spacelike hypersurface. Replacing the spacelike with a timelike hypersurface, we construct one-particle states of massive Klein-Gordon theory that are localized on the hypersurface in the temporal as well as two spatial directions. This addresses the longstanding problem of a "time operator" in quantum theory. It is made possible by recent advances in quantization on timelike hypersurfaces and the introduction of evanescent particles. As a first application of time-localized states, we consider the time-of-arrival problem. Our results are in accordance with semiclassical expectations of causal propagation of massless and massive particles. As in the Newton-Wigner case, localization is not perfect, but apparent superluminal propagation is exponentially suppressed.

hep-th↗

arXiv2024

Interaction of evanescent particles with an Unruh-DeWitt detector

We demonstrate that the recently introduced evanescent particles of a massive scalar field can be emitted and absorbed by an Unruh-DeWitt detector. In doing so the particles carry away from or deposit on the detector a quantized amount of energy, in a manner quite analogous to ordinary propagating particles. In contradistinction to propagating particles the amount of energy is less than the mass of the field, but still positive. We develop relevant methods and provide a study of the detector emission spectrum, emission probability and absorption probability involving both propagating and evanescent particles.

hep-th↗

arXiv2021

Evanescent Particles

Massive Klein-Gordon theory is quantized on a timelike hyperplane in Minkowski space using the framework of general boundary quantum field theory. In contrast to previous work, not only the propagating sector of the phase space is quantized, but also the evanescent sector, with the correct physical vacuum. This yields for the first time a description of the quanta of the evanescent field alone. The key tool is the novel $α$-Kähler quantization prescription based on a $*$-twisted observable algebra. The spatial evolution of states between timelike hyperplanes is established and turns out to be non-unitary if different choices are made for the quantization ambiguity for initial and final hyperplane. Nevertheless, a consistent notion of transition probability is established also in the non-unitary case, thanks to the use of the positive formalism. Finally, it is shown how a conducting boundary condition on the timelike hyperplane gives rise to what we call the Casimir state. This is a pseudo-state which can be interpreted as an alternative vacuum and which gives rise to a sea of particle pairs even in this static case.

hep-th↗

arXiv2021

Locality and General Vacua in Quantum Field Theory

We extend the framework of general boundary quantum field theory (GBQFT) to achieve a fully local description of realistic quantum field theories. This requires the quantization of non-Kähler polarizations which occur generically on timelike hypersurfaces in Lorentzian spacetimes as has been shown recently. We achieve this in two ways: On the one hand we replace Hilbert space states by observables localized on hypersurfaces, in the spirit of algebraic quantum field theory. On the other hand we apply the GNS construction to twisted star-structures to obtain Hilbert spaces, motivated by the notion of reflection positivity of the Euclidean approach to quantum field theory. As one consequence, the well-known representation of a vacuum state in terms of a sea of particle pairs in the Hilbert space of another vacuum admits a vast generalization to non-Kähler vacua, particularly relevant on timelike hypersurfaces.

hep-th↗

arXiv2019

The vacuum as a Lagrangian subspace

We unify and generalize the notions of vacuum and amplitude in linear quantum field theory in curved spacetime. Crucially, the generalized notion admits a localization in spacetime regions and on hypersurfaces. The underlying concept is that of a Lagrangian subspace of the space of complexified germs of solutions of the equations of motion on hypersurfaces. Traditional vacua and traditional amplitudes correspond to the special cases of definite and real Lagrangian subspaces respectively. Further, we introduce both infinitesimal and asymptotic methods for vacuum selection that involve a localized version of Wick rotation. We provide examples from Klein-Gordon theory in settings involving different types of regions and hypersurfaces to showcase generalized vacua and the application of the proposed vacuum selection methods. A recurrent theme is the occurrence of mixed vacua, where propagating solutions yield definite Lagrangian subspaces and evanescent solutions yield real Lagrangian subspaces. The examples cover Minkowski space, Rindler space, Euclidean space and de Sitter space. A simple formula allows for the calculation of expectation values for observables in the generalized vacua.

hep-th↗

arXiv2017

Complex structures and quantum representations for scalar QFT in curved spacetimes

We confirm the equivalence of the Schrödinger representation and the holomorphic one, based on previous results of the General Boundary Formulation (GBF) of quantum field theory. On a wide class of curved spacetimes, we consider real Klein-Gordon theory in two types of regions: interval regions (consisting e.g. of a time interval times all of space), and rod regions (a solid ball of space extended over all of time). Using mode expansions, we provide explicit expressions for the Schrödinger vacuum (which determines this representation) and for the corresponding complex structure on the space of classical solutions (which determines the holomorphic representation). For both representations we give the corresponding coherent states and calculate the generalized free transition amplitudes of the GBF, which coincide and hence confirm the equivalence of the two representations. We also transcribe the complex structure to phase space and show that it agrees with earlier results.

math-ph↗

arXiv2016

The S-matrix in Schrödinger Representation for Curved Spacetimes in General Boundary Quantum Field Theory

We use the General Boundary Formulation (GBF) of Quantum Field Theory to compute the S-matrix for a general interacting scalar field in a wide class of curved spacetimes. As a by-product we obtain the general expression of the Feynman propagator for the scalar field, defined in the following three types of spacetime regions. First, there are the familiar interval regions (e.g.~a time interval times all of space). Second, we consider the rod hypercylinder regions (all of time times a solid ball in space). Third, the tube hypercylinders (all of time times a solid shell in space) are related to interval regions, and result from removing a smaller rod from a concentric larger one. Using the Schrödinger representation for the quantum states combined with Feynman's path integral quantization, we obtain the S-matrix as the asymptotic limit of the GBF amplitude associated with finite interval and rod regions. For interval regions, whose boundary consists of two Cauchy surfaces, the asymptotic GBF-amplitude becomes the standard S-matrix. Our work generalizes previous results (obtained in Minkowski, Rindler, de Sitter, and Anti de Sitter spacetimes) to a wide class of curved spacetimes.

hep-th↗

arXiv2013

Quantum field theory on timelike hypersurfaces in Rindler space

The general boundary formulation of quantum field theory is applied to a massive scalar field in two dimensional Rindler space. The field is quantized according to both the Schrödinger-Feynman quantization prescription and the holomorphic one in two different spacetime regions: a region bounded by two Cauchy surfaces and a region bounded by one timelike curve. An isomorphism is constructed between the Hilbert spaces associated with these two boundaries. This isomorphism preserves the probabilities that can be extracted from the free and the interacting quantum field theories, proving the equivalence of the S-matrices defined in the two settings, when both apply.

hep-th↗

arXiv2013

The Unruh Effect in General Boundary Quantum Field Theory

In the framework of the general boundary formulation (GBF) of scalar quantum field theory we obtain a coincidence of expectation values of local observables in the Minkowski vacuum and in a particular state in Rindler space. This coincidence could be seen as a consequence of the identification of the Minkowski vacuum as a thermal state in Rindler space usually associated with the Unruh effect. However, we underline the difficulty in making this identification in the GBF. Beside the Feynman quantization prescription for observables that we use to derive the coincidence of expectation values, we investigate an alternative quantization prescription called Berezin-Toeplitz quantization prescription, and we find that the coincidence of expectation values does not exist for the latter.

hep-th↗

arXiv2011

S-Matrix for AdS from General Boundary QFT

The General Boundary Formulation (GBF) is a new framework for studying quantum theories. After concise overviews of the GBF and Schrödinger-Feynman quantization we apply the GBF to resolve a well known problem on Anti-deSitter spacetime where due to the lack of temporally asymptotic free states the usual S-matrix cannot be defined. We construct a different type of S-matrix plus propagators for free and interacting real Klein-Gordon theory.

hep-th↗

arXiv2011

On Unitary Evolution in Quantum Field Theory in Curved Spacetime

We investigate the question of unitarity of evolution between hypersurfaces in quantum field theory in curved spacetime from the perspective of the general boundary formulation. Unitarity thus means unitarity of the quantum operator that maps the state space associated with one hypersurface to the state space associated with the other hypersurface. Working in Klein-Gordon theory, we find that such an evolution is generically unitary given a one-to-one correspondence between classical solutions in neighborhoods of the respective hypersurfaces. This covers the case of pairs of Cauchy hypersurfaces, but also certain cases where hypersurfaces are timelike. The tools we use are the Schroedinger representation and the Feynman path integral.

hep-th↗

arXiv2010

General boundary quantum field theory in de Sitter spacetime

We quantize a massive scalar field in de Sitter spacetime and derive the S-matrix for the general interacting theory. Using the general boundary formulation of quantum field theory, we also propose a new type of S-matrix derived from the asymptotic limit of the amplitude associated with a spacetime region bounded by one connected and timelike hypersurface. Based on previous works in Minkowski spacetime, we call this region the hypercylinder region. We show how the new S- matrix coincides with the usual one by constructing an isomorphism between the space of temporal asymptotic states of the traditional setting and the space of spatial asymptotic states defined on the asymptotic hypercylinder.

hep-th↗

arXiv2009

S-matrix in de Sitter spacetime from general boundary quantum field theory

A new quantization scheme for a massive scalar field in de Sitter spacetime is proposed, based on the general boundary formulation of quantum field theory. We show that the general interacting theory can be consistently described in terms of the S-matrix for spatial asymptotic states. The new S-matrix results to be equivalent to the standard one in situations where both apply. This is due to the existence of an isomorphism between the corresponding asymptotic state spaces.

hep-th↗

arXiv2009

States and amplitudes for finite regions in a two-dimensional Euclidean quantum field theory

We quantize the Helmholtz equation (plus perturbative interactions) in two dimensions to illustrate a manifestly local description of quantum field theory. Using the general boundary formulation we describe the quantum dynamics both in a traditional time evolution setting as well as in a setting referring to finite disk (or annulus) shaped regions of spacetime. We demonstrate that both descriptions are equivalent when they should be.

hep-th↗

arXiv2009

On the structure of the vacuum state in general boundary quantum field theory

We quantize a real massive Klein-Gordon field in curved spacetimes within the general boundary formulation. The vacuum wave function is given by a Gaussian in the Schrödinger representation and we study the general structure of the operator appearing in the Gaussian. We show that it obeys a Riccati equation and we provide the general solution.

hep-th↗

arXiv2008

What is a particle?

Theoretical developments related to the gravitational interaction have questioned the notion of particle in quantum field theory (QFT). For instance, uniquely-defined particle states do not exist in general, in QFT on a curved spacetime. More in general, particle states are difficult to define in a background-independent quantum theory of gravity. These difficulties have lead some to suggest that in general QFT should not be interpreted in terms of particle states, but rather in terms of eigenstates of local operators. Still, it is not obvious how to reconcile this view with the empirically-observed ubiquitous particle-like behavior of quantum fields, apparent for instance in experimental high-energy physics, or "particle"-physics. Here we offer an element of clarification by observing that already in flat space there exist --strictly speaking-- two distinct notions of particles: globally defined $n$-particle Fock-states and *local particle states*. The last describe the physical objects detected by finite-size particle detectors and are eigenstates of local field operators. In the limit in which the particle detectors are appropriately large, global and local particle states converge in a weak topology (but not in norm). This observation has little relevance for flat-space theories --it amounts to a reminder that there are boundary effects in realistic detectors--; but is relevant for gravity. It reconciles the two points of view mentioned above. More importantly, it provides a definition of local particle state that remains well-defined even when the conventional global particle states are not defined. This definition plays an important role in quantum gravity.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2008

S-matrix at spatial infinity

We provide a new method to construct the S-matrix in quantum field theory. This method implements crossing symmetry manifestly by erasing the a priori distinction between in- and out-states. It allows the description of processes where the interaction weakens with distance in space, but remains strong in the center at all times. It should also be applicable to certain spacetimes where the conventional method fails due to lack of temporal asymptotic states.

hep-th↗

arXiv2008

Spatially asymptotic S-matrix from general boundary formulation

We construct a new type of S-matrix in quantum field theory using the general boundary formulation. In contrast to the usual S-matrix the space of free asymptotic states is located at spatial rather than at temporal infinity. Hence, the new S-matrix applies to situations where interactions may remain important at all times, but become negligible with distance. We show that the new S-matrix is equivalent to the usual one in situations where both apply. This equivalence is mediated by an isomorphism between the respective asymptotic state spaces that we construct. We introduce coherent states that allow us to obtain explicit expressions for the new S-matrix. In our formalism crossing symmetry becomes a manifest rather than a derived feature of the S-matrix.

hep-th↗