arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Miloslav Znojil.
A conceptual bridge is provided between SUSY and the three-Hilbert-space upgrade of quantum theory a.k.a. ${\cal PT}-$symmetric or quasi-Hermitian. In particular, a natural theoretical link is found between SUSY and the presence of Kato's exceptional points (EPs), both being related to the phenomenon of degeneracy of energy levels. Regularized spiked harmonic oscillator is recalled for illustration.
Non-separable $D-$dimensional partial differential Schrödinger equations are considered at $D=2$ and $D=3$, with the even-parity local potentials $V(x,y,\ldots)$ which are polynomials of degree four (cusp catastrophe resembling case) and six (butterfly resembling case). Their extremes (i.e., minima and maxima) are assumed pronounced, localized via a suitable ad hoc parametrization of the coupling constants. A non-numerical approximate construction of the low lying bound states $ψ(x,y,\ldots)$] is then found feasible in the dynamical regime simulating a coupled system of quantum dots in which the individual minima of $V(x,y,\ldots)$ are well separated, with the potential being locally approximated by the harmonic oscillator wells. The measurable characteristics (and, in particular, the topologically protected probability-density distributions) are then found bifurcating in a specific evolution scenario called a relocalization quantum catastrophe.
It is conjectured that the exceptional-point (EP) singularity of a one-parametric quasi-Hermitian $N$ by $N$ matrix Hamiltonian $H(t)$ can play the role of a quantum phase-transition interface connecting different dynamical regimes of a unitary quantum system. Six realizations of the EP-mediated quantum phase transitions "of the third kind" are described in detail. Fairly realistic Bose-Hubbard (BH) and discrete anharmonic oscillator (AO) models of any matrix dimension $N$ are considered in the initial, intermediate, or final phase. In such a linear algebraic illustration of the changes of phase, all ingredients (and, first of all, all transition matrices) are constructed in closed, algebraic, non-numerical form.
In the well known Thom's classification, every classical catastrophe is assigned a Lyapunov function. In the one-dimensional case, due to V. I. Arnold, these functions have polynomial form $V_{(k)}(x)= x^{k+1} + c_1x^{k-1} + \ldots$. A natural question is which features of the theory survive when such a function (say, with an even value of asymptotically dominant exponent $k+1$) is used as a confining potential in Schrödinger equation. A few answers are formulated. Firstly, it is clarified that due to the tunneling, one of the possible classes of the measurable quantum catastrophes may be sought in a phenomenon of relocalization of the dominant part of the quantum particle density between different minima. For the sake of definiteness we just consider the spatially even Arnold's potentials and in the limit of the thick barriers and deep valleys we arrive at a systematic classification of the corresponding relocalization catastrophes.
In conventional Schrödinger representation the unitarity of the evolution of bound states is guaranteed by the Hermiticity of the Hamiltonian. A non-unitary isospectral simplification of the Hamiltonian, $\mathfrak{h} \to H=Ω\,\mathfrak{h}\,Ω\neq H^\dagger$ induces the change ${\cal L} \to {\cal K}$ of the Hilbert space of states, reflected by the loss of the Hermiticity of $H\neq H^\dagger$. In such a reformulation of the theory the introduction of an {\it ad hoc} inner-product metric reconverts ${\cal K}$ into the third, correct physical Hilbert space ${\cal H}$, unitarily equivalent to ${\cal L}$. The situation encountered, typically, in ${\cal PT}-$symmetric or relativistic quantum mechanics is shown more complicated after an inclusion of perturbations. The formulation and solution of the problem are presented. Some of the consequences relevant, e.g., in the analysis of stability are discussed.
Non-Hermitian quantum one-parametric $N$ by $N$ matrix Hamiltonians $H^{(N)}(λ)$ with real spectra are considered. Their special choice $H^{(N)}(λ)=J^{(N)}+λ\,V^{(N)}(λ)$ is studied at small $λ$, with a general $N^2-$parametric real-matrix perturbation $λ\,V^{(N)}(λ)$, and with the exceptional-point-related "unperturbed" Jordan-block Hamiltonian $J^{(N)}$. A "stability corridor" ${\cal S}$ of the parameters $λ$ is then sought guaranteeing the reality of spectrum and realizing a unitary-system-evolution access to the exceptional-point boundary of stability. The corridors are then shown $N-$dependent and "narrow", corresponding to certain specific, unitarity-compatible perturbations with "admissible" matrix elements $V^{(N)}_{j+k,j}(λ) ={\cal O}(λ^{(k-1)/2})\,$ at subscripts $k=1,2,\ldots,N-1\,$ and at all $j$.
The conventional toy-model constructions of phase diagrams often use various versions of the standard Hermitian Bose-Hubbard Hamiltonians $H$. These studies were recently extended to cover several non-Hermitian PT-symmetric versions of the model. A key technical merit of the extensions has been found in the existence of Kato's phase-transition-related exceptional-point spectral degeneracies of the $N$th order (EPN). In this setting, an ill-conditioned nature of $H$ near its EPN singularity represented a decisive technical obstacle. In our paper we show how the obstacle can be circumvented, leading to a broader class of the eligible models with tridiagonal and symmetric complex Hamiltonians $H^{(N)}(z)$ exhibiting the EPN degeneracies. The implementation of the method (requiring the use of computer-assisted symbolic manipulations at the larger integers $N$) is illustrated by sampling the real or complex spectra of energies near as well as far from the EPN dynamical regime.
Quantum particle is considered confined in a toy-model potential possessing multiple minima. For the specific choice of the family of potentials (in the form of harmonic oscillator plus several logarithmic infinitely high but penetrable barriers), a facilitated tractability of the related bound-state problem is achieved by the use of the (slightly modified) large-N expansion technique. The phenomenological appeal of the possibility of simulation of a certain `relocalization' quantum catastrophe is emphasized.
A new version of the change of the "phase" (i.e., of the set of observable characteristics) of a quantum system is proposed. In a general scenario the evolution is assumed generated, before the phase transition, by some standard Hermitian Hamiltonian $H^{(before)}$, and, after the phase transition, by one of the recently very popular non-standard, non-Hermitian (but hiddenly Hermitian, i.e., still unitarity-guaranteeing) Hamiltonians $H^{(after)}$. For consistency, a smoothness of matching between the two operators as well as between the related physical Hilbert spaces must be guaranteed. The feasibility of the idea is illustrated via the two-mode $(N-1)-$bosonic Bose-Hubbard Hamiltonian. In $H^{(before)}=H^{(BH)}(\varepsilon)$ we use the decreasing real $\varepsilon^{(before)} \to 0$. In the hiddenly Hermitian continuation $H^{(after)}=H^{(BH)}(\tilde{\varepsilon})$ the imaginary part of the purely imaginary $\tilde{\varepsilon}^{(after)}$ grows. The smoothness of the transition occurring at the interface $\varepsilon=\tilde{\varepsilon}=0$ is then guaranteed by an {\it ad hoc\,} amendment of the inner product in Hilbert space "after". The trivial Hilbert-space metric $Θ^{(before)}=I$ must match $Θ^{(after)} \neq I$ smoothly. This is confirmed and illustrated by the explicit constructions of a few $Θ^{(after)}$s in closed form.
The large-N expansion technique is tested via an anomalous, soft-core potential which admits the tunneling through its central barrier. The precision of the approximation is found sensitive to the asymptotic component of the interaction. Once chosen in the most common harmonic-oscillator form, and once complemented by the short range part represented by the general power-law anharmonicity $\sim |x|^α$, we found that the latter power-law spike may be well approximated by an elementary logarithmic function, in the limit of the smallest $α\to 0$ at least. In such a model, the large-N method is found applicable and offering still an efficient and user-friendly method of the solution of the Schrödinger equation.
In the broad context of physics ranging from classical experimental optics to quantum mechanics of unitary as well as non-unitary systems there emerge interesting phenomena related to the presence of the so called Kato's exceptional points in the space of parameters. An elementary linear-algebraic method of their localization is proposed and applied to the class of tridiagonal $N$ by $N$ complex symmetric toy-model generators of evolution $H=H(γ)$. The implementation of the method is shown to provide new models with the exceptional points $γ=γ^{(EP)}$ of higher orders. Two distinct areas of applicability are expected to lie (1) in quantum mechanics of non-Hermitian (open as well as closed) systems, and (2) in the experiments using the coupled classical optical waveguides simulating the EP-related effects in the laboratory.
People construct quantum bound states either non-numerically (in not too many exceptional cases) or, in general, numerically (mainly using majorization or discretization techniques). We point out that there exists a class of interactions "in between". Being, in conventional terminology, neither exactly solvable nor purely numerical. The idea is illustrated by the elementary exponential-well toy-model potential $V(x)= -g^2\exp (-|x|)$.
Three-parametric family of non-Hermitian but ${\cal PT}-$symmetric six-by-six matrix Hamiltonians $H^{(6)}(x,y,z)$ is considered. The ${\cal PT}-$symmetry remains spontaneously unbroken (i.e., the spectrum of the bound-state energies remains real so that the unitary-evolution stability of the quantum system in question is shown guaranteed) in a non-empty domain ${\cal D}^{(physical)}$ of parameters $x,y,z$. The construction of the exceptional-point (EP) boundary $\partial{\cal D}^{(physical)}$ of the physical domain is preformed using an innovative non-numerical implicit-function-construction strategy. The topology of the resulting EP boundary of the spontaneous ${\cal PT}-$symmetry breakdown (i.e., of the physical "horizon of stability") is shown similar to its much more elementary $N=4$ predecessor. Again, it is shown to consist of two components, viz., of the region of the quantum phase transitions of the first kind (during which at least some of the energies become complex) and of the quantum phase transitions of the second kind (during which some of the level pairs only cross but remain real).
We propose a unique way how to choose a new inner product in a Hilbert space with respect to which an originally non-self-adjoint operator similar to a self-adjoint operator becomes self-adjoint. Our construction is based on minimising a 'Hilbert-Schmidt distance' to the original inner product among the entire class of admissible inner products. We prove that either the minimiser exists and is unique, or it does not exist at all. In the former case we derive a system of Euler-Lagrange equations by which the optimal inner product is determined. A sufficient condition for the existence of the unique minimally anisotropic metric is obtained. The abstract results are supplied by examples in which the optimal inner product does not coincide with the most popular choice fixed through a charge-like symmetry.
The phenomenon of quantum phase transition is considered in the special case in which the evolution laws remain unitary and in which the bound-state energies remain observable. The conventional Hermiticity of observables is lost at the interface, replaced by the so called quasi-Hermiticity. Several features of the passage of the system through the interface are discussed and illustrated by elementary illustrative ${\cal PT}-$symmetric examples.
In ${\cal PT}-$symmetric quantum mechanics one of the most characteristic mathematical features of the formalism is the explicit Hamiltonian-dependence of the physical Hilbert space of states ${\cal H}={\cal H}(H)$. Some of the most important physical consequences are discussed, with emphasis on the dynamical regime in which the system is close to the quantum phase transition. Consistent perturbation treatment of such a regime is proposed. An illustrative application of the innovated perturbation theory to a non-Hermitian but ${\cal PT}-$symmetric user-friendly family of $J-$parametric "discrete anharmonic" quantum Hamiltonians $H=H(\vecλ)$ is given. The models are shown to admit the standard probabilistic interpretation if and only if the parameters remain compatible with the reality of the spectrum, $\vecλ \in {\cal D}^{(physical)}$. In contradiction to the conventional wisdom the systems are shown stable with respect to the admissible perturbations lying inside the domain ${\cal D}^{(physical)}$. This observation holds even in the immediate vicinity of the phase-transition boundaries $\partial {\cal D}^{(physical)}$.
In the global framework of quantum theory the individual quantum systems seem clearly separated into two families with the respective manifestly Hermitian and hiddenly Hermitian operators of their Hamiltonian. In the light of certain preliminary studies these two families seem to have an empty overlap. In this paper we demonstrate that it is not so. We are going to show that whenever the interaction potentials are chosen weakly nonlocal, the separation of the two families may disappear. The overlaps alias interfaces between the Hermitian and non-Hermitian descriptions of the unitarily evolving quantum system in question may become non-empty. This assertion will be illustrated via a few analytically solvable elementary models.
Linear square-well Schrödinger equation endowed with a singular logarithmic spike in the origin is studied. The study is methodical, motivated by the problem of non-gausson states $ψ_n(x)$, $n \neq 0$ generated by nonlinear Schrödinger equations. Once the state-dependent self-interaction term is chosen logarithmic, $\sim -g\,\ln[ψ^*_n(x)ψ_n(x)]$, the nonlinear model develops the puzzling logarithmic (i.e., weakly singular) repulsive barriers near the nodal zeros of $ψ_n(x)$ at $n \neq 0$. In our linearized approach the weak-coupling regime is shown reliably described by the routine Rayleigh-Schrödinger perturbation theory. It even provides the first-order picture of the spectrum in closed-form. Beyond the weak-coupling regime an amendment of the unperturbed Hamiltonian is recommended. Finally, an analytic insight into the nature of the singularity at $x=0$ is obtained, in a non-perturbative setting, after the change of variables $x=\exp y$.