ENGLISH

Quantum Mechanics in Phase Space

By Cosmas K. Zachos , David B. Fairlie , Thomas L. Curtright

Book information

Publisher
World Scientific Publishing Company
Year
2005
ISBN
9812383840, 9789812383846, 9789812703507
DOI
10.1063/1.1366327]
Open Library ID
OL9196393M
Language
english
Format
DJVU
Filesize
6 MB (6777211 bytes)
Series
World Scientific
Edition
WS
Pages
560\560
Library
Kolxo3
DPI
300
Orientation
yes
Paginated
yes
Scanned
yes
Time added
2009-07-20 03:45:11

Description

Wigner's quasi-probability distribution function in phase space is a special (Weyl) representation of the density matrix. It has been useful in describing quantum transport in quantum optics; nuclear physics; decoherence, quantum computing, and quantum chaos. It is also important in signal processing and the mathematics of algebraic deformation. A remarkable aspect of its internal logic, pioneered by Groenewold and Moyal, has only emerged in the last quarter-century: it furnishes a third, alternative, formulation of quantum mechanics, independent of the conventional Hilbert space, or path integral formulations. In this logically complete and self-standing formulation, one need not choose sides - coordinate or momentum space. It works in full phase space, accommodating the uncertainty principle, and it offers unique insights into the classical limit of quantum theory. This invaluable book is a collection of the seminal papers on the formulation, with an introductory overview which provides a trail map for those papers; an extensive bibliography; and simple illustrations, suitable for applications to a broad range of physics problems. It can provide supplementary material for a beginning graduate course in quantum mechanics.

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