Homological Quantum Mechanics

Fuente: arXiv
Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Chiaffrino, Christoph, Hohm, Olaf, Pinto, Allison F.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2021
Subjects:
Online Access:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1866917586415910912
author Chiaffrino, Christoph
Hohm, Olaf
Pinto, Allison F.
author_facet Chiaffrino, Christoph
Hohm, Olaf
Pinto, Allison F.
contents We provide a formulation of quantum mechanics based on the cohomology of the Batalin-Vilkovisky (BV) algebra. Focusing on quantum-mechanical systems without gauge symmetry we introduce a homotopy retract from the chain complex of the harmonic oscillator to finite-dimensional phase space. This induces a homotopy transfer from the BV algebra to the algebra of functions on phase space. Quantum expectation values for a given operator or functional are computed by the function whose pullback gives a functional in the same cohomology class. This statement is proved in perturbation theory by relating the perturbation lemma to Wick's theorem. We test this method by computing two-point functions for the harmonic oscillator for position eigenstates and coherent states. Finally, we derive the Unruh effect, illustrating that these methods are applicable to quantum field theory.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2112_11495
institution arXiv
publishDate 2021
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Homological Quantum Mechanics
Chiaffrino, Christoph
Hohm, Olaf
Pinto, Allison F.
High Energy Physics - Theory
Mathematical Physics
Quantum Physics
We provide a formulation of quantum mechanics based on the cohomology of the Batalin-Vilkovisky (BV) algebra. Focusing on quantum-mechanical systems without gauge symmetry we introduce a homotopy retract from the chain complex of the harmonic oscillator to finite-dimensional phase space. This induces a homotopy transfer from the BV algebra to the algebra of functions on phase space. Quantum expectation values for a given operator or functional are computed by the function whose pullback gives a functional in the same cohomology class. This statement is proved in perturbation theory by relating the perturbation lemma to Wick's theorem. We test this method by computing two-point functions for the harmonic oscillator for position eigenstates and coherent states. Finally, we derive the Unruh effect, illustrating that these methods are applicable to quantum field theory.
title Homological Quantum Mechanics
topic High Energy Physics - Theory
Mathematical Physics
Quantum Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2112.11495