Slobodan Prvanović

Statistical ensembles in the Hamiltonian formulation of hybrid quantum-classical systems

General statistical ensembles in the Hamiltonian formulation of hybrid quantum-classical systems are analyzed. It is argued that arbitrary probability densities on the hybrid phase space must be considered as the class of possible physically distinguishable statistical ensembles of hybrid systems. Nevertheless, statistical operators associated with the hybrid system and with the quantum subsystem can be consistently defined. Dynamical equations for the statistical operators representing the mixed states of the hybrid system and its quantum subsystem are derived and analyzed. In particular, these equations irreducibly depend on the total probability density on the hybrid phase space.

Counterpropagating self-trapped beams in optical photonic lattices.

Dynamical properties of counterpropagating (CP) mutually incoherent self-trapped beams in optically induced photonic lattices are investigated numerically. A local model with saturable Kerr-like nonlinearity is adopted for the photorefractive media, and an optically generated two-dimensional fixed photonic lattice introduced in the crystal. Different incident beam structures are considered, such as Gaussians and vortices of different topological charge. We observe spontaneous symmetry breaking of the head-on propagating Gaussian beams as the coupling strength is increased, resulting in the splitup transition of CP components. We see discrete diffraction, leading to the formation of discrete CP vector solitons. In the case of vortices, we find beam filamentation, as well as increased stability of the central vortex ring. A strong pinning of filaments to the lattice sites is noted. The angular momentum of vortices is not conserved, either along the propagation direction or in time, and, unlike the case without lattice, the rotation of filaments is not as readily observed.

Gaussian-induced rotation in periodic photonic lattices

We numerically investigate time-dependent rotation of counterpropagating mutually incoherent self-trapped Gaussian beams in periodic optically induced fixed photonic lattices. We demonstrate the relation between such rotation and less confined discrete solitonic solutions.

Emergence of classical behavior from the quantum spin

Classical Hamiltonian system of a point moving on a sphere of fixed radius is shown to emerge from the constrained evolution of quantum spin. The constrained quantum evolution corresponds to an appropriate coarse-graining of the quantum states into equivalence classes, and forces the equivalence classes to evolve as single units representing the classical states. The coarse-grained quantum spin with the constrained evolution in the limit of the large spin becomes indistinguishable from the classical system.

Quantum Mechanical Operator of Time

The self adjoint operator of time in non-relativistic quantum mechanics is found within the approach where the ordinary Hamiltonian is not taken to be conjugate to time. The operator version of the reexpressed Liouville equation with the total Hamiltonian, consisting of the part that is a conventional function of coordinate and momentum and the part that is conjugate to time, is considered. The von Neumann equation with quantized time is found and discussed from the point of view of exact time measurement.

Ehrenfest principle and unitary dynamics of quantum-classical systems with general potential interaction

Representation of classical dynamics by unitary transformations has been used to develop unified description of hybrid classical-quantum systems with particular type of interaction, and to formulate abstract systems interpolating between classical and quantum ones. We solved the problem of unitary description of two interpolating systems with general potential interaction. The general solution is used to show that with arbitrary potential interaction between the two interpolating systems the evolution of the so called unobservable variables is decoupled from that of the observable ones if and only if the interpolation parameters in the two interpolating systems are equal.

Dynamical time versus system time in quantum mechanics

Properties of an operator representing the dynamical time in the extended parameterization invariant formulation of quantum mechanics are studied. It is shown that this time operator is given by a positive operator measure analogously to the quantities that are known to represent various measurable time operators. The relation between the dynamical time of the extended formulation and the best known example of the system time operator, i.e., for the free one-dimensional particle, is obtained.

Operator of Time and Generalized Schrödinger Equation

The equation describing the change of the state of the quantum system with respect to energy is introduced within the framework of the self-adjoint operator of time in nonrelativistic quantum mechanics. In this proposal, the operator of time appears to be the generator of the change of the energy, while the operator of energy that is conjugate to the operator of time generates the time evolution. Two examples, one with discrete time and the other with continuous one, are given and the generalization of Schrodinger equation is proposed.

Phase space theory of quantum–classical systems with nonlinear and stochastic dynamics

Abstract A novel theory of hybrid quantum–classical systems is developed, utilizing the mathematical framework of constrained dynamical systems on the quantum–classical phase space. Both, the quantum and classical descriptions of the respective parts of the hybrid system are treated as fundamental. Therefore, the description of the quantum–classical interaction has to be postulated, and includes the effects of neglected degrees of freedom. Dynamical law of the theory is given in terms of nonlinear stochastic differential equations with Hamiltonian and gradient terms. The theory provides a successful dynamical description of the collapse during quantum measurement.

Constrained quantum dynamics and coarse-grained description of a quantum system of nonlinear oscillators

Constrained Hamiltonian dynamics is exploited to provide the mathematical framework of a coarse-grained description of the quantum system of nonlinear interacting oscillators. The coarse graining is treated as an equivalence relation on the set of quantum states resulting in the emergence of classical phase space. The equivalence relation imposes constraints on the Hamiltonian dynamics of the quantum system. It is seen that the evolution of the coarse-grained system preserves constant and minimal quantum fluctuations of the fundamental observables. This leads to the emergence of the corresponding classical system on a sufficiently large scale.