20,013 research outputs found
On the propagation of semiclassical Wigner functions
We establish the difference between the propagation of semiclassical Wigner
functions and classical Liouville propagation. First we re-discuss the
semiclassical limit for the propagator of Wigner functions, which on its own
leads to their classical propagation. Then, via stationary phase evaluation of
the full integral evolution equation, using the semiclassical expressions of
Wigner functions, we provide the correct geometrical prescription for their
semiclassical propagation. This is determined by the classical trajectories of
the tips of the chords defined by the initial semiclassical Wigner function and
centered on their arguments, in contrast to the Liouville propagation which is
determined by the classical trajectories of the arguments themselves.Comment: 9 pages, 1 figure. To appear in J. Phys. A. This version matches the
one set to print and differs from the previous one (07 Nov 2001) by the
addition of two references, a few extra words of explanation and an augmented
figure captio
Uniform approximation for the overlap caustic of a quantum state with its translations
The semiclassical Wigner function for a Bohr-quantized energy eigenstate is
known to have a caustic along the corresponding classical closed phase space
curve in the case of a single degree of freedom. Its Fourier transform, the
semiclassical chord function, also has a caustic along the conjugate curve
defined as the locus of diameters, i.e. the maximal chords of the original
curve. If the latter is convex, so is its conjugate, resulting in a simple fold
caustic. The uniform approximation through this caustic, that is here derived,
describes the transition undergone by the overlap of the state with its
translation, from an oscillatory regime for small chords, to evanescent
overlaps, rising to a maximum near the caustic. The diameter-caustic for the
Wigner function is also treated.Comment: 14 pages, 9 figure
Remarks on supersymmetry of quantum systems with position-dependent effective masses
We apply the supersymmetry approach to one-dimensional quantum systems with
spatially-dependent mass, by including their ordering ambiguities dependence.
In this way we extend the results recently reported in the literature.
Furthermore, we point out a connection between these systems and others with
constant masses. This is done through convenient transformations in the
coordinates and wavefunctions.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figur
Resonance- and chaos-assisted tunneling in mixed regular-chaotic systems
We present evidence that nonlinear resonances govern the tunneling process
between symmetry-related islands of regular motion in mixed regular-chaotic
systems.In a similar way as for near-integrable tunneling, such resonances
induce couplings between regular states within the islands and states that are
supported by the chaotic sea. On the basis of this mechanism, we derive a
semiclassical expression for the average tunneling rate, which yields good
agreement in comparison with the exact quantum tunneling rates calculated for
the kicked rotor and the kicked Harper.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure
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