Dynamical mapping method in nonrelativistic models of quantum field theory

The solutions of Heisenberg equations and two-particles eigenvalue problems for nonrelativistic models of current-current fermion interaction and $N, \Theta$ model are obtained in the frameworks of dynamical mapping method. The equivalence of different types of dynamical mapping is shown. The connection between renormalization procedure and theory of selfadjoint extensions is elucidated.Comment: 14 page

Non Local Theories: New Rules for Old Diagrams

We show that a general variant of the Wick theorems can be used to reduce the time ordered products in the Gell-Mann & Low formula for a certain class on non local quantum field theories, including the case where the interaction Lagrangian is defined in terms of twisted products. The only necessary modification is the replacement of the Stueckelberg-Feynman propagator by the general propagator (the ``contractor'' of Denk and Schweda) D(y-y';tau-tau')= - i (Delta_+(y-y')theta(tau-tau')+Delta_+(y'-y)theta(tau'-tau)), where the violations of locality and causality are represented by the dependence of tau,tau' on other points, besides those involved in the contraction. This leads naturally to a diagrammatic expansion of the Gell-Mann & Low formula, in terms of the same diagrams as in the local case, the only necessary modification concerning the Feynman rules. The ordinary local theory is easily recovered as a special case, and there is a one-to-one correspondence between the local and non local contributions corresponding to the same diagrams, which is preserved while performing the large scale limit of the theory.Comment: LaTeX, 14 pages, 1 figure. Uses hyperref. Symmetry factors added; minor changes in the expositio

Thermodynamic Limit and Decoherence: Rigorous Results

Time evolution operator in quantum mechanics can be changed into a statistical operator by a Wick rotation. This strict relation between statistical mechanics and quantum evolution can reveal deep results when the thermodynamic limit is considered. These results translate in a set of theorems proving that these effects can be effectively at work producing an emerging classical world without recurring to any external entity that in some cases cannot be properly defined. In a many-body system has been recently shown that Gaussian decay of the coherence is the rule with a duration of recurrence more and more small as the number of particles increases. This effect has been observed experimentally. More generally, a theorem about coherence of bulk matter can be proved. All this takes us to the conclusion that a well definite boundary for the quantum to classical world does exist and that can be drawn by the thermodynamic limit, extending in this way the deep link between statistical mechanics and quantum evolution to a high degree.Comment: 5 pages, no figures. Contribution to proceedings of DICE 2006 (Piombino, Italy, September 11-15, 2006

Haag-Ruelle scattering theory in presence of massless particles

Within the framework of local quantum physics we construct a scattering theory of stable, massive particles without assuming mass gaps. This extension of the Haag-Ruelle theory is based on advances in the harmonic analysis of local operators. Our construction is restricted to theories complying with a regularity property introduced by Herbst. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of the status of this assumption.Comment: As appeared in Letters in Mathematical Physic

Quantum control without access to the controlling interaction

In our model a fixed Hamiltonian acts on the joint Hilbert space of a quantum system and its controller. We show under which conditions measurements, state preparations, and unitary implementations on the system can be performed by quantum operations on the controller only. It turns out that a measurement of the observable A and an implementation of the one-parameter group exp(iAr) can be performed by almost the same sequence of control operations. Furthermore measurement procedures for A+B, for (AB+BA), and for i[A,B] can be constructed from measurements of A and B. This shows that the algebraic structure of the set of observables can be explained by the Lie group structure of the unitary evolutions on the joint Hilbert space of the measuring device and the measured system. A spin chain model with nearest neighborhood coupling shows that the border line between controller and system can be shifted consistently.Comment: 10 pages, Revte

Curie-Weiss model of the quantum measurement process

A hamiltonian model is solved, which satisfies all requirements for a realistic ideal quantum measurement. The system S is a spin-\half, whose $z$-component is measured through coupling with an apparatus A=M+B, consisting of a magnet \RM formed by a set of $N\gg 1$ spins with quartic infinite-range Ising interactions, and a phonon bath \RB at temperature $T$. Initially A is in a metastable paramagnetic phase. The process involves several time-scales. Without being much affected, A first acts on S, whose state collapses in a very brief time. The mechanism differs from the usual decoherence. Soon after its irreversibility is achieved. Finally the field induced by S on M, which may take two opposite values with probabilities given by Born's rule, drives A into its up or down ferromagnetic phase. The overall final state involves the expected correlations between the result registered in M and the state of S. The measurement is thus accounted for by standard quantum statistical mechanics and its specific features arise from the macroscopic size of the apparatus.Comment: 5 pages Revte

Renormalizing the Schwinger-Dyson equations in the auxiliary field formulation of λϕ4\lambda \phi^4 field theory

In this paper we study the renormalization of the Schwinger-Dyson equations that arise in the auxiliary field formulation of the O(N) $\phi^4$ field theory. The auxiliary field formulation allows a simple interpretation of the large-N expansion as a loop expansion of the generating functional in the auxiliary field $\chi$, once the effective action is obtained by integrating over the $\phi$ fields. Our all orders result is then used to obtain finite renormalized Schwinger-Dyson equations based on truncation expansions which utilize the two-particle irreducible (2-PI) generating function formalism. We first do an all orders renormalization of the two- and three-point function equations in the vacuum sector. This result is then used to obtain explicitly finite and renormalization constant independent self-consistent S-D equations valid to order~1/N, in both 2+1 and 3+1 dimensions. We compare the results for the real and imaginary parts of the renormalized Green's functions with the related \emph{sunset} approximation to the 2-PI equations discussed by Van Hees and Knoll, and comment on the importance of the Landau pole effect.Comment: 20 pages, 10 figure

Master integrals for massive two-loop Bhabha scattering in QED

We present a set of scalar master integrals (MIs) needed for a complete treatment of massive two-loop corrections to Bhabha scattering in QED, including integrals with arbitrary fermionic loops. The status of analytical solutions for the MIs is reviewed and examples of some methods to solve MIs analytically are worked out in more detail. Analytical results for the pole terms in epsilon of so far unknown box MIs with five internal lines are given.Comment: 23 pages, 5 tables, 12 figures, references added, appendix B enlarge

Wedge-Local Quantum Fields and Noncommutative Minkowski Space

Within the setting of a recently proposed model of quantum fields on noncommutative Minkowski spacetime, the consequences of the consistent application of the proper, untwisted Poincare group as the symmetry group are investigated. The emergent model contains an infinite family of fields which are labelled by different noncommutativity parameters, and related to each other by Lorentz transformations. The relative localization properties of these fields are investigated, and it is shown that to each field one can assign a wedge-shaped localization region of Minkowski space. This assignment is consistent with the principles of covariance and locality, i.e. fields localized in spacelike separated wedges commute. Regarding the model as a non-local, but wedge-local, quantum field theory on ordinary (commutative) Minkowski spacetime, it is possible to determine two-particle S-matrix elements, which turn out to be non-trivial. Some partial negative results concerning the existence of observables with sharper localization properties are also obtained.Comment: Version to appear in JHEP, 27 page

Quantum measurements without macroscopic superpositions

We study a class of quantum measurement models. A microscopic object is entangled with a macroscopic pointer such that each eigenvalue of the measured object observable is tied up with a specific pointer deflection. Different pointer positions mutually decohere under the influence of a bath. Object-pointer entanglement and decoherence of distinct pointer readouts proceed simultaneously. Mixtures of macroscopically distinct object-pointer states may then arise without intervening macroscopic superpositions. Initially, object and apparatus are statistically independent while the latter has pointer and bath correlated according to a metastable local thermal equilibrium. We obtain explicit results for the object-pointer dynamics with temporal coherence decay in general neither exponential nor Gaussian. The decoherence time does not depend on details of the pointer-bath coupling if it is smaller than the bath correlation time, whereas in the opposite Markov regime the decay depends strongly on whether that coupling is Ohmic or super-Ohmic.Comment: 50 pages, 5 figures, changed conten