Non-Hermitian oscillator Hamiltonian and su(1,1): a way towards generalizations

The family of metric operators, constructed by Musumbu {\sl et al} (2007 {\sl J. Phys. A: Math. Theor.} {\bf 40} F75), for a harmonic oscillator Hamiltonian augmented by a non-Hermitian $\cal PT$-symmetric part, is re-examined in the light of an su(1,1) approach. An alternative derivation, only relying on properties of su(1,1) generators, is proposed. Being independent of the realization considered for the latter, it opens the way towards the construction of generalized non-Hermitian (not necessarily $\cal PT$-symmetric) oscillator Hamiltonians related by similarity to Hermitian ones. Some examples of them are reviewed.Comment: 11 pages, no figure; changes in title and in paragraphs 3 and 5; final published versio

Metric Operators for Quasi-Hermitian Hamiltonians and Symmetries of Equivalent Hermitian Hamiltonians

We give a simple proof of the fact that every diagonalizable operator that has a real spectrum is quasi-Hermitian and show how the metric operators associated with a quasi-Hermitian Hamiltonian are related to the symmetry generators of an equivalent Hermitian Hamiltonian.Comment: 6 pages, published versio

Calculation of the metric in the Hilbert space of a PT-symmetric model via the spectral theorem

In a previous paper (arXiv:math-ph/0604055) we introduced a very simple PT-symmetric non-Hermitian Hamiltonian with real spectrum and derived a closed formula for the metric operator relating the problem to a Hermitian one. In this note we propose an alternative formula for the metric operator, which we believe is more elegant and whose construction -- based on a backward use of the spectral theorem for self-adjoint operators -- provides new insights into the nature of the model.Comment: LaTeX, 6 page

Quasi-Hermitian supersymmetric extensions of a non-Hermitian oscillator Hamiltonian and of its generalizations

A harmonic oscillator Hamiltonian augmented by a non-Hermitian \pt-symmetric part and its su(1,1) generalizations, for which a family of positive-definite metric operators was recently constructed, are re-examined in a supersymmetric context. Quasi-Hermitian supersymmetric extensions of such Hamiltonians are proposed by enlarging su(1,1) to a ${\rm su}(1,1/1) \sim {\rm osp}(2/2, \R)$ superalgebra. This allows the construction of new non-Hermitian Hamiltonians related by similarity to Hermitian ones. Some examples of them are reviewed.Comment: 15 pages, no figure; published versio

Milne quantization for non-Hermitian systems

We generalize the Milne quantization condition to non-Hermitian systems. In the general case the underlying nonlinear Ermakov–Milne–Pinney equation needs to be replaced by a nonlinear integral differential equation. However, when the system is PT-symmetric or/and quasi/pseudo-Hermitian the equations simplify and one may employ the original energy integral to determine its quantization. We illustrate the working of the general framework with the Swanson model and two explicit examples for pairs of supersymmetric Hamiltonians. In one case both partner Hamiltonians are Hermitian and in the other a Hermitian Hamiltonian is paired by a Darboux transformation to a non-Hermitian one

Instabilities, nonhermiticity and exceptional points in the cranking model

A cranking harmonic oscillator model, widely used for the physics of fast rotating nuclei and Bose-Einstein condensates, is re-investigated in the context of PT-symmetry. The instability points of the model are identified as exceptional points. It is argued that - even though the Hamiltonian appears hermitian at first glance - it actually is not hermitian within the region of instability.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur

PT-symmetric deformations of Calogero models

We demonstrate that Coxeter groups allow for complex PT-symmetric deformations across the boundaries of all Weyl chambers. We compute the explicit deformations for the A2 and G2-Coxeter group and apply these constructions to Calogero–Moser–Sutherland models invariant under the extended Coxeter groups. The eigenspectra for the deformed models are real and contain the spectra of the undeformed case as subsystems

Hermitian versus non-Hermitian representations for minimal length uncertainty relations

We investigate four different types of representations of deformed canonical variables leading to generalized versions of Heisenberg's uncertainty relations resulting from noncommutative spacetime structures. We demonstrate explicitly how the representations are related to each other and study three characteristically different solvable models on these spaces, the harmonic oscillator, the manifestly non-Hermitian Swanson model and an intrinsically noncommutative model with Pöschl-Teller type potential. We provide an analytical expression for the metric in terms of quantities specific to the generic solution procedure and show that when it is appropriately implemented expectation values are independent of the particular representation. A recently proposed inequivalent representation resulting from Jordan twists is shown to lead to unphysical models. We suggest an anti PT-symmetric modification to overcome this shortcoming

The Quantum Effective Mass Hamilton-Jacobi Problem

In this article, the quantum Hamilton- Jacobi theory based on the position dependent mass model is studied. Two effective mass functions having different singularity structures are used to examine the Morse and Poschl- Teller potentials. The residue method is used to obtain the solutions of the quantum effective mass- Hamilton Jacobi equation. Further, it is shown that the eigenstates of the generalized non-Hermitian Swanson Hamiltonian for Morse and Poschl-Teller potentials can be obtained by using the Riccati equation without solving a differential equation