Real Spectra in Non-Hermitian Hamiltonians Having PT Symmetry
Mathematical Physics
2009-10-30 v3 Condensed Matter
High Energy Physics - Theory
math.MP
Quantum Physics
Abstract
The condition of self-adjointness ensures that the eigenvalues of a Hamiltonian are real and bounded below. Replacing this condition by the weaker condition of symmetry, one obtains new infinite classes of complex Hamiltonians whose spectra are also real and positive. These symmetric theories may be viewed as analytic continuations of conventional theories from real to complex phase space. This paper describes the unusual classical and quantum properties of these theories.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.physics/9712001,
title = {Real Spectra in Non-Hermitian Hamiltonians Having PT Symmetry},
author = {Carl M. Bender and Stefan Boettcher},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:physics/9712001},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
5 pages, RevTex, 3 figures as epsf, as to appear in PRL