English

Strengthened PT-symmetry with P $\neq$ P$^\dagger$

Quantum Physics 2007-05-23 v1

Abstract

Two alternative scenarios are shown possible in Quantum Mechanics working with non-Hermitian PTPT-symmetric form of observables. While, usually, people assume that PP is a self-adjoint indefinite metric in Hilbert space (and that their PP-pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonians HH possess the real spectra etc), we propose to relax the constraint P=PP=P^\dagger as redundant. Non-Hermitian triplet of coupled square wells is chosen for illustration purposes. Its solutions are constructed and the observed degeneracy of their spectrum is attributed to the characteristic nontrivial symmetry S=P1PIS={P}^{-1} {P}^\dagger \neq I of the model HH. Due to the solvability of the model the determination of the domain where the energies remain real is straightforward. A few remarks on the correct (albeit ambiguous) physical interpretation of the model are added.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.quant-ph/0601048,
  title  = {Strengthened PT-symmetry with P $\neq$ P$^\dagger$},
  author = {Miloslav Znojil},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:quant-ph/0601048},
  year   = {2007}
}

Comments

10 pp. + 1 figure