English

Universal spectral behavior of $x^2(ix)^\epsilon$ potentials

High Energy Physics - Theory 2013-05-30 v1 Mathematical Physics math.MP Quantum Physics

Abstract

The PT-symmetric Hamiltonian H=p2+x2(ix)ϵH=p^2+x^2(ix)^\epsilon (ϵ\epsilon real) exhibits a phase transition at ϵ=0\epsilon=0. When ϵ0\epsilon\geq0, the eigenvalues are all real, positive, discrete, and grow as ϵ\epsilon increases. However, when ϵ<0\epsilon<0 there are only a finite number of real eigenvalues. As ϵ\epsilon approaches -1 from above, the number of real eigenvalues decreases to one, and this eigenvalue becomes infinite at ϵ=1\epsilon=-1. In this paper it is shown that these qualitative spectral behaviors are generic and that they are exhibited by the eigenvalues of the general class of Hamiltonians H(2n)=p2n+x2(ix)ϵH^{(2n)}=p^{2n}+x^2(ix)^\epsilon (ϵ\epsilon real, n=1, 2, 3, ...). The complex classical behaviors of these Hamiltonians are also examined.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1205.4425,
  title  = {Universal spectral behavior of $x^2(ix)^\epsilon$ potentials},
  author = {Carl M. Bender and Daniel W. Hook},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1205.4425},
  year   = {2013}
}

Comments

8 pages, 7 figures