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Real-time Feynman path integral with Picard--Lefschetz theory and its applications to quantum tunneling

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arxiv 1406.2386 v3 pith:W3V37L3J submitted 2014-06-09 math-ph hep-lathep-thmath.MPquant-ph

classification math-phhep-lathep-thmath.MPquant-ph
keywords quantumpathreal-timetunnelingintegralsmechanicsappliedcomplex
verification ladder T0 review T1 audit T2 compute T3 formal

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Picard--Lefschetz theory is applied to path integrals of quantum mechanics, in order to compute real-time dynamics directly. After discussing basic properties of real-time path integrals on Lefschetz thimbles, we demonstrate its computational method in a concrete way by solving three simple examples of quantum mechanics. It is applied to quantum mechanics of a double-well potential, and quantum tunneling is discussed. We identify all of the complex saddle points of the classical action, and their properties are discussed in detail. However a big theoretical difficulty turns out to appear in rewriting the original path integral into a sum of path integrals on Lefschetz thimbles. We discuss generality of that problem and mention its importance. Real-time tunneling processes are shown to be described by those complex saddle points, and thus semi-classical description of real-time quantum tunneling becomes possible on solid ground if we could solve that problem.

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Cited by 7 Pith papers

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