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Quantum resonance, i.e., amplification in transition probability available under certain conditions, offers a powerful means for determining fundamental quantities in physics, including the time duration of the second adopted in the SI units and neutron's electric dipole moment which is directly linked to CP violation. We revisit two of the typical examples, the Rabi resonance and the Ramsey resonance, and show that both of these represent the weak value amplification and that near the resonance points they share exactly the same behavior of transition probabilities except for the measurement strength whose difference leads to the known advantage of the Ramsey resonance in the sensitivity. Conversely, as a by-product of the relationship, we may measure the weak value through quantum resonance. In fact, we argue that previous measurements of neutron electric dipole moment based on the Ramsey resonance have potentially determined the weak value of neutron's spin with much higher precision than the conventional weak value measurement., Comment: 15 pages, 2 figures

We present a no-go theorem for the distinguishability between quantum random numbers (i.e., random numbers generated quantum mechanically) and pseudo-random numbers (i.e., random numbers generated algorithmically). The theorem states that one cannot distinguish these two types of random numbers if the quantum random numbers are efficiently classically simulatable and the randomness measure used for the distinction is efficiently computable. We derive this theorem by using the properties of cryptographic pseudo-random number generators, which are believed to exist in the field of cryptography. Our theorem is found to be consistent with the analyses on the actual data of quantum random numbers generated by the IBM Quantum and also those obtained in the Innsbruck experiment for the Bell test, where the degrees of randomness of these two set of quantum random numbers turn out to be essentially indistinguishable from those of the corresponding pseudo-random numbers. Previous observations on the algorithmic randomness of quantum random numbers are also discussed and reinterpreted in terms of our theorems and data analyses., Comment: 17 pages, 8 figures, 3 tables. title updated, minor revision

We examine the feasibility of the Bell test (i.e., detecting a violation of the Bell inequality) with the ATLAS detector in Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN through the flavor entanglement between the B mesons. After addressing the possible issues that arise associated with the experiment and how they may be treated based on an analogy with conventional Bell tests, we show in our simulation study that under realistic conditions (expected from the LHC Run 3 operation) the Bell test is feasible under mild assumptions. The definitive factor for this promising result lies primarily in the fact that the ATLAS detector is capable of measuring the decay times of the B mesons independently, which was not available in the previous experiment with the Belle detector at KEK. This result suggests the possibility of the Bell test in much higher energy domains and may open up a new arena for experimental studies of quantum foundations., Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures

We study the possibility of varying the measured lifetime of a decaying particle based on the technique of weak value amplification in which an additional filtering process called postselection is performed. Our analysis made in a direct measurement scheme presented here shows that, for simple two-level systems, the lifetime may be prolonged more than three times compared to the original one, while it can also be shortened arbitrarily by a proper choice of postselection. This result is consistent with our previous analysis on the possible prolongation of the lifetime of B mesons that may be observed in laboratories, and suggests room for novel applications of weak value amplification beyond precision measurement conventionally considered., Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures

The technique of weak value amplification, proposed by Aharonov et al. in 1988, has been applied for various fields of physics for the purpose of precision measurement, which is made possible by exploiting the freedom of `postselection' specifying actively the final state in the physical process. Here we report for the first time the feasibility of utilizing the technique of weak value amplification in high energy particle physics, especially in measuring the CP-violating parameters in B meson decays, where the effective lifetime of the decay mode is expected to be prolonged statistically due to the postselection. Our analysis shows that, when adopted in the Belle II experiment at the SuperKEKB collider, the effective lifetime may be prolonged up to 2.6 times, and that the measurement precision of the CP-violating parameters will also be improved by its effect., Comment: 16pages, 12 figures

The Schr{\"o}dinger inequality is known to underlie the Kennard-Robertson inequality, which is the standard expression of quantum uncertainty for the product of variances of two observables $A$ and $B$, in the sense that the latter is derived from the former. In this paper we point out that, albeit more subtle, there is yet another inequality which underlies the Schr{\"o}dinger inequality in the same sense. The key component of this observation is the use of the weak-value operator $A_{\rm w}(B)$ introduced in our previous works (named after Aharonov's weak value), which was shown to act as the proxy operator for $A$ when $B$ is measured. The lower bound of our novel inequality supplements that of the Schr{\"o}dinger inequality by a term representing the discord between $A_{\rm w}(B)$ and $A$. In addition, the decomposition of the Schr{\"o}dinger inequality, which was also obtained in our previous works by making use the weak-value operator, is examined more closely to analyze its structure and the minimal uncertainty states. Our results are exemplified with some elementary spin 1 and 3/2 models as well as the familiar case of $A$ and $B$ being the position and momentum of a particle., Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures

We present a universal formulation of uncertainty relation valid for any conceivable quantum measurement and the resultant observation (observer) effect of statistical nature. Owing to its simplicity and operational tangibility, our general relation is also experimentally verifiable. Our relation violates the traditional na{\"i}ve bound $\hbar/2$ for the position-momentum measurement while respecting Heisenberg's original philosophy of the uncertainty principle. Our error-disturbance relation admits a parallel formulation to our relation for errors, which also embraces the standard Kennard--Robertson (Schr{\"o}dinger) relation as a special case; this attains a unified picture of the three orthodox realms of uncertainty regarding quantum indeterminacy, measurement, and observation effect within a single framework., Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures

We present a new geometric formulation of uncertainty relation valid for any quantum measurements of statistical nature. Owing to its simplicity and tangibility, our relation is universally valid and experimentally viable. Although our relation violates the na{\"i}ve non-commutativity bound $\hbar/2$ for the measurement of position and momentum, the spirit of the uncertainty principle still stands strong. Our relation entails, among others, the Ozawa relation as a corollary, and also reduces seamlessly to the standard Kennard-Robertson relation when the measurement is non-informative., Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures

The random number generators (RNGs) are an indispensable tool in cryptography. Of various types of RNG method, those using radiations from nuclear decays (radioactive RNG) has a relatively long history but their security has never been discussed rigorously in the literature. In this paper we propose a new method of the radioactive RNG that admits a simple and rigorous proof of security. The security proof is made possible here by exploiting the parity (space inversion) symmetry arising in the device, which has previously been unfocused but is generically available for a nuclide which decays by parity-conserving interactions., Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures

We present a general framework of examining the validity of weak measurement -- the standard procedure to acquire Aharonov's weak value -- which has been used intensively in recent years for precision measurement, taking advantage of the amplification mechanism available for the weak value. Our framework allows one to deal systematically with various causes of uncertainties intrinsic to the actual measurement process as well as those found in the theoretical analysis employed to describe the system. Using our framework, we examine in detail the two seminal experiments, Hosten's detection measurement of the spin Hall effect of light and Dixon's ultra sensitive beam deflection measurement. Our analysis shows that their results are well within the range of amplification (actually in the vicinity of the optimal point) where the weak measurements are valid. This suggests that our framework is both practical and sound, and may be useful to determine beforehand the possible extent of amplification in the future weak measurement experiments., Comment: 19 pages, 12 figures

The past of the photon in a nested Mach-Zehnder interferometer with an inserted Dove prism is analyzed. It is argued that the Dove prism does not change the past of the photon. Alonso and Jordan correctly point out that an experiment by Danan et al. demonstrating the past of the photon in nested interferometer will show different results when the Dove prism is inserted. The reason, however, is not that the past is changed, but that the experimental demonstration becomes incorrect. The explanation of a signal from the place in which the photon was (almost) not present is given. Bohmian trajectory of the photon is specified., Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures; revised and expanded version

We propose a general framework of the quantum/quasi-classical transformations by introducing the concept of quasi-joint-spectral distribution (QJSD). Specifically, we show that the QJSDs uniquely yield various pairs of quantum/quasi-classical transformations, including the Wigner-Weyl transform. We also discuss the statistical behaviour of combinations of generally non-commutin quantum observables by introducing the concept of quantum correlations and conditional expectations defined analogously to the classical counterpart. Based on these, Aharonov's weak value is given a statistical interpretation as one realisation of the quantum conditional expectations furnished in our formalism., Comment: 35 pages

We show that the joint behaviour of an arbitrary pair of quantum observables can be described by quasi-probabilities, which are extensions of the standard probabilities used for describing the behaviour of a single observable. The physical situations that require these quasi-probabilities arise when one considers quantum measurement of an observable conditioned by some other variable, with the notable example being the weak measurement employed to obtain Aharonov's weak value. Specifically, we present a general prescription for the construction of quasi-joint-probability (QJP) distributions associated with a given pair of observables. These QJP distributions are introduced in two complementary approaches: one from a bottom-up, strictly operational construction realised by examining the mathematical framework of the conditioned measurement scheme, and the other from a top-down viewpoint realised by applying the results of spectral theorem for normal operators and its Fourier transforms. It is then revealed that, for a pair of simultaneously measurable observables, the QJP distribution reduces to their unique standard joint-probability distribution, whereas for a non-commuting pair there exists an inherent indefiniteness in the choice, admitting a multitude of candidates that may equally be used for describing their joint behaviour. In the course of our argument, we find that the QJP distributions furnish the space of operators with their characteristic geometric structures such that the orthogonal projections and inner products of observables can, respectively, be given statistical interpretations as `conditionings' and `correlations'. The weak value $A_{w}$ for an observable $A$ is then given a geometric/statistical interpretation as either the orthogonal projection of $A$ onto the subspace generated by another observable $B$, or equivalently, as the conditioning of $A$ given $B$., Comment: 149 pages, 2 figures

We clarify the significance of quasiprobability (QP) in quantum mechanics that is relevant in describing physical quantities associated with a transition process. Our basic quantity is Aharonov's weak value, from which the QP can be defined up to a certain ambiguity parameterized by a complex number. Unlike the conventional probability, the QP allows us to treat two noncommuting observables consistently, and this is utilized to embed the QP in Bohmian mechanics such that its equivalence to quantum mechanics becomes more transparent. We also show that, with the help of the QP, Bohmian mechanics can be recognized as an ontological model with a certain type of contextuality.

We present a versatile inequality of uncertainty relations which are useful when one approximates an observable and/or estimates a physical parameter based on the measurement of another observable. It is shown that the optimal choice for proxy functions used for the approximation is given by Aharonov's weak value, which also determines the classical Fisher information in parameter estimation, turning our inequality into the genuine Cram{\'e}r-Rao inequality. Since the standard form of the uncertainty relation arises as a special case of our inequality, and since the parameter estimation is available as well, our inequality can treat both the position-momentum and the time-energy relations in one framework albeit handled differently., Comment: 10 pages, 1 figure; published version (v2)

The notion of trajectory of an individual particle is strictly inhibited in quantum mechanics because of the uncertainty principle. Nonetheless, the weak value, which has been proposed as a novel and measurable quantity definable to any quantum observable, can offer a possible description of trajectory on account of its statistical nature of the value. In this paper, we explore the physical significance provided by this weak trajectory by considering various situations where interference takes place simultaneously with the observation of particles, that is, in prototypical quantum situations for which no classical treatment is available. These include the double slit experiment and Lloyd's mirror, where in the former case it is argued that the real part of the weak trajectory describes an average over the possible classical trajectories involved in the process, and that the imaginary part is related to the variation of interference. It is shown that this average interpretation of the weak trajectory holds universally under the complex probability defined from the given transition process. These features remain essentially unaltered in the case of Lloyd's mirror where interference occurs with a single slit., Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures

The weak value, introduced by Aharonov et al. to extend the conventional scope of physical observables in quantum mechanics, is an intriguing concept which sheds new light on quantum foundations and is also useful for precision measurement, but it poses serious questions on its physical meaning due to the unconventional features including the complexity of its value. In this paper we point out that the weak value has a direct connection with the wave-particle duality, in the sense that the wave nature manifests itself in the imaginary part while the particle nature in the real part. This is illustrated by the double slit experiment, where we argue, with no conflict with complementarity, that the trajectory of the particle can be inferred based on the weak value without destroying the interference., Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures

Aharonov's weak value, which is a physical quantity obtainable by weak measurement, admits amplification and hence is deemed to be useful for precision measurement. We examine the significance of the amplification based on the uncertainty of measurement, and show that the trade-offs among the three (systematic, statistical and nonlinear) components of the uncertainty inherent in the weak measurement will set an upper limit on the usable amplification. Apart from the Gaussian state models employed for demonstration, our argument is completely general; it is free from approximation and valid for arbitrary observables $A$ and couplings $g$., Comment: Paper: 5 pages, 1 figure. Supplemental Material: 12 pages, 0 figure

Entanglement is known to be a relative notion, defined with respect to the choice of physical observables to be measured (i.e., the measurement setup used). This implies that, in general, the same state can be both separable and entangled for different measurement setups, but this does not exclude the existence of states which are separable (or entangled) for all possible setups. We show that for systems of bosonic particles there indeed exist such universally separable states: they are i.i.d. pure states. In contrast, there is no such state for fermionic systems with a few exceptional cases. We also find that none of the fermionic and bosonic systems admits universally entangled states., Comment: 11 pages, 1 figure

We present a complex probability measure relevant for double (pairs of) states in quantum mechanics, as an extension of the standard probability measure for single states that underlies Born's statistical rule. When the double states are treated as the initial and final states of a quantum process, we find that Aharonov's weak value, which has acquired a renewed interest as a novel observable quantity inherent in the process, arises as an expectation value associated with the probability measure. Despite being complex, our measure admits the physical interpretation as mixed processes, i.e., an ensemble of processes superposed with classical probabilities., Comment: 7 pages, 1 figures

Approximated formulae for real quasi-momentum and the associated energy spectrum are presented for one-dimensional Bose gas with weak attractive contact interactions. On the basis of the energy spectrum, we obtain the equation of state in the high temperature region, which is found to be the van der Waals equation without volume correction., Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure

We present a general criterion for entanglement of N indistinguishable particles decomposed into arbitrary s subsystems based on the unambiguous measurability of correlation. Our argument provides a unified viewpoint on the entanglement of indistinguishable particles, which is still unsettled despite various proposals made mainly for the s = 2 case. Even though entanglement is defined only with reference to the measurement setup, we find that the so-called i.i.d. states form a special class of bosonic states which are universally separable., Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, major revision

We show that the various intermediate states appearing in the process of one-way computation at a given step of measurement are all equivalent modulo local unitary transformations. This implies, in particular, that all those intermediate states share the same entanglement irrespective of the measurement outcomes, indicating that the process of one-way computation is essentially unique with respect to local quantum operations., Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures

We present a criterion of separability for arbitrary s partitions of N-particle fermionic pure states. We show that, despite the superficial non-factorizability due to the antisymmetry required by the indistinguishability of the particles, the states which meet our criterion have factorizable correlations for a class of observables which are specified consistently with the states. The separable states and the associated class of observables share an orthogonal structure, whose non-uniqueness is found to be intrinsic to the multi-partite separability and leads to the non-transitivity in the factorizability in general. Our result generalizes the previous result obtained by Ghirardi et. al. [J. Stat. Phys. 108 (2002) 49] for the s = 2 and s = N case., Comment: 21 pages, 2 figures

We present a family of entanglement measures R_m which act as indicators for separability of n-qubit quantum states into m subsystems for arbitrary 2 \leq m \leq n. The measure R_m vanishes if the state is separable into m subsystems, and for m = n it gives the Meyer-Wallach measure while for m = 2 it reduces, in effect, to the one introduced recently by Love et al. The measures R_m are evaluated explicitly for the GHZ state and the W state (and its modifications, the W_k states) to show that these globally entangled states exhibit rather distinct behaviors under the measures, indicating the utility of the measures R_m for characterizing globally entangled states as well., Comment: 8 pages, 8 figures

We study the possibility of testing local realistic theory (LRT), envisioned implicitly by Einstein, Podolsky and Rosen in 1935, based on the Bell inequality for the correlations in the decay modes of entangled K or B-mesons. It is shown that such a test is possible for a restricted class of LRT, despite the passive nature of decay events and/or the non-unitary treatment of the correlations which invalidate the test for general LRT. Unfortunately, the present setup of the KEKB (Belle) experiment, where the coherence of entangled B-mesons has been confirmed recently, does not admit such a test due to the inability of determining the decay times of the entangled pairs separately. The indeterminacy also poses a problem for ensuring the locality of the test, indicating that improvement to resolve the indeterminacy is crucial for the test of LRT., Comment: 14 pages, PlainTeX, minor revision

Entanglement of multipartite systems is studied based on exchange symmetry under the permutation group S_N. With the observation that symmetric property under the exchange of two constituent states and their separability are intimately linked, we show that anti-symmetric (fermionic) states are necessarily globally entangled, while symmetric (bosonic) states are either globally entangled or fully separable and possess essentially identical states in all the constituent systems. It is also shown that there cannot exist a fully separable state which is orthogonal to all symmetric states, and that full separability of states does not survive under total symmetrization unless the states are originally symmetric. Besides, anyonic states permitted under the braid group B_N should also be globally entangled. Our results reveal that exchange symmetry is actually sufficient for pure states to become globally entangled or fully separable., Comment: 12 pages, appendix added

We present a novel formulation of quantum game theory based on the Schmidt decomposition, which has the merit that the entanglement of quantum strategies is manifestly quantified. We apply this formulation to 2-player, 2-strategy symmetric games and obtain a complete set of quantum Nash equilibria. Apart from those available with the maximal entanglement, these quantum Nash equilibria are extensions of the Nash equilibria in classical game theory. The phase structure of the equilibria is determined for all values of entanglement, and thereby the possibility of resolving the dilemmas by entanglement in the game of Chicken, the Battle of the Sexes, the Prisoners' Dilemma, and the Stag Hunt, is examined. We find that entanglement transforms these dilemmas with each other but cannot resolve them, except in the Stag Hunt game where the dilemma can be alleviated to a certain degree., Comment: 40 pages, 9 figures, PlainTeX

The paper wishes to demonstrate that, in quantum systems with boundaries, different boundary conditions can lead to remarkably different physical behaviour. Our seemingly innocent setting is a one dimensional potential well that is divided into two halves by a thin separating wall. The two half wells are populated by the same type and number of particles and are kept at the same temperature. The only difference is in the boundary condition imposed at the two sides of the separating wall, which is the Dirichlet condition from the left and the Neumann condition from the right. The resulting different energy spectra cause a difference in the quantum statistically emerging pressure on the two sides. The net force acting on the separating wall proves to be nonzero at any temperature and, after a weak decrease in the low temperature domain, to increase and diverge with a square-root-of-temperature asymptotics for high temperatures. These observations hold for both bosonic and fermionic type particles, but with quantitative differences. We work out several analytic approximations to explain these differences and the various aspects of the found unexpectedly complex picture., Comment: LaTeX (with iopart.cls, iopart10.clo and iopart12.clo), 28 pages, 17 figures

Symmetric quantum games for 2-player, 2-qubit strategies are analyzed in detail by using a scheme in which all pure states in the 2-qubit Hilbert space are utilized for strategies. We consider two different types of symmetric games exemplified by the familiar games, the Battle of the Sexes (BoS) and the Prisoners' Dilemma (PD). These two types of symmetric games are shown to be related by a duality map, which ensures that they share common phase structures with respect to the equilibria of the strategies. We find eight distinct phase structures possible for the symmetric games, which are determined by the classical payoff matrices from which the quantum games are defined. We also discuss the possibility of resolving the dilemmas in the classical BoS, PD and the Stag Hunt (SH) game based on the phase structures obtained in the quantum games. It is observed that quantization cannot resolve the dilemma fully for the BoS, while it generically can for the PD and SH if appropriate correlations for the strategies of the players are provided., Comment: 12 pages, 14 figures

We study the inequivalent quantizations of the N = 3 Calogero model by separation of variables, in which the model decomposes into the angular and the radial parts. Our inequivalent quantizations respect the ` mirror-S_3\rq\ invariance (which realizes the symmetry under the cyclic permutations of the particles) and the scale invariance in the limit of vanishing harmonic potential. We find a two-parameter family of novel quantizations in the angular part and classify the eigenstates in terms of the irreducible representations of the S_3 group. The scale invariance restricts the quantization in the radial part uniquely, except for the eigenstates coupled to the lowest two angular levels for which two types of boundary conditions are allowed independently from all upper levels. It is also found that the eigenvalues corresponding to the singlet representations of the S_3 are universal (parameter-independent) in the family, whereas those corresponding to the doublets of the S_3 are dependent on one of the parameters. These properties are shown to be a consequence of the spectral preserving SU(2) (or its subrgoup U(1)) transformations allowed in the family of inequivalent quantizations., Comment: 24 pages, LaTeX

A simple and general formulation of the quantum game theory is presented, accommodating all possible strategies in the Hilbert space for the first time. The theory is solvable for the two strategy quantum game, which is shown to be equivalent to a family of classical games supplemented by quantum interference. Our formulation gives a clear perspective to understand why and how quantum strategies outmaneuver classical strategies. It also reveals novel aspects of quantum games such as the stone-scissor-paper phase sub-game and the fluctuation-induced moderation., Comment: 4 Pages, REVTeX, 3 Figures, 1 Table. Abstract, introduction and conclusion are revised. For higher resolution figures, go to http://www.mech.kochi-tech.ac.jp/cheon/index_j.html

We show that the U(2) family of point interactions on a line can be utilized to provide the U(2) family of qubit operations for quantum information processing. Qubits are realized as localized states in either side of the point interaction which represents a controllable gate. The manipulation of qubits proceeds in a manner analogous to the operation of an abacus. Keywords: quantum computation, quantum contact interaction, quantum wire, Comment: 4 Pages ReVTeX4 with 3 figures

Defects or junctions in materials serve as a source of interactions for particles, and in idealized limits they may be treated as singular points yielding contact interactions. In quantum mechanics, these singularities accommodate an unexpectedly rich structure and thereby provide a variety of physical phenomena, especially if their properties are controlled properly. Based on our recent studies, we present a brief review on the physical aspects of such quantum singularities in one dimension. Among the intriguing phenomena that the singularities admit, we mention strong vs weak duality, supersymmetry, quantum anholonomy (Berry phase), and a copying process by anomalous caustics. We also show that a partition wall as a singularity in a potential well can give rise to a quantum force which exhibits an interesting temperature behavior characteristic to the particle statistics., Comment: Latex, 18 pages, 8 figures; for the proceedings of the conference Non-locality of Quantum Mechanics and Statistical Inference, September 8-9, 2003, Kyoto Sangyo University, Kyoto, Japan

We calculate the quantum statistical force acting on a partition wall that divides a one dimensional box into two halves. The two half boxes contain the same (fixed) number of noninteracting bosons, are kept at the same temperature, and admit the same boundary conditions at the outer walls; the only difference is the distinct boundary conditions imposed at the two sides of the partition wall. The net force acting on the partition wall is nonzero at zero temperature and remains almost constant for low temperatures. As the temperature increases, the force starts to decrease considerably, but after reaching a minimum it starts to increase, and tends to infinity with a square-root-of-temperature asympotics. This example demonstrates clearly that distinct boundary conditions cause remarkable physical effects for quantum systems., Comment: Tex, 10 pages; first version

We investigate the spectral and symmetry properties of a quantum particle moving on a circle with a pointlike singularity (or point interaction). We find that, within the U(2) family of the quantum mechanically allowed distinct singularities, a U(1) equivalence (of duality-type) exists, and accordingly the space of distinct spectra is U(1) x [SU(2)/U(1)], topologically a filled torus. We explore the relationship of special subfamilies of the U(2) family to corresponding symmetries, and identify the singularities that admit an N = 2 supersymmetry. Subfamilies that are distinguished in the spectral properties or the WKB exactness are also pointed out. The spectral and symmetry properties are also studied in the context of the circle with two singularities, which provides a useful scheme to discuss the symmetry properties on a general basis., Comment: TeX, 26 pages. v2: one reference added and two updated

We generalise the electric-magnetic duality in standard Maxwell theory to its non-commutative version. Both space-space and space-time non-commutativity are necessary. The duality symmetry is then extended to a general class of non-commutative gauge theories that goes beyond non-commutative electrodynamics. As an application of this symmetry, plane wave solutions are analysed. Dispersion relations following from these solutions show that general non-commutative gauge theories other than electrodynamics admits two waves with distinct polarisations propagating at different velocities in the same direction., Comment: 13 pages, PlainTeX. A reference and an equation (Ref.[11] and eq.(4.16)) are added, the text is amended, and some contents are deleted. Errors in some equations ((4.13), (4.14), (4.15) and (4.19)) are corrected

We provide a systematic study on the possibility of supersymmetry (SUSY) for one dimensional quantum mechanical systems consisting of a pair of lines $\R$ or intervals [-l, l] each having a point singularity. We consider the most general singularities and walls (boundaries) at $x = \pm l$ admitted quantum mechanically, using a U(2) family of parameters to specify one singularity and similarly a U(1) family of parameters to specify one wall. With these parameter freedoms, we find that for a certain subfamily the line systems acquire an N = 1 SUSY which can be enhanced to N = 4 if the parameters are further tuned, and that these SUSY are generically broken except for a special case. The interval systems, on the other hand, can accommodate N = 2 or N = 4 SUSY, broken or unbroken, and exhibit a rich variety of (degenerate) spectra. Our SUSY systems include the familiar SUSY systems with the Dirac $\delta(x)$-potential, and hence are extensions of the known SUSY quantum mechanics to those with general point singularities and walls. The self-adjointness of the supercharge in relation to the self-adjointness of the Hamiltonian is also discussed., Comment: 36 pages, 3 figures, PlainTex

We study the possibility of supersymmetry (SUSY) in quantum mechanics in one dimension under the presence of a point singularity. The system considered is the free particle on a line R or on the interval [-l, l] where the point singularity lies at x = 0. In one dimension, the singularity is known to admit a U(2) family of different connection conditions which include as a special case the familiar one that arises under the Dirac delta-potential. Similarly, each of the walls at x = l and x = -l admits a U(1) family of boundary conditions including the Dirichlet and the Neumann boundary conditions. Under these general connection/boundary conditions, the system is shown to possess an N = 1 or N = 2 SUSY for various choices of the singularity and the walls, and the SUSY is found to be `good' or `broken' depending on the choices made. We use the supercharge which allows for a constant shift in the energy, and argue that if the system is supersymmetric then the supercharge is self-adjoint on states that respect the connection/boundary conditions specified by the singularity., Comment: 17 pages, 3 figures, PlainTeX

To describe a quantum system whose potential is divergent at one point, one must provide proper connection conditions for the wave functions at the singularity. Generalizing the scheme used for point interactions in one dimension, we present a set of connection conditions which are well-defined even if the wave functions and/or their derivatives are divergent at the singularity. Our generalized scheme covers the entire U(2) family of quantizations (self-adjoint Hamiltonians) admitted for the singular system. We use this scheme to examine the spectra of the Coulomb potential $V(x) = - e^2 / | x |$ and the harmonic oscillator with square inverse potential $V(x) = (m \omega^2 / 2) x^2 + g/x^2$, and thereby provide a general perspective for these models which have previously been treated with restrictive connection conditions resulting in conflicting spectra. We further show that, for any parity invariant singular potentials $V(-x) = V(x)$, the spectrum is determined solely by the eigenvalues of the characteristic matrix $U \in U(2)$., Comment: TeX, 18 pages

Quantization of a harmonic oscillator with inverse square potential $V(x)=(m{\omega^2}/2){x^2}+g/{x^2}$ on the line $-\infty0$, say, to the other $x<0$., Comment: 13 pages, 1 figure, written by PlainTeX, Ver.4.0. Title changed, typos corrected, a new reference and a comment on quantum cloning added

We investigate the system of a particle moving on a half line x >= 0 under the general walls at x = 0 that are permitted quantum mechanically. These quantum walls, characterized by a parameter L, are shown to be realized as a limit of regularized potentials. We then study the classical aspects of the quantum walls, by seeking a classical counterpart which admits the same time delay in scattering with the quantum wall, and also by examining the WKB-exactness of the transition kernel based on the regularized potentials. It is shown that no classical counterpart exists for walls with L < 0, and that the WKB-exactness can hold only for L = 0 and L = infinity., Comment: TeX, 21 pages, 4 figures. v2: some parts of the text improved, new and improved figures

We study the spectral properties of one-dimensional quantum wire with a single defect. We reveal the existence of the non-trivial topological structures in the spectral space of the system, which are behind the exotic quantum phenomena that have lately been found in the system., Comment: 4 pages, LaTeX, To appear in Proc. International Symposium on Foundation of Quantum Mechanics, Tokyo, Aug.26-30, 2001 (ISQM-Tokyo 01)

The Schroedinger operator with point interaction in one dimension has a U(2) family of self-adjoint extensions. We study the spectrum of the operator and show that (i) the spectrum is uniquely determined by the eigenvalues of the matrix U belonging to U(2) that characterizes the extension, and that (ii) the space of distinct spectra is given by the orbifold T^2/Z_2 which is a Moebius strip with boundary. We employ a parametrization of U(2) that admits a direct physical interpretation and furnishes a coherent framework to realize the spectral duality and anholonomy recently found. This allows us to find that (iii) physically distinct point interactions form a three-parameter quotient space of the U(2) family., Comment: 16 pages, 2 figures

We analyze the spectral structure of the one dimensional quantum mechanical system with point interaction, which is known to be parametrized by the group U(2). Based on the classification of the interactions in terms of symmetries, we show, on a general ground, how the fermion-boson duality and the spectral anholonomy recently discovered can arise. A vital role is played by a hidden su(2) formed by a certain set of discrete transformations, which becomes a symmetry if the point interaction belongs to a distinguished U(1) subfamily in which all states are doubly degenerate. Within the U(1), there is a particular interaction which admits the interpretation of the system as a supersymmetric Witten model., Comment: 47 pages, 5 figures (with 7 EPS files); corrected typos

We study how instantons arise in the low energy effective theory of the SU(2) Yang-Mills theory in the context of the non-linear sigma model recently propose by Faddeev and Niemi. We find a simple relation between the instanton number $\nu$ and the charge m of the monopole that appears in the effective theory. It is given by $\nu = m \Phi/(2\pi)$, where $\Phi$ is the quantized flux associated with a U(1) gauge field passing through the loop formed by the singularity of the monopole., Comment: Tex, 12 pages, 3 figures (eps), references added

We study systems with parity invariant contact interactions in one dimension. The model analyzed is the simplest nontrivial one --- a quantum wire with a point defect --- and yet is shown to exhibit exotic phenomena, such as strong vs weak coupling duality and spiral anholonomy in the spectral flow. The structure underlying these phenomena is SU(2), which arises as accidental symmetry for a particular class of interactions., Comment: 4 pages ReVTeX with 4 epsf figures. KEK preprint 2000-3. Correction in Eq.(14)