Pseudo-Hermiticity, PT-symmetry, and the Metric Operator

We extend the formulation of pseudo-Hermitian quantum mechanics to eta-pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonian operators H with an unbounded metric operator eta. In particular, we give the details of the construction of the physical Hilbert space, observables, and equivalent Hermitian Hamiltonian for the case that H has a real and discrete spectrum and its eigenvectors belong to the domain of eta and consequently its positive square root.

In a previous paper (arXiv:math-ph/0604055) we introduced a very simple PT-symmetric non-Hermitian Hamiltonian with real spectrum and derived a closed formula for the metric operator relating the problem to a Hermitian one. In this note we propose an alternative formula for the metric operator, which we believe is more elegant and whose construction -- based on a backward use of the spectral theorem for self-adjoint operators -- provides new insights into the nature of the mo...

We propose construction of a unique and definite metric ($\eta_+$), time-reversal operator (T) and an inner product such that the pseudo-Hermitian matrix Hamiltonians are C, PT, and CPT invariant and PT(CPT)-norm is indefinite (definite). Here, P and C denote the generalized symmetries : parity and charge-conjugation respectively. The limitations of the other current approaches have been brought out.

Parallels between the notions of nonlinear pseudobosons and of an apparent non-Hermiticity of observables as shown in paper I (arXiv: 1109.0605) are demonstrated to survive the transition to the quantum models based on the use of unbounded metric in the Hilbert space of states.

In most introductory courses on quantum mechanics one is taught that the Hamiltonian operator must be Hermitian in order that the energy levels be real and that the theory be unitary (probability conserving). To express the Hermiticity of a Hamiltonian, one writes $H=H^\dagger$, where the symbol $\dagger$ denotes the usual Dirac Hermitian conjugation; that is, transpose and complex conjugate. In the past few years it has been recognized that the requirement of Hermiticity, wh...

We introduce a very simple, exactly solvable PT-symmetric non-Hermitian model with real spectrum, and derive a closed formula for the metric operator which relates the problem to a Hermitian one.

We generalized a class of non-Hermitian Hamiltonians which introduced previously by us in such a way in which every member in the class is non-\textit{PT}-symmetric. For every member of the class, the ground state is a constant with zero energy eigen value. Instead of using an infinite set of coupled operator equations to calculate the metric operator we used a simple realization to obtain the class of closed form metric operators corresponding to the class of non-Hermitian a...

In this work, a new ansatz is introduced to make the calculations of the metric operator in Pseudo-Hermitian field theory simpler. The idea is to assume that the metric operator is not only a functional of the field operators $\phi$ and its conjugate field $\pi$ but also on the field gradient $\nabla\phi$. Rather than the locality of the metric operator obtained, the ansatz enables one to calculate the metric operator just once for all dimensions of the space-time. We calcula...

A class of pseudo-hermitian quantum system with an explicit form of the positive-definite metric in the Hilbert space is presented. The general method involves a realization of the basic canonical commutation relations defining the quantum system in terms of operators those are hermitian with respect to a pre-determined positive definite metric in the Hilbert space. Appropriate combinations of these operators result in a large number of pseudo-hermitian quantum systems admitt...

In recent reports, suggestions have been put forward to the effect that parity and time-reversal (PT) symmetry in quantum mechanics is incompatible with causality. It is shown here, in contrast, that PT-symmetric quantum mechanics is fully consistent with standard quantum mechanics. This follows from the surprising fact that the much-discussed metric operator on Hilbert space is not physically observable. In particular, for closed quantum systems in finite dimensions there is...