Lecture XII 35

Lecture XII: Applications of the Feynman Path Integral

Digression: Free particle propagator (exercise) cf. diusion
G
free
(q
F
, q
I
; t) q
F
|e
i p
2
t/2m
|q
I
(t) =
_
m
2it
_
1/2
exp
_
i

m(q
F
q
I
)
2
2t
_
(t)
Dicult to derive from PI(!), but useful for normalization
Quantum Particle in a Single (Symmetric) Well: V (q) = V (q)
V
q

e.g. QM amplitude
G(0, 0; t) 0|e
i

Ht/
|0 (t) =
_
q(t)=q(0)=0
Dq exp
_
i

_
t
0
dt

_
m q
2
2
V (q)
__
Evaluate PI by stationary phase approximation: general recipe
(i) Parameterise path as q(t) = q
cl
(t) + r(t) and expand action in r(t)
S[ q + r] =
_
t
0
dt

_
m
2
q
cl
2
+ 2 q
cl
r + r
2
..
( q
cl
+ r)
2

V (q
cl
) + rV

(q
cl
) +
r
2
2
V

(q
cl
) +
..
V (q
cl
+ r)
_
= S[q
cl
] +
_
t
0
dt

r(t

)
S
q(t

)
=0
..
[m q
cl
V

(q
cl
)] +
1
2
_
t
0
dt

r(t

2
S
q(t

)q(t

)
..
_
m
2
t
V

(q
cl
)

r(t

) +
(ii) Classical trajectory: m q
cl
= V

(q
cl
)
Many solutions choose non-singular solution q
cl
= 0 (why?)
i.e. S[q
cl
] = 0 and V

(q
cl
) = m
2
constant
G(0, 0; t)
_
r(0)=r(t)=0
Dr exp
_
i

_
t
0
dt

r(t

)
m
2
_

2
t

2
_
r(t

)
_
N.B. if V was quadratic, expression trivially exact
More generally, q
cl
(t) non-trivial non-vanishing S[q
cl
] see PS3
Fluctuation contribution? example of a...
Gaussian functional integration: mathematical interlude
Lecture Notes October 2005
Lecture XII 36
One variable Gaussian integral: (
_

dv e
av
2
/2
)
2
= 2
_

0
r dr e
ar
2
/2
=
2
a
_

dv e

a
2
v
2
=
_
2
a
, Re a > 0
More than one variable:
_
dv e

1
2
v
T
Av
= (2)
N/2
det A
1/2
where A is +ve denite real symmetric N N matrix
Proof: A diagonalised by orthogonal transformation: A = O
T
DO
Change of variables: w = Ov (Jacobian det(O) = 1) N decoupled
Gaussian integrations: v
T
Av = v
T
O
T
OAO
T
Ov = w
T
Dw =

N
i
d
i
w
2
i
Finally,

N
i=1
d
i
= det D = det A
Innite number of variables; interpret {v
i
} v(t) as continuous eld and
A
ij
A(t, t

) = t|

A|t

as operator kernel
_
Dv(t) exp
_

1
2
_
dt
_
dt

v(t)A(t, t

)v(t

)
_
(det

A)
1/2
(iii) Applied to quantum well, A(t, t

) =
i

m(t t

)(
2
t

2
) and formally
G(0, 0; t) J det
_

2
t

2
_
1/2
where J absorbs various constant prefactors (im, , etc.)
What does det mean? Eectively, we have expanded trajectories r(t

)
in eigenbasis of

A subject to b.c. r(t) = r(0) = 0
_

2
t

2
_
r
n
(t) =
n
r
n
(t), cf. PIB
i.e. Fourier series expn: r
n
(t

) = sin(
nt

t
), n = 1, 2, . . . ,
n
= (
n
t
)
2

2
det
_

2
t

2
_
1/2
=

n=1

1/2
n
=

n=1
_
_
n
t
_
2

2
_
1/2
For V = 0, G = G
free
known use to eliminate constant prefactor J
G(0, 0; t) =
G(0, 0; t)
G
free
(0, 0; t)
G
free
(0, 0; t) =

n=1
_
1
_
t
n
_
2
_
1/2
_
m
2it
_
1/2
(t)
Finally, applying identity

n=1
[1 (
x
n
)
2
]
1
=
x
sin x
G(0, 0; t)
_
m
2i sin(t)
(t)
(exact for harmonic oscillator)
Lecture Notes October 2005