PHYSICAL REVIEW

LETTERS
VOLUME 52 2 APRIL 1984 NUMBER 14

Quantum Mechanical Path Integrals with Wiener Measures

for all Polynomial Hamiltonians
John R. Klauder
AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill, New Jersey 07974

and
Ingrid Daubechies
Theoretische Natuurkunde, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium
(Received 8 December 1983)
We construct arbitrary matrix elements of the quantum evolution operator for a wide class
of self-adjoint canonical Hamiltonians, including those which are polynomial in the Heisen-
berg operators, as the limit of well defined path integrals involving Wiener measure on phase
space, as the diffusion constant diverges. A related construction achieves a similar result for
an arbitrary spin Hamiltonian.
PACS numbers: 03.65.Ca

Path integrals for evolution operators of quantum
mechanical systems are almost always defined as
the limits of expressions involving finitely many in-
tegrals.1 Efforts to define them as integrals involv-
ing genuine measures on path spaces of continuous
paths, or as limits of such integrals, have been
largely unrewarding. 2 In our earlier work on this
subject we have succeeded in establishing quantum
mechanical path integrals with genuine measures
for the limited class of quadratic Hamiltonians. 3
In this paper, taking an alternative but closely re-
lated approach, we succeed in constructing arbitrary
matrix elements of the quantum evolution operator
as limits of well defined path integrals involving
Wiener measure on phase space as the diffusion
constant diverges. Our construction works for any
self-adjoint Hamiltonian of a wide but special class
(defined below) which includes all Hamiltonians
polynomial in the canonical (Heisenberg) operators.
A similar construction leads to an analogous
description of arbitrary matrix elements of the
quantum evolution operator for an arbitrary Hamil-
tonian composed of spin operators for any fixed
spin s > 0, extending earlier work.4 As above,
these matrix elements are defined as limits of well
defined path integrals involving Wiener measure
© 1984 The American Physical Society
defined here on the unit sphere, again as the dif-
fusion constant diverges. Finally we comment on
how the spin path-integral expression passes to the
canonical one as s—>oo. We content ourselves
here with a statement of our principal results,
reserving a precise formulation and detailed proofs
to a separate article.5 For clarity we confine our dis-
cussion to a single degree of freedom. The notation
is that of our earlier papers.
Canonical case.—For all (p,q) € R2 let
\p,q)^exp[i(pQ-qP)]\0), [Q,P] = i,
denote the canonical coherent states, where |0) is a
normalized vector that satisfies (Q + / P ) | 0 ) = 0 . It
follows6 that a general operator H can be expressed
as
H = J h (p,q) \p,q ) (p,q | dp dq/lir,
where
h(p,q)=exp[-(d2/dp2 + d2/dq2)/2](p,q\H\p,q).
For H the unit operator /, this expression yields
h = 1; for Ha. polynomial in Pand Q, it follows that
h is a polynomial in p and q. The special class of
Hamiltonians we are able to discuss includes all
those for which h (p,q) is polynomially bounded.
We suppose hereafter that H denotes the self-
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adjoint Hamiltonian of interest, and thus that h is of a harmonic oscillator of unit frequency; clearly
real. \p,q,0) = \p,q). For any (3 with |/3| < 1 it follows
Now we introduce additional canonical coherent that 7
S t a t e S
I VX X * ^ nh\

\p,q,n) = Qxp[i(pQ-qP)]\n), w = 0,1,2, . . . , •"* / / ^ /- W>H> /

where |/i) denotes the normalized /rth excited state defines a vector in an associated direct-sum Hilbert
— —J space %f. We define four operators in ^ a s follows:

Ep=f\p,q))((p,q\dpdq/27T= % © |/?|"/„, ^ « % 0 ,//„, Bfi= fh(p,q)\p,q)) ((p,q\dp dq/2ir,

/i-0 /i-0

C^ = J e x p [ - /e/7 (/?,<?) ] |/?,#)) ((/?,tf |fljp^ / 2 T T .

In arriving at the second form for Ep we have used the basic fact that
J\p,q,n) (p,q,m I dp dq/lir = (m\n)In = SmnIn,
where In denotes the unit operator in the nth direct-sum subspace. Observe that Ex is the identity operator
in %% while P = E0 is the projection onto the 0th subspace 3£ A real h implies that Bfi is a symmetric opera-
tor in 3ff.
Now choose the following parameters: N is a variable positive integer, T a fixed positive time interval,
6—T/(N + l), and /3 = (1 — ev/2)/(l + ev/2), v fixed and positive (v is the diffusion constant, as will be-
come apparent). With these identifications, and for polynomially bounded h, we are able to prove 5,8 ( " s "
means strong) Lemma 1:
s-limC#=exp(-v7M
P
-iTBx). (1)
N-+oo

Furthermore, under the same conditions, we can prove Lemma 2:

s-limexp( - vTA - iTBx) = P exp( - iTPBxP)P. (2)

Observe that PBXP restricted to the 0th subspace is just the self-adjoint Hamiltonian H. Consequently, for
any |</>), |i//) € J^, the matrix element of the evolution operator is given by
<0|e-' T / / l4>>= Hm lim <<*|C£|*>>,
—
(3)
V —* oo N * oo

where l<£}), |i//)) € ^ a r e vectors with 0th entry |</>), |i//), respectively, and zero in all remaining entries,
n >0.
We now proceed to give a path-integral expression for (3). With the parameters chosen as above it follows
that
((p",q"\C%\p',q')) = f--' jtl((Pi + i,qi^i\phqi))tl{oxp[-ieh(phql)]dpldql/27T}f
/-o /-i

where {p',q') = (/?o>4o) a n d ip">q") = CPTV + I ^ + I). We observe that 3b

1
< {P2>qi\p\>q\)) = — i ^ — expi4 ( ^ 1 ^ 2 - ^ 1 / ^ 2 ) - ^ [(/>2-/>l)2+(<72-?l)2]
ev 2 2ev
The form of this expression makes evident the result of the limit N —• 00 (e —• 0) as

lim {{p",q"\C%\p',q')) =2TtevTl2 fexp{/ f [\{pq - qp)-h{p,q)\dt}d^vw{p,q),

where /x J^ is a product of two pinned Wiener measures concentrated on continuous paths with a normalized
connected covariance given for tx^ t2 by (x(ti)x(t2))c=vtl(l — t-JT) for x = /? or q\ here the role of v as
diffusion constant is apparent. Note that J (pq -qp)dt interpreted as f(p dq - q dp) involves well-defined
stochastic integrals in any9 (Ito or Stratonovich) sense. Finally, we obtain the following Theorem:

dp" dq" dp' dq'

<<£k-' T / / |i//>= Hm C(cf>\p",q")[2TTevT/2fexp(iS)diJLvw](pffq'\ilj)
2TT

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where S denotes the "classical action,"

T

This result achieves our stated goal of a path-integral representation.

It is important to compare our results here with those obtained earlier. In Ref. 3 we were able to find an
expression for quadratic Hamiltonians which involves the function H(p,q) = (p,q \H\p,q) as the Hamiltoni-
an function in S (rather than h), at the expense of introducing Wiener measures with nonvanishing drift
terms determined by the usual Hamilton equations of motion. 35 Thus, at least for the limited set of Hamil-
tonians in common, we gain a clearer understanding of the true underlying distinction between two formal
but otherwise identical path-integral expressions given by10
yrfexp(iS)Htdp(t)dq(t),
where S = f[^(pq -qp) - h(p,q)]dt or S = f[~(pq -qp) -H(p,q)]dt. If # — 0 recall that h (p,q)
—+ Hc(p,q), H(p,q)-+ Hc(p,q), where Hc(p,q) denotes the usual classical Hamiltonian. This fact explains
how yet another expression, involving Wiener measures without drift and the function H(p,q) representing
the Hamiltonian, can be valid insofar as the leading term of the stationary-phase approximation is concerned,
since in that approximation both Hand h are equivalent to Hc [neglecting terms 0(ft)].n
The rigorous path-integral definition described in this paper enables variable transformations (e.g., canoni-
cal transformations) to be examined much more critically than in the usual formal formulation. Such a pos-
sibility provides just one motivation for our seeking to define quantum mechanical path integrals in terms of
genuine measures on continuous paths.
Spin case.—With regard to a path integral for spin s we can proceed analogously. Fix s > 0, and for
(0,0) €S2let
\0, 0 ) = exp( - / 0 5 3 ) exp( - iOS2) \ss) € 2fs
denote normalized spin-coherent states, where S3\ss) = s \ss), and ~S2 = s (s + 1 )/ s . It follows that
H= Nsfh(0,(f>)\0,(t>)(0,<f>\dn,
where Ns= (2s + D/47T, d£l = sin0dOd<j>, represents any operator i n ^ s - Here the relation between h and
/ / i s expressed 12 in terms of the usual spherical harmonics Ylm by
(2
A(*,*)« i i A + lnV ! (2
r^! )! Ylm(9^)^Ytm(9fA')(e'^f\H\e'^')da'.
J
M « - / (2s + D! (25)!
Evidently for / / t h e identity operator Is, h = 1; while for any operator //, h is well defined. Hereafter we as-
sume that / / i s the self-adjoint spin-operator Hamiltonian of interest, and thus h is real. Next we introduce
additional normalized spin-coherent states
\9, <t>Jm) = exp(/ - 0S 3 ) exp( - iOS2) \jm)
appropriate to spin jand magnetic quantum number m, where S3\jm) = m \jm)\ clearly \0, 0,s s ) = \0, 0 ) . For
any (3 with |/3| < 1 it follows that

k 0 > > = S e (2/ + 25 + i ) 1 / 2 / 3 / ( / + 2 5 + 1 ) / 4 | 0 , 0 , / + 5 s )

/-o
defines a vector in an associated direct-sum Hilbert space ^ s . Four operators are defined on 3lfs as follows:

^=/k0)X<»,0l(rfft/47r)- %® \fi\l(l + 2s + l)/2

Il + Sf A= %® j / ( / + 2s + l ) / / + „
/-o /-o
B ss
fi fh(0,4>)\9,4>))((0,4>\(dCl/4ir), Cp = J e x p [ - ieh (9, 0 ) ] | 0 , 0 ) ) ((9, 0 | ( r f O / 4 7 r ) .
Here we have used the fact that

(2j + 1 ) / | 0 , 4>Jm)(°.<l>JmI(dn/A^-bjjJj
for all 7, / ^ m. We choose NSL variable positive integer, Ta fixed positive time integral, e = T/(N + 1 ) , and
fB= 1 — ev, v fixed and positive. Then again we are able to prove, mutatis mutandis, (1) and (2), with (3) as a

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consequence. As for the path-integral expression it follows that

((0", </>" \C%\9', <!>')) = j jfi<<^ + i,* P + i l ^ * l , > > flexpl-ieh(9p,<l>p)Kdnp/47r),

p = 0 />-i

where, for 0 < e « 1, and up to O (e 2 ) terms,

((02,<t>2\0h<t>i))= %(2l + 2s + l)[l-jevl(l + 2s + \)](92,4>2>l +s8\9i,<l>iJ +s8^

/-o
= (l+sev)(92fcl>2\9hct>l) X % ( 4 7 r ) [ l - | € W ( / + l)]yftil(02,02)r/;(^1,01).
/ - O w - -/
Note here that
125
•9\ 02— 01 , . 92 + 9x . 0 2 - 0 1
cos- — cos h / c o s — - — sin (4)

while

(e' vA/2 )(0**2;0i,*i)= z Z e x p [ - ^ w ( / + i)]r / w (^ 2 ,0 2 )r / ;(^ 1 ,0 1 ), (5)

/-Om--/
with A the Laplacian on the unit sphere, is the Markov transition element for Brownian motion on the
sphere with diffusion constant v. Consequently,
T
lim ((9",<t>"\C^\0',(t>'))=4TTesvTn fexp{/ f [5 cos6>0- A (9,<l>)]dt}d fjivw0, <f>). (6)
Here JA ^ denotes a pinned Wiener measure on the unit sphere with diffusion constant v and weight given by
(5) for t = T. To obtain (6) it is necessary to expand (4) to second-order differentials and use an appropriate
form of the Ito calculus.4 Here J*cos00d/ = J c o s 0 d 0 represents a well defined stochastic integral (in any
sense). Finally we observe that
<0k-' T// |t/,)= lim U<t>\9",<l>")(NsesvT/2 Ce^dfi^iff^'l^dCl" d(l't
v-* oo* 7 J
r
with S = J" [ s c o s 0 0 - h (9,<f>)]dt, represents the (N.Y.) 1, 48 (1960); R. H. Cameron, J. Analyse Math.
desired path-integral expression. 10,287 (1962/1963).
3a
In the spin case remarks entirely similar to those J. R. Klauder and I. Daubechies, Phys. Rev. Lett. 48,
of the canonical case apply to an alternative path- 117 (1982).
3b
integral definition in which Brownian motion on the I. Daubechies and J. R. Klauder, J. Math. Phys.
sphere in the presence of drift and alternative ex- (N.Y.) 23, 1806 (1982).
3c
pressions for the classical Hamiltonians arise. See I. Daubechies and J. R. Klauder, Lett. Math. Phys. 7,
Ref. 4. 10 229 (1983).
4
J. R. Klauder, J. Math. Phys. (N.Y.) 23, 1797 (1982).
Lastly we remark that if we rescale v in the spin 5
I. Daubechies and J. R. Klauder, to be published.
case to v/s, set p = s 1/2 cos0, <?=s 1/2 0 ( — 7r < 0 6
J. R. Klauder and E. C. G. Sudarshan Fundamentals of
^ IT ), and formally take the limit s —• oo, then it Quantum Optics (Benjamin, New York, 1968), Chaps. 7
follows that the spin path integral becomes the and 8.
canonical path integral (modulo a trivial phase 7
The normalization of the vectors \p,q)) differs by a
change). factor (1 - |/81)1/2 from that in Ref. 3b.
8
It is a pleasure for us to thank Professor Ludwig One can prove that vA +iB\, where ^i = lim^— i^^,
Streit for his hospitality at the Zentrum fur generates a strongly continuous contraction semigroup
Interdisziplinare Forschung, Bielefeld, Federal which we denote by exp [ — vTA — iTB \ ].
9
Republic of Germany, where this work was carried See, e.g., K. Ito, in Mathematical Problems in Theoreti-
out. One of us (I.D.) acknowledges appointment as cal Physics, edited by H. Araki (Springer-Verlag, New
York, 1975), p. 218.
a Wetenschappelijk Medewerker at the Interuniver- 10
Compare, in this regard, R. Shankar, Phys. Rev. Lett.
sitair Instituut voor Kernwetenschappen, Belgium. 45, 1088 (1980).
n
J. R. Klauder, in Path Integrals, edited G J. Papado-
poulos and J. T. Devreese (Plenum, New York, 1978), p.
!See, e.g., E. Nelson, J. Math. Phys. (N.Y.) 5, 332 5, and Phys. Rev. D 19, 2349 (1979).
12
(1964). See, e.g., F. T. Arecchi, E. Courtens, R. Gilmore, and
2
I. M. Gel'fand and A. M. Yaglom, J. Math. Phys. H. Thomas, Phys. Rev. A 6, 2211 (1972).
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