paper

Harmonic states for the free particle

arXiv:1010.5525 · doi:10.1088/1751-8113/44/44/445307

Abstract

Different families of states, which are solutions of the time-dependent free Schrödinger equation, are imported from the harmonic oscillator using the Quantum Arnold Transformation introduced in a previous paper. Among them, infinite series of states are given that are normalizable, expand the whole space of solutions, are spatially multi-localized and are eigenstates of a suitably defined number operator. Associated with these states new sets of coherent and squeezed states for the free particle are defined representing traveling, squeezed, multi-localized wave packets. These states are also constructed in higher dimensions, leading to the quantum mechanical version of the Hermite-Gauss and Laguerre-Gauss states of paraxial wave optics. Some applications of these new families of states and procedures to experimentally realize and manipulate them are outlined.

21 pages, 3 figures. Title changed, content added, references added

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