The odd-order Pais-Uhlenbeck oscillator

Abstract

We consider a Hamiltonian formulation of the (2n+1)-order generalization of the Pais-Uhlenbeck oscillator with distinct frequencies of oscillation. This system is invariant under time translations. However, the corresponding Noether integral of motion is unbounded from below and can be presented as a direct sum of 2n one-dimensional harmonic oscillators with an alternating sign. If this integral of motion plays a role of a Hamiltonian, a quantum theory of the Pais-Uhlenbeck oscillator faces a ghost problem. We construct an alternative canonical formulation for the system under study to avoid this nasty feature.

arXiv commentV2: 16 pages; references and acknowledgements added, typos corrected. The version to appear in Nucl. Phys. B

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