Quantum time delay for unitary operators: general theory
arXiv:1812.10718 · doi:10.1142/S0129055X19500181
Abstract
We present a suitable framework for the definition of quantum time delay in terms of sojourn times for unitary operators in a two-Hilbert spaces setting. We prove that this time delay defined in terms of sojourn times (time-dependent definition) exists and coincides with the expectation value of a unitary analogue of the Eisenbud-Wigner time delay operator (time-independent definition). Our proofs rely on a new summation formula relating localisation operators to time operators and on various tools from functional analysis such as Mackey's imprimititvity theorem, Trotter-Kato Formula and commutator methods for unitary operators. Our approach is general and model-independent.
38 pages, to appear in Rev. Math. Phys