Geometric phases and hidden gauge symmetry

Abstract

The second quantized approach to geometric phases is reviewed. The second quantization generally induces a hidden local (time-dependent) gauge symmetry. This gauge symmetry defines the parallel transport and holonomy, and thus it controls all the known geometric phases, either adiabatic or non-adiabatic, in a unified manner. The transitional region from the adiabatic to non-adiabatic phases is thus analyzed in a quantitative way. It is then shown that the topology of the adiabatic Berry's phase is trivial in a precise sense and also the adiabatic phase is rather fragile against the non-adiabatic deformation. In this formulation, the notion such as the projective Hilbert space does not appear.